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Living in a dorm is… an adventure. However, one day in your college life, you’ll start a new adventure in your first apartment. Sure, there are upsides to the dorms like meeting new people, fun hall activities and having only a short walk to your classes. But nothing beats having a place that feels more like your own. Once you choose your new place, you gotta choose the stuff to fill it up, so you’ll have to go (read: you’ll get to go) on a Target run. Here are 18 Target finds for your new space, from a Dash coffee machine to cozy bedding, and everything in between.
For the Kitchen:
Dash 12 Cup Express Coffee Maker
You might think you’ll only need one cup of coffee to get you up and ready in the morning. And you might be right, but then again, you could also be very wrong. Get real with yourself and try this 12 cup coffee maker. Plus, your roomies can help split the brew.
Dash Clear View Toaster
You can’t make bomb avocado toast without a toaster, and you definitely can’t make it with burnt bread, either. Now, you can watch your bread turn the perfect shade of golden brown with Dash’s Clear View Toaster. It has a window so you can pop up your toast when it’s toasted to perfection. 👌
Dash 8″ Express Griddle / Quesadilla Maker
This mini griddle is just short of magical. You can make eggs on it in the morning, whip up a quesadilla on it for lunch, then use it like a grill and make a burger. The possibilities are limitless.
Dash Express Hot Pot 36 oz
You don’t need to be reminded why one-pot meals are amazing; you’ve got Pinterest for that. A hot pot like this one doesn’t even require a stove to simmer all of its ingredients. Turn the dial, cook your noodles, then with a strainer in the lid, pour out the water and add your sauce in the same exact pot. Then, eat. Eat it all.
Knife Set
Fun fact: Sharp knives are safer than dull ones. Reason being is that they’re less likely to slip off whatever you’re cutting and cut you. Skip the L and get a new sharp set like these. Not to mention, they come in fun colors.
Dinnerware Set
If you’re old enough to live on your own, you’re old enough to get yourself a real set of plates that aren’t plastic or paper. Your foodstagrams will look much better on a ceramic white plate over a printed paper towel, and if you’re the roommate to bring these, you get to take them at the end of the year. Real world, here you come.
Silverware Set
Again, no more plastic or paper silverware. There’s a time and a place for that, and unless you’re throwing a party, it’s not the time nor the place. It’s not only better for the environment, but having more silverware means less dish washing.
For the Bedroom:
Embroidered Comforter Set
Your bed is like your home base. Make it comfy, make it cute, and in the words of Tim Gunn, “Make it work.” Plain white bedding will make you feel at peace when it’s time to hit the hay.
Insulated Blackout Grommet Top Window Curtain Panels
Getting to know your neighbors is fun, but you gotta draw a line somewhere. Curtains can be that line.
3-Tier Metal Utility Cart
This roller cart can be used to organize everything from your linens to your makeup to your homework. You can leave it by your bed as a side table or roll it into your closet for more hidden storage.
LED Task Floor Lamp Brass
If your apartment isn’t brand new or even newly renovated, chances are, you have terrible overhead lighting. Brighten the place up with a floor lamp.
#SpoonTip: Plug your lamp into a smart plug so you can control your lights with your smart phone. While on your way home from a late night at the library, you can turn on the lights and avoid walking into a dark apartment.
For the Bathroom:
Mini Orange Pineapple Print with Tassels Shower Curtain
Keep the water in your shower with a shower curtain, and make your bathroom way more homey with a colorful one. This one has mini pineapples on it, because food is fun.
Plunger & Toilet Brush with Carry Caddy
In her commencement speech to Dartmouth this year, Mindy Kaling gave students the advice to get a toilet plunger. “Trust me on this. Don’t wait until you need a plunger to buy a plunger.” Enough said.
Bath Towel Set
Getting out of a hot shower before your 8 am class can seem daunting, so make it better with fluffy towels. You took the first step in showering, this is just the next step. Baby steps, people.
For Everything Else:
Hello Goodbye Doormat
Welcome your guests and say goodbye with this fun doormat at your entrance. You’re so nice, it’s like you’re not even trying.
Command Quartz Hooks
Command hooks are a Godsend when you’re renting an apartment. And now, they even come in more decorative designs, like this scarf and jewelry rack.
Butterfly Chair
Comfy seating is a must, but if you have a small space, you might not be able to fit a full-sized couch. Get a foldable chair like this one so you can put it away when it’s just you, or pull it out when you have company.
Dirt Devil Lightweight Vacuum
For when you spill (and you will) your late night bite of cereal, a lightweight vacuum like this one will come in clutch.
Moving into your first real apartment is exciting, and it can be tempting to want to fill it up with all the things right away. Beyond these essentials, you’ll probably want to decorate and to really make it your own, too. However, take your time and learn what you really need. You’ll spend less money and have less stuff to hide away in your closet.