UIUC Apartment Checklist: Everything You Need for a Successful Fall 2021 Semester

When the summer starts to come to an end, you’re sad that it’s over. Most students at UIUC, have been counting down the days until summer is over to join their friends back on campus and get out of their parent’s house. 

With the uncertainty of COVID keeping many classes remote even if you’re back on campus, decking out your UIUC apartment with decor, furniture, and decorations that feel like you and your style is more important than ever. Here’s our 2021 checklist of the most important additions to your apartment to make your fall semester better than ever.

When a new school year and the apartment comes one of the biggest perks – having an entire apartment to decorate. Unlike a dorm or your parent’s house, your apartment has more than one room that you will need more furniture for than the bookshelf you might have brought from home. The best option for furnishing apartments that you might not be in for too long is to buy secondhand. 

Check out Facebook Marketplace and other listings to find things you need for less. Or beg your friends for their old couches! They might not be perfectly clean but at least they were cheap! Redoing furniture is always an option; buying cheap and spray painting an item or turning it into something new can be an easy way to upgrade your space.

Making an apartment feel like home can be hard, but it’s easier with the right decorations and setup. Buy things to hang on walls that you couldn’t in dorms, and buy decorations that you like for your kitchen and everywhere else. Liking your space will help you feel more at home and relaxed, which every college student needs. Don’t forget to pick up a few decorations to celebrate your favorite holidays or seasons, it will feel like you’re turning into your mother, but it’s worth it. 

The things most college kids forget about buying are the things they need the most; cleaning supplies. It’s something that is never a second thought to most kids staying in dorms, but once you move into an apartment…. Everything is dirty all the time. The counters? Crumbs. The stove? Baked on food. The microwave? Don’t even ask about the microwave. We recommend these essentials for cleaning to keep up with the mess you and your roomies make every weekend. 

• Swiffer or Vacuum
  • If you can’t afford a vacuum or don’t care to buy one, a Swiffer is the next best thing. Keep the corners of your apartment free of dust will make you think your house is cleaner than it is. Swiffers get the job done every time. 

• Cleaning Supplies
  • You know, like 409, Windex, and Lysol., for everything else.

Another facet of maintenance are things like garbage bags, paper towels, toilet paper, hand soap, and all the other random things that keep you and your house running efficiently. These things paired with shampoo and conditioner are probably things you haven’t thought twice about ever since it was your parents who usually bought them (or, in the case of the cleaning supplies, the only ones who used them). We recommend taking a big trip to the grocery store or Walmart the first day back, drag your parents and tell them you want to keep your apartment clean; we guarantee they will pay for it all! 

College students are most stressed about when living off-campus because you are now on your own to fend for yourself for every meal. If you don’t know how to cook at all, you should buy some basic cookbooks, and for every college student– stocking up with essentials when you have the money will keep you from eating ramen year-round. Things like bags of rice, frozen veggies, meals, canned soup, etc., will ensure that you always have something to eat, especially when you don’t feel like cooking and can’t afford even to buy McDonald’s! 

Using what resources you have to learn how to cook can also be a great way to teach yourself new things. Hop on Tik Tok and search up some cooking videos; we guarantee there’s everything from gourmet meals to upgraded ramen on there. Challenge yourself to make something new every week, and you’ll have the hang of it in no time. 

Make sure you also stock up on kitchen cooking essentials like a few fry pans, a pot for pasta, a filter, some utensils, and a cookie try for those late-night cravings. You can buy a big pack that will provide you with everything you need for around $50 online – and believe us; it’s worth it! 

Don’t fret, though; moving into an apartment is the first of many exciting steps on the way to adulthood. You will get the hang of cleaning, decorating, and living on your own in no time with the help of this simple guide and your roommates. Making your first apartment beautiful is as easy as the decision to go to UIUC was.