From understanding rental agreements and paying utility bills to having uncomfortable (but necessary) conversations with roommates about chores, moving into your first adult home is overwhelming. We asked Taskers and TaskRabbit HQ to share what they wish they’d known when moving into their first homes on their own. Read on to see why you should always count a room’s outlets before moving in and how to handle your roommate’s growing pile of dirty dishes without resorting to passive aggressiveness.
“Check for ANY indication of excessive moisture or signs of mold, especially in basement apartments. If there’s even the slightest scent of mildew, refuse to sign a mold addendum. (And be sure to pick up dehumidifiers!)” – Brittany B., Portland Tasker
“Count the outlets. The more outlets, the less likely it will be that you will have to crawl into the basement of the Korean restaurant below you to get to the circuit breaker each time you dry your hair.” – Annette J., TaskRabbit HQ
“Just because someone is your friend does not mean you should live with them. That, and the fact that 8 girls in one apartment is always a bad idea.” – Kathryn K., Miami Tasker
“Budget for furnishing after the move, not just for rent and utilities!” – Kim H., TaskRabbit HQ
“Take a video of the move-in status of all appliances, walls, windows, doors, floors, counters, and cabinets. That way, you have evidence to use when trying to get your full deposit upon moving out.” – Cyd M., Portland Tasker
“Know where the cable or internet connections are and check that all the electrical fixtures work.” – Michael H., Los Angeles Tasker
“Investing in small, lightweight touches to make your place feel like home is key. No one wants to sit in a room full of generic furniture and nothing fun. You’ll never feel moved in!” – Maria G., TaskRabbit HQ
“Instead of going to big stores and spending a lot on small items, go to the dollar store. Ice cube trays, wine glasses, sponges, you can get it all there!” – Sara B., TaskRabbit HQ
“Clean out the freezer regularly. You might be tempted to hoard frozen meals or leftovers, but overcrowding will block the freezer vents and send you searching for a cooler when the fridge breaks.” – Cat K., TaskRabbit HQ
“Make sure your bedroom faces away from a street — especially if there is a high chance that there is a bus stop outside of your window. Get blackout curtains. And finally, spend the time to make it your own. You only have a first apartment once!” – Annette J., TaskRabbit HQ
“You can really fit a lot into small spaces if you store it correctly. Getting smaller containers from IKEA to keep on shelves and in cabinets has helped keep my space neater.” – Carly H., TaskRabbit HQ
“Get an external storage unit for big things that you rarely use (holiday decorations, etc.)” – Heidi A., TaskRabbit HQ
“We all clean together. We used to have a rotating chore chart, for a time, but it was cumbersome and annoying. We all recognize when it’s time to clean and make it fun. With the chore chart, we had a system where if you skipped your chores too frequently, you had to donate 10% of your monthly income to the house for the rest of the roommates to do with it what they pleased. We only had one instance where someone had to donate and we used the money to throw them a party. Now, we just ask each other to pick up the slack. We’re getting older and less passive aggressive.” – Zach F., TaskRabbit HQ
“We try to split up the chores, cooking, and grocery shopping as much as possible. If they’re not pulling their weight, I tell them. Passive aggressive notes/texts were so college.” – Jennica R., TaskRabbit HQ
“Leave them ‘love’ notes on the milk carton in the fridge. If you want cereal, you are going to get it with a side of guilt.” – Annette J., TaskRabbit HQ
“We either take turns with stuff we hate (laundry) or divide and conquer (cleaning a room each).” – Maria G., TaskRabbit HQ
Adulthood can be daunting, but with the right help, it doesn’t have to be. Keep our checklist handy as you set up your first apartment, and book a Tasker for help with moving, furniture assembly, mounting, and more.
