After we graduate college, some of us may bypass the period of time where we move back home with our parents and relish in not paying rent and having home cooked meals and just go straight into the real world. My friends and I like to joke about how none of us are actually real people because we all still rely on our parents for many, many things. We’re all kind of in that limbo stage or the words of Ms. Spears, “Not a girl, not yet a woman.” But this notion does not stop me from dreaming of days when I live in Downtown Chicago in my very own amazing apartment with grown-up stuff everywhere such as candles and plants.

When people come over for dinner parties (yup, I will host dinner parties), they will walk in and gasp, “Katie! Your apartment is so…adult!” I will smile humbly and thank them not leading on to the meticulous and thought out structure of my adult oasis. This is the dream, people.

While this is on my mind, I decided to compile a list of things that every aspiring adult needs in their new apartment! It’s time to ditch the futon, guys…

initiating the gallery...

Katie is finishing up her undergrad at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. She enjoys wasting hours on Facebook and tweeting things no one cares about. When asked the question, “Do you do marathons?” She promptly responds, “Of course! Which show?” Follow her @KatieGarrity!

I grew up in the kind of town where you can’t walk down the street without seeing someone you know, and, of course, everyone knows your business. But as great as that all sounds, the time had come for me to spread my hard-partying, college-going, moving-to-the-city wings.

After being accepted to college just outside of Toronto, I thought “why should I wait until September to move?” So I packed up my things and began my life as an adult. I found a gorgeous 2 bedroom apartment right beside my future school to share with a couple friends – the only catch was that the lease started in July, my friends weren’t moving until September, and I would be on my own for two months. I moved in last week, and not only have I learned the joys of being able to walk around naked, I’ve also learned a thing or two about living on your own for the first time.

1. Save yourself the hassle – pack smartly. I got to my new place and decided to unpack dishes and the things I would need for my kitchen first. While this is a great idea, having zero labels on any boxes has left me completely forkless. Spoons? Knives? The cool egg timer I bought for the “once-in-a-blue-moon” occasions I want hard boiled eggs? Yes. But forks? No clue where they went! And it will take me days to dig through every last box in this mess of an apartment to find them. It may be annoying to organize and label your stuff when you pack, but it is not nearly as annoying as attempting to eat spaghetti with a spoon.

2. It won’t kill you to wear the same pair of jeans 2 or 3 times before washing them. Living at home, most of us don’t have to pay $1.90 for wash and $1.60 for dry, but being on your own means shoveling out the cash for clean clothes. Wearing the same outfit twice before washing it is not going to kill us (gasp, I know), and I hate to admit it, but no one else will probably notice. Plus, jeans are always more comfy after they’ve been worn-in for a day…or month (you know it’s true).

3. The novelty of unpacking wears off fast. Sure, I’ll admit, unpacking the first few boxes was reminiscent of Christmas morning. Forgetting the little trinkets from my room that I had packed away months ago gave me a bit of a thrill, but after doing this for 3 hours – it’s just not so much fun anymore. My solution is to tackle each room one at a time, starting with the most important. First the kitchen, then the bedroom, living room, bathroom, etc. This way, things get done efficiently, and by the time you’re sick of unpacking your 2,384th novelty mug, it’s time to put together your bed and re-fold your high school clothes.

4. Black bed sheets are a bad idea. All excited about getting to decorate a new room, I came up with a classy palate of purple and black. To go along with it, I bought a super cute purple duvet and some elegant black sheets. All was well (and looked awesome), until I reconnected with my ex (long story) and… well, let’s just say that having sex on black sheets means I have to spend the money I’ve been saving on washing my jeans to wash my sheets. Sure, they look great, but they aren’t very practical if you plan on getting freaky.

5. I really can do it on my own. Living with the parentals for the last 18 years of my life and having most things done for me had me seriously doubting my cleaning, cooking, and all-around independent living skills. But other than one almost-leaving-the-stove-on-all-night fiasco, things have been going smoothly. Sure, the water in my building was shut off for 8 hours the day after I moved in, but it was dealt with and all was well.

I was terrified leading up to the big move, but things worked out, as they almost always do. I feel like a grown up now and I’m excited to see what other challenges come my way once school starts next month.

The only thing more stressful than graduating from college is finding that first apartment after graduation. I remember my first apartment hunt like it was yesterday. There was a lot of running, a lot of crying and a sh*t ton of begging my parents for money so I could afford to live in something that had closets and wasn’t a closet. After an emotionally draining 2 weeks of hunting, I finally found something.

And had to pay some dude $2,000 for it because he happened to unlock it for me when I went to see it.

My apartment was great… on the surface. In fact, it wasn’t until I moved in that I realized all the questions I neglected to ask. (Namely, “Does the family downstairs cook with road kill daily?”) Questions that were vital to truly finding the right apartment for my life. So, here are a few pointers for you, recent grads. The rules aren’t the same in every city, but I guarantee you will benefit from what I have to share.

1. Make a List: Not just a mental one, either. Write an actual list of the things you MUST have in an apartment and cannot live without. Not only will this serve as a checklist as you enter each apartment, but it will also keep you from getting side tracked by any temptations (a wine fridge? Fancy, but do you really need to chill that Boones Farm?) an apartment may have.

2. Get Advice: So, you may think ample closet space/proximity to a liquor store is the most important thing for your new place (and they both totes are for me), but you may also not realize the importance of some other amenities. Say, proximity to a grocery store. Or a laundry facility. Or a hospital. Being that we’ve never really lived on our own before, there are a lot of things we may not realize we need. Your parents do, so be sure to ask for their advice in the apartment hunting process.

3. Set Your Limit and Be Realistic: This may not be the case everywhere, but if you are moving into a big city the real estate agents can be, well, a-holes. The more expensive the apartment they put you in, the more money they make. And lord knows they will try and get you into the most expensive place they can think of. Don’t try to impress them by setting your rent limit higher than you can afford and don’t let them show you places you know are too much. You will be wasting your time or, worse, getting your heart set on something that will send you deep. into. debt. And it is not worth it. Speak up and make sure they know what you want and what you can afford.

4. Be Prepared: When you go out on that apartment hunt, be prepared. Bring a notebook, some check stubs, your social security card, checkbook and most recent bank statement. Some apartments go fast, so if you want it you will need to act on the spot. And that means proving your worth to that real estate company ASAP.

5. Be Mentally Prepared: This may not be true for all of you, but some of you are about to be very surprised about what apartments are like after college. It is not going to be like Friends (that apartment would be like $6,000 a month in NYC!) or that beauty of a place on How I Met Your Mother. In fact, it may be more like Harry Potter’s room under the stairs. The truth is, your first apartment will probably be small and cramped and over-priced. As long as you know that going in, you will be fine. If you’re expecting 2,000 square feet and a jacuzzi tub…well, prepare to be disappointed.

Also, be ready to scream/cry/drink heavily. Apartment hunting is not for the weak, so (wo)man up and find yourself somewhere to live. Just don’t forget to look for closets! I didn’t realize I was without them until my boxes were lining the walls and I had nowhere to hand my clothes.