You’ve found the apartment and all the paperwork is done.

That means the hard part is over!

Or is it only the beginning?

After you decide on an apartment, you might think that everything from here will be smooth sailing.

After all, you don’t have to move in until school starts in August. That means you can push everything off for months—no problem.

What could there possibly be left to do?

There’s some fun stuff, and some not so fun stuff.

Look At Your Neighborhood

After you make that decision, you’re going to want to take some time and research the neighborhood you’ll be in or near. This could be as simple as taking a walk on a nice day, or doing a little more intense searching on what people have said about your new neighborhood.

• Is it loud on the weekends?
• Do the buses come by frequently?
• Do you know anyone who lives close by in case you need a favor?

It’s good to know where you’ll be living, and who’s living by you. That’ll make the transition into a new area much easier. You might even end up making some friends at your complex!

Find A Roommate

Once you figure out where you’re living and who’s living near you, you’ll also want to find someone to live with you, if necessary.

As available apartments dwindle, so do people to occupy them.

If you have a friend or a mutual friend who’s in need of a place to stay for the next school year, that’s going to be your best bet.

Learn what it takes to vet and live with your roommates by checking out our free guide.

Living with someone you know has its perks: you already know each other and like each other, plus you’ll always be able to hang out!

Living situations can be more complex than you think, so having a friend tough it out with you makes it so much better.

What Should You Bring?

One of the most important, yet underrated, parts of finding somewhere to live is figuring out what you’ll need to pack when it’s time to move in.

You’re going to need a lot more than you think, even if you’re only planning for the first few weeks.

It’s never too early to start accumulating supplies like: 

• cooking utensils
• floor mats
• tissue boxes
• you name it! 

Fast forward to move-in, you’re going to have a much easier time than many of your peers who are buying all of their supplies days before they arrive to their apartment.

It may seem silly to do so far in advance, but it’ll save a lot of time and frustration in the long run!

Make Your Apartment Your Home

The last thing you’ll have to do after finding your apartment is super simple, but it might take some time to get used to: call it home.

Your parents will always be your parents, and your pets will always be waiting, but your new apartment becomes your home as soon as you unlock it (or even after you sign the lease).

You’ve officially got a place of your own, so enjoy it!