Tag Archives: essentials

Student Life

The Must-Haves for Your College Medicine Cabinet

Photo from http://www.scrubs123.com

It’s really easy to realize the things you’ve forgotten as soon as you need it.  It’s especially easy to do this with your medicine cabinet, because you don’t notice you need things like bandages or alcohol until you hurt yourself.

It’s best to keep some sort of first aid kit in your place, so you have all your necessities in one place.  In your first aid kit you’ll want to keep band-aids of varying sizes, sterile gauze dressings, tweezers, antibiotic ointment, burn ointment, and isopropyl alcohol.  Other things you may want to include in your first aid kit are things like q-tips and an over-the-counter allergy medicine (in case of allergic reaction).  It’s good to have these things all in one place so if someone gets hurt, all you have to do is grab the kit that you put together.

You should avoid using the products in your first aid kit, as these are only for emergencies.  Therefore it’s a good idea to keep a supply of all of these products on hand, aside from the ones you keep in your first aid kit.

Some other suggestions for your medicine cabinet include a thermometer, antacids, cough syrup, and anti-itch medicine.  It’s also a great idea to have some sort of over-the counter-pain medicine, either with acetaminophen or ibuprofen as the active ingredient.

It’s best to keep your medicine cabinet well stocked, even if you don’t need it now.  This way you’ll have something on hand should someone get hurt, or you just need something for your headache.

 

References:

Medicine Cabinet Must-Haves

6 Important Items for Your Medicine Cabinet

5 Must-Have Home Safety Products

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Cooking, Housing Advice

Starter Pantry Essentials Checklist

When you’re moving off-campus for the school year, there are a lot of things to consider.  If your living in an unfurnished pad, in particular, there are a lot of things you have to remember to pack.  While it’s important, I’m sure many of you may forget the important essentials you’ll need to stock your pantry with when you move in.  It’s not like at home where your mom always had some chicken noodle soup in stock.  You’re on your own!

Knowing from our experience, we wanted to make sure you weren’t left out in the cold if you didn’t get to go grocery shopping one week.  Thanks to a couple articles we read at MyFirstApartment.com, we’ve come up with a list of things that every college student living off-campus needs to keep themselves fed.

  • Canned beans
  • Canned soups
  • Canned tomatoes
  • Pasta sauce
  • Spices (you at least want garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper)
  • All-purpose flour
  • Sugar
  • Vanilla extract
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Vegetable oil (optional)
  • Olive oil
  • Vinegar
  • Dried pasta
  • Instant oatmeal
  • Mustard
  • Ketchup
  • Coffee/Tea
  • Cereal
  • Honey
  • Hot cocoa
  • Rice

The articles we referenced:

http://www.myfirstapartment.com/2011/10/first-apartment-pantry-essentials/2/

http://www.myfirstapartment.com/2005/11/starter-pantry-and-staples-checklist/

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Housing Advice

Apartment Move In Checklist

Apartment-Move-In-Essentials-Checklist-Screengrab

Whether this is the first time you’re moving off campus, or you’ve been living off campus, it always seems like you’re forgetting something when it comes to packing everything you’ll need.  Trust us:  We’ve been there.  That’s why we’ve come up with a checklist of things you’ll need when you start packing up.  We know, it looks like one heck of a list, but you just never know what you’ll forget.

Click here to download a PDF copy.

BEDROOM

  • Bed
  • Night stand(s)
  • Bookcase/shelves
  • Lamps
  • Desk lamp
  • Trash can
  • Bureau
  • Desk chair
  • Rug(s)
  • Curtains
  • Curtain rod
  • Bed spread
  • Sheets
  • Plastic bins
  • Shoe rack
  • Full-length mirror
  • Alarm clock

KITCHEN

  • Silverware (at least 8 sets)
  • Plates (at least 4)
  • Bowls (at least 2)
  • Cups (at least 4)
  • Wine glasses (for those 21+)
  • Dish soap
  • Pots and pans (at least 1 skillet, 1 large pot, and 1 smaller pot)
  • Flat metal spatula
  • Large mixing spoon
  • Tupperware
  • Scissors
  • Paper towel holder
  • Microwave (if the apartment doesn’t come with one already)
  • Knife set
  • Dish rack (for next to the sink when you’ve finished washing them)
  • Table
  • Chairs (at least 2)
  • Sandwich bags (you may want gallon size and smaller sizes)
  • Aluminum foil
  • Plastic wrap
  • Pot holders
  • Oven mits
  • Strainer
  • Can opener
  • Cutting board
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Toaster or toaster oven

BATHROOM

  • Toilet brush
  • Toilet bowl cleaner
  • Plunger
  • Garbage can
  • Shower cleaner
  • Cleaning brush to clean shower
  • Shower shelves (optional)
  • Toilet paper
  • Shower curtain
  • Shower curtain rod

LIVING ROOM

  • Couch/chairs (depending on how much space you have)
  • TV (optional)
  • TV stand (also optional)
  • Lamps
  • Side tables/coffee table
  • Desk (you may want to include one in case you want to work in the living room)

MISCELLANEOUS

  • Hand soap (for both bathroom and kitchen)
  • Sponges
  • Paper towels
  • Tissues
  • Garbage bags
  • Broom and dust pan
  • Vacuum
  • Carpet cleaner (for those nasty spills)
  • Disinfectant wipes
  • Window cleaner
  • Light bulbs
  • Batteries
  • Extension cords
  • Flashlight
  • Fan(s)
  • Laundry detergent
  • Hamper/laundry basket
  • Clothes hangers
  • Basic hygiene products
  • First aid kit
  • Sewing kit
  • Basic tool kit
  • Fire extinguisher (if your apartment doesn’t already have one)
  • Smoke detector (your landlord should provide one, but you should make sure it works properly when you first move in)
  • Carbon monoxide detector (your landlord should also provide one of these, but you should make sure it works properly when you first move in)
  • Décor (i.e. picture frames, posters, decorative pillows, etc.)
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