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Eggplant Wizard
Jul 8, 2005


i loev catte
It is a moving thread! The time is upon us when people are graduating and that means it's moving season. Post your moving questions & experiences here.

I've put a lot of :siren:s in here for places where I need help making this a more useful OP. Please contribute! :)

Moving out for the first time:

How much money should I have saved up before moving out?
Make sure you have money for at least three months' expenses. Six months' worth is even better. In fact, try to keep an emergency fund like this running all the time... You never know when you'll need it. Check out the Newbie Personal Finance Thread too.

How much should I pay for my apartment?
As a rule, you want to be paying 30% or less of your total income (pre-tax & witholdings). Ideally it's closer to 25%. This can be tough if you live in an expensive area, but it's almost always going to be doable. If you can't find an apartment that you can afford with 30% of your income, then you need to (a) try lowering your standards (Do you NEED a pool & a gym? Do you NEED two bedrooms?) or looking at different locations, (b) consider getting a roommate, or (c) don't move out till you get a better job.

Now that I'm living on my own and paying my own bills and buying my own things, should I be budgeting?
Good question! I'm glad you asked. Yes, keeping at least a basic budget is a very important part of managing adult life. Here is a thread for a lot more in depth info and people to help you out. Some people like to track all their expenses in a notebook and stick very closely to their budget; others have more of a loose general sense of how much they want to spend on things per month. Either way, you need to start by sitting down and going through your expenses to see how much you're spending/saving now, then considering how much you WANT to be spending/saving, and then making a budget accordingly. Most of the time you are probably spending more money on things than you think you are. Eating out is a huge drain on a lot of people's finances, for example. Track how much you spend on food, cups of coffee, etc. for a month and you'll probably surprise/horrify yourself.

Crap! I'm alone and I don't know how to do laundry or cook for myself!
The internet is great. You'll be wanting to try WikiHow on the laundry, and we can help you out with learning to cook in the GWS questions thread.

I didn't expect that...
- Moving is expensive: You'll end up buying stuff that you forgot you'd need, almost always. Plus there's the cost of transportation, pizza, booze, the security deposit, furniture, stocking your pantry... etc.
- :siren: What else?

:siren: Hey there, I need your questions & answers to put up here. What are some things everyone should know or prepare for before moving out on their own? :siren:

For now, if you need help, go browse around MyFirstApartment. This is a ridiculous blog with articles on EVERYTHING.

Choosing an apartment:

The process of finding & renting:
Before you do anything else, determine what kind of apartment you want and what you can afford-- A studio? A one bedroom? A two bedroom? Do you need roommates? Do you have pets? Etc. Zero in on some towns or neighborhoods.
  • Find an apartment: Depending on the area you may need to start at least 3 months out, often more if it's a high rental town (like a university or college town). There are a bunch of resources below.
  • The Application: Most landlords will ask you to fill out an application and pay a fee. The fee is to cover what it costs them to pull a credit check on you. Ask them to tell you your credit score if you are curious, since they'll see it anyway. Assuming you're approved...
  • The Security Deposit: You may put down your security deposit as a kind of "dibs" on the apartment, or you may do this when you sign the lease. You might sign the lease in advance or you might sign it the day you move in. Much depends on the landlord. A security deposit is going to usually be one month's rent, or one and a half month's. The landlord takes it from you, holds it in an escrow account in your name, and returns it to you upon your moving out of the property. It may work differently with different landlords, but they shouldn't just be taking your money & putting it in a box somewhere because that is really sketchy. Make sure you know where it's going.
  • The Lease: When you sign your lease, make sure you read it all the way through and ask questions. Most of it is boring, but sometimes there are important things in there. You need to be educated on what your rights are in case there are issues down the line. Don't sign till you're sure you understand all the terms.
  • The Walkthrough: Often on or a couple days before your move in date, you meet up with the landlord or agent, get the keys, and do a walk through of the apartment. This walk through is for you and the landlord to assess what shape the apartment is in. Take pictures of any damage or wear & tear you see and keep them, dated, in a safe place.
  • Moving In: Ask all your friends in the area to help you out, especially if they have cars. You owe them beer and pizza by sacred compact if they help you. You also have to help them move if they do so. If you have furniture, you may also need to rent a truck or hire a moving company. More on that elsewhere.'

Questions to ask a potential landlord (in no particular order)
  • Which utilities, if any, are paid by the landlord, and which are paid by the tenant?
  • What is the policy on pets/guests/subletting?
  • Are there laundry facilities in the building/unit?
  • Is there a dedicated parking spot? Off-street parking? Can guests park in the lot?
  • Or, If there is on street parking only: What are the city regulations for on street parking?
  • Where and when does garbage/recycling pickup happen?
  • How much is the rent? How much is the security deposit? Is there a credit check? If so, how much is the application fee?
  • When does the lease start? When does the lease end?
  • Who are the neighbors? (I, for one, do not want to live with undergrads.)
  • Who does maintenance for the apartment? Is there a 24 hour maintenance person available?
  • What amenities come with the apartment? (e.g.: laundry, trash pickup, gym use, common area, security, pool, daycare, shuttle, etc.)
  • What public transportation is nearby?
  • Is the apartment furnished? (If you want it to be)

Questions to ask a potential roommate (in no particular order)
  • BTW, you should answer these on your part too, even if they don't ask. It's better to know if you're going to be incompatiable from the get go and not move in together.
  • What do you do for a living?
  • Do you smoke cigarettes? Do you smoke weed or do other drugs? Do you like to get drunk? Do you mind if I do? (if you do)
  • Do you have any pets? Do you mind pets? (if you have them)
  • How much rent can you afford?
  • Do you want to have cable TV?
  • How do you want to arrange the household duties like cleaning, paying bills, etc.? Are there any chores that you'd prefer to do or prefer not to do?
  • What are your pet peeves in a roommate? (It's good to know ahead of time rather than have a huge fights 6 months in about hair in the shower drain.)
  • Do you have a significant other or have guests overnight often? Do you mind if I do? (if you do)
  • Do you often have friends over? Late at night? Do you mind if I do? (if you do)
  • What's your schedule like? When do you like to go to bed and wake up?
  • Do you prefer a quiet house? Like, if I listen to music without headphones, will it bother you?
  • How clean do you like the house to be? (Everyone will lie. Be honest with yourself and with others for better results.)
  • How should we split up the common areas (ESPECIALLY THE FRIDGE)? Should there be rules for common areas?
  • Do you want to share food at all? How can we make sure we know whose food is whose? (ditto booze)
It's good too if you can get a chance to see where they're living at the moment, in order to see how dirty or clean they are REALLY. Everyone says they're reasonably clean or even says they're a neat freak, but it's not always true.

Also, this may be fruity as hell, but try to sit down weekly at first and then maybe monthly or so and check in with your roommates on how things are going. They may not have known it, but it may turn out that your roommate goes super saiyan inside when crumbs are left on the counter by the toaster, or when you leave the upper lid of the toilet open, or when you leave your shoes in the doorway... Best to have a frank talk and find these things out than begin to hate one another and stew for months.

Moving In

Things to make sure you have when you move in:
  • Toilet paper: If you don't have it, you'll be sorry.
  • Renters' insurance: It's reasonably cheap, actually, and paying $100-$200 a year to protect you if your house burns down or you're robbed or you get a hurricane or tornado or flood or... Yeah, it's worth it. Even if it's just that your bike gets stolen or something, you may be able to claim it.
  • Cleaning supplies, including paper towels: Yes, the last tenants left the place "clean." But I guarantee there will be places you want to re-clean.
  • Plunger: If you do not have one of these on Day One, you'll end up needing it. It's a law of physics.
  • A bath towel: Moving is sweaty so you will probably want to shower.
  • Internet: You're goons so I assume you need this. Usually you have to move in before you can get it set up, but make an appointment in advance for them to come on the same day you're moving in.
It's also a good idea to take photos of any damage or mess you see when you move in, just in case the landlord tries to claim you did it and screw you out of your security deposit.

Where do I get boxes to pack?
You can get boxes at bookstores, supermarkets, & liquor stores, usually for free. Don't buy them unless you're too good to use boxes that smell a bit like lettuce. Edited several moves later: Or you know, buy some. Sturdiness and uniform size is nothing to sneeze at. Depends on your budget!

I need to use a moving company or hire a truck.
  • COSTS: Be aware that the UHaul $19.95 in-town move thing does not count mileage (which is $1+ a mile), insurance, cost of gas, environmental fee... So it may end up being more like $100+ for a 1 day local move once you add it all up. For non-local moves, both Budget & UHaul charge a flat rate based on the estimated mileage of your trip. Budget then has an "Unlimited mileage" thing on top of that and I don't know if UHaul would charge extra beyond their rate for mileage. For both, again, expect to pay another $100 in taxes, fees & insurance, then also for gas. Depending on how expensive your furniture is/was and how far you're going, it may actually be cheaper to sell stuff cheap on Craigslist, drive a smaller vehicle up, and buy new-to-you stuff when you get there.
  • TRUCK RESERVATION: I have only used Budget once, for a multi-state 2 day move. Big pro-tip that should probably go for any of these companies, just in case: reserve your truck by talking to the local office you will be picking up from. Do not just use the website. Apparently Budget corporate does this cool thing where they don't give a gently caress what their licensees actually stock and just let you book whatever. I was lucky and got a 16' for the price of the 10' I booked. Some other people booked a 24', which the office never ever stocked, so they were poo poo out of luck.
  • DRIVING A BIG TRUCK: Be careful, go slow, and assume it'll take longer than driving a car. You're going to be going slower than you would in your sedan and that's okay. There's no rearview mirror, so check your side mirrors a LOT, always signal and start signaling before you start switching lanes, not just during! People need warning. Use your mirrors to stay in your lane- you can see the lines easily, if not much else. Pay attention to traffic. If you see brake lights ahead of you, brake. You're driving a behemoth that will take MUCH longer to brake than you're used to. Same with acceleration- you may have to floor it to get it to kick into some power. Leave lots of following distance and don't be impatient and these things will be fine. Get a friend to help if you can- having an extra set of eyes on the road is good, and switching off might also be a good plan if you're in for a long ride.
  • KNOW YOUR CLEARANCE AND PLAN YOUR ROUTE ACCORDINGLY: Trucks are tall and some bridges are short. Now with Google Streetview you should be able to check any bridges you're unsure of. On the whole it seems like if you stay on big interstates things are all right, but for god's sake don't go under a low bridge and rely on hope if you're not sure you'll fit. Better to pull over and at least eyeball it from outside than to get scalped (p.s. Budget insurance, at least, does not cover overhead damage.).
  • TOLLS: At least in the case of the 16' I drove, tolls were more than they were for cars, and naturally the toll amounts for non-cars weren't signed in advance. Bring lots of cash.
  • GAS: Make sure you know what kind of gas your truck takes, and refill it before you take it back to the dealer because they'll charge you a big fee if they have to go fill it up.
  • PACKING: Pack stuff tightly enough that when your multi-ton monster brakes, your furniture doesn't all smash into the cab side of the cargo space. Equally, you don't want it to go rolling down to the door whenever you go up a hill.
  • PARKING: Have a friend or neighbor or hitchhiker or axe-murderer or SOMEONE direct you as you park. poo poo's big and you don't know where your rear end is, so again, go slow.
  • HIRING MOVERS: No idea. Look out for reviews, though, and when in doubt go with a recognized company rather than some dudes you find on Craigslist. Most people would suggest you take care of any valuables on your own.
  • USING A 'POD' OR U-PACK SYSTEM: This can be a great option if (a) you have enough stuff that you can't fit it in your car, and you don't want to drive a truck or van yourself, and (b) you are somewhat flexible about the date your stuff arrives in its new home. These systems usually consist of some kind of container being dropped off at your house (or you can tow it to your house), which you then pack up. Then the company will pick it up again (or you'll tow it back to them) and they'll either store it for you for a while or deliver it to your new address. You can give them a date by which you'll be in your new place, but they may or may not be there on that very day. I think once you've reserved it you can get a pretty good time window but you may have to be flexible. These vary from a UHaul box which is a plywood box with a tarp velcroed around it, to a more metal-like POD, to whatever a U-PACK box looks like, to a portion of a container truck (see e.g. ODFL Household. I also talked to MoveAmerica but their reviews are terrible, their quote interface is broken, and when I called, the guy on the phone was using the same broken web interface to look up a quote and said he'd call me back but never did.). The last one is probably cheaper but it also means they drop a container truck off at your house so you better hope you have somewhere for it to sit for up to 3 business days.

Hunting Resources:
Informational Resources:

:siren: Please suggest any further resources, especially region specific stuff & things for outside the U.S. I also need some stuff on long-distance or international moves. :siren:

Decorating & Furnishing
Other useful threads you should look at, especially if you're new to adulthood

Eggplant Wizard fucked around with this message at 13:30 on May 31, 2013

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digitalhifi
Jun 5, 2004
In life I have encountered much, but nothing as profound as the statement "all we ever do is do stuff."
https://www.har.com is a great resource for apartment hunting if you're moving to the greater Houston, TX area.

Additional information for potential renters:
-What will it cost to heat/cool the apartment? The landlord will likely either "not know," or quote you very low prices. Look for double pane (good) or single pane (bad) windows in regards to this (especially up north where it gets cold).

-What utilities are available? I got shafted the first time I moved to a new apartment and was only allowed 1 lovely local cable company for cable and internet. Thank god Clear moved in.

-Talk to current tenants in the complex or see if the landlord can provide you with some of their other tenants information (This may require human to human contact).

xaarman
Mar 12, 2003

IRONKNUCKLE PERMABANNED! READ HERE
I'm in the military and move a lot, so here is my experience. While this is specific to the military, they only use civilian contractors so it's always Mayflower or whomever else is in the area. Both my moves were over 1500 miles.

You will call ahead and set up a date to move, and give them an alternate date. From there, they will ask for additional information:

* How many lbs of stuff are you moving? Since nobody knows the weight of all their crap, they have guidelines for "a typical large/medium/small living room weighs this" etc.

* How far are you moving?

* What are the high value objects? They will give you a price/weight range, like $1000 or $100 per lb.

Depending on how much stuff you have, they will either pack and move in one day, or spend the first day packing, and come back the second day to haul it off.

On moving day, they will show up with a guy in charge, and 1-5 helpers. The master guy will have a giant roster and tons of little stickies with numbers to put on everything. They will disassemble all your furniture, pack it into boxes, and duct tape all the screws/assembly parts together. Then, they will put more numbers on it. The master guy will come around with his giant roster and record the numbers and what they correspond to - for example you will see an orange '576' sticker on your Hoover vacuum cleaner, and on the sheet he will write "576 - HOOVER VACUUM CLEANER". The numbers will be sequential in order, so you'll have blocks 312-972. On large items, they will use multiple stickers and put them in random places.

On a separate sheet of paper and with separate labels, they will ask you to list all the high value items, and will pack those separately.

The movers will provide all the boxes, and padding for inside the boxes. They have special ones for hanging clothes. Once they load it into the truck, the guy in charge give you a copy of everything, (contact pricing, master roster, high value roster and a phone number for all the details. After that, they all drive off and give you a call when everything is ready for drop off. If you aren't ready to receive it, they will throw it in storage, and after some time, start charging you for it.

Upon removal, they can either unpack/reassemble everything, or let you do it. They will go down the list and must account for every sticky that was used, and you sign off that you have received everything and it is in the same condition it was packed in. If it isn't, there is a sheet that you will out with damage, and estimated value, and work through the company for reimbursement.

Notes: If they unpack/reassemble everything, it will cost extra. To remove all the boxes and padding will cost extra as well.

Do not allow them to label any boxes as "Miscellaneous." There is no accountability if things are lost or damaged. Be as specific as you can on whats being numbered and tagged.

You will be finding the numbered stickies on everything for months after you're done moving, maybe even years.

If you're going to be moving vehicles/boats, everything has to be drained from the system. When I had my motorcycle shipped, all fluids had to be drained. They buckled it to my satisfactory (I was watching them like a hawk) and then threw more colored stickies on it.

I always have Gatorade for the movers. Why not treat them nice if they're packing your poo poo?

xaarman fucked around with this message at 22:33 on May 13, 2011

Minnesota Nice.
Sep 1, 2008
And miles to go before I sleep.
And miles to go before I sleep.
My tips:

Don't ever, ever rent a place with baseboard heaters. Those things cost a shitload in electricity.

If you live in a hot, humid climate, you probably don't want a place without AC unless you absolutely can't afford it. You will be really miserable really fast.

Whatever you think you're going to spend on rent and utilities per month, add at least $100. It's never as cheap as you think it's going to be.

tokenbrownguy
Apr 1, 2010

I'll probably be moving into economy housing for the next school year. It's an old-folks home turned apartment. It's also the only high-rise in a nice, hold-the-door-open-for-you Midwest town.

Does anyone have any experience with federally supported low-income housing? Or crazy old neighbors?

I've done dorms, but i'm willing to bet an apartment is something pretty different.

bamhand
Apr 15, 2010
Any tips on rental/lease contracts? Mainly for renting from a private home owner as opposed to a landlord that owns a whole bunch of buildings.

A MINIATURE LLAMA
Jul 30, 2009

IT'S SO TINY

bamhand posted:

Any tips on rental/lease contracts? Mainly for renting from a private home owner as opposed to a landlord that owns a whole bunch of buildings.
From my experience, go over the contract very carefully. Who is responsible for what utilities? What if something damages the property (like a flood, or a tree falling on a house, or a backed-up septic tank), is there a turnaround time expected for the repairs to be made? In that case, who is responsible for what (such as if, for instance, carpet needs to be replaced due to flood - are you, the renter, responsible for moving all of your things so that the new carpet can be laid down?). Also, make sure that you are up-to-date on the laws in your state regarding getting a return on security deposits - most states allow up to 60 days, and things like "normal wear and tear" (like re-painting walls) should NOT be deducted from the deposit.

Nadine Hauklund
May 17, 2002

A boy's best friend is his mother.
While I may be repeating what has been said already, do not underestimate the power of the following two things: walk-through documentation and renter's insurance.

When you do the initial walk-through with the landlord at the start of your lease, sign and date your walk-through information and put it with your birth certificate or car title or tax papers, wherever you keep papers you don't want to lose. If the management doesn't do a walk with you, gently insist. If they still don't, do it yourself before you move your belongings in, take pictures, document any concerns, wear&tear, etc. Date it. When your lease is done and you want to move out, you will do another walk-through. Save both documents; they may save your rear end (and your deposit). Doing this helped me win a lawsuit against a big management company, including sweet damages and fines. Very satisfying.

Get renter's insurance. $100 might seem like a mountain of cash when you are scrounging up every last dollar just to get in to your new place. However, if you can eat ramen out of paper cups for a couple weeks longer, you can afford to get a good policy to cover yourself in case of a fire, theft, etc. It's really important. Way more important than you can ever imagine, until you come home to a broken window and firemen carrying out smoldering mattresses and soggy books because your neighbor decided to throw their ashtray into their Christmas tree.

Scionix
Oct 17, 2009

hoog emm xDDD
I just moved in to my first apartment, thank god, and everything in that post is 100% good advice. I am currently on day 2, and do not have toilet paper, shower curtains, a trash can, or any sort of groceries. Exams week :smith:

Also it kind of makes me laugh to see the roommate questions, I just assumed everyone would move in with a friend (in my case). I'm so naive :allears:

(also I currently do not have "internet" as I am an idiot and assumed I wouldn't have to have technicians come out and "install" it, just call a company and set something up. Little did I know the apartment's last tenant did not use the internet whatsoever and there is not a cat-5 jack to be found. I am currently using some random wi-fi signal that is floating around my apartment for some reason. Thank god. I'm stuck on this thing 'till Thursday. Learn from my mistakes!)

Slo-Tek
Jun 8, 2001

WINDOWS 98 BEAT HIS FRIEND WITH A SHOVEL
My last move Penske rented me a bigger truck for something like half of what U-haul wanted.

And grown-up packing pro-tip: get your kitchen packed up first. It will take twice as long and take up three times as much volume as it could possibly take.

Even a bachelor kitchen has way more poo poo in it that needs packed than you think, but moving a family kitchen? insane. Your clothes can go in trashbags, and your books can get stacked in the passenger side footwells, but there is no good way to move pots and dishes without some proper moving boxes and packing.

Slo-Tek fucked around with this message at 05:09 on May 14, 2011

Fluffy Bunnies
Jan 10, 2009

Spotcrime or crimereports.com?

gently caress knows what's happening to me at the end of the year at this point, but we're probably renting. I imagine this thread'll be helpful. Excellent OP, EPW.

I would like to add that you will want a trash can, too. Toilet paper, plunger, trash can. People need to be able to pitch poo poo. Literally or figuratively.

Chade Johnson
Oct 12, 2009

by Ozmaugh
Is it wise to pay my friend straight cash for a room without signing a contract?

EtaBetaPi
Aug 11, 2008

Chade Johnson posted:

Is it wise to pay my friend straight cash for a room without signing a contract?

Not unless you enjoy being thrown out at a whim.

Crusty Nutsack
Apr 21, 2005

SUCK LASER, COPPERS


xaarman posted:

I'm in the military and move a lot, so here is my experience. While this is specific to the military, they only use civilian contractors so it's always Mayflower or whomever else is in the area. Both my moves were over 1500 miles.


This is good info. I've used movers a few times now, but for short distance moves (across the city/10 miles), so they were smaller, local companies. In my experience, these shorter distance moves are much less organized, but still super helpful.

You hire a truck and moving staff by the hour. The norm was 2 men, but you could pay extra to have a 3rd man (presumably moving your poo poo faster, so a higher rate). They ask how many bedrooms, how many sq ft if you know, whether you have giant items like a piano or exercise equipment, and whether you want them to pack your stuff or not. Judging by this information, plus the number of guys you hired and the locations of the apartments, they calculate about how many hours it will take them (and then schedule the guys for more moves that day if possible).

The day of, they will show up at your door at the scheduled time, and have you sign the contract and read the rules about who is responsible if they break something. Then they'll walk through the apartment to see what big items and furniture you have and how many boxes to plan out what to take first. Then they will wrap any glass table tops, pictures, etc. with big cloth quilt kind of things. In my experience, they do not disassemble any furniture unless they have to. Personally I'd rather do that myself anyway.

Then they'll just get to work moving everything out. They don't always take the furniture first, because sometimes they pack boxes in the space above the cab. They know how this works best so just trust them. In my experience, they have been VERY fast and very careful, but of course that may vary. As an example, I hired two guys to move my 3 br apt. I have an eleptical machine, two beds, two couches, two people's stuff, and lots of kitchen stuff and books. Moving everything out and packing the truck took less than 2 hours, and moving it 10 miles away and unpacking into the rooms I wanted everything took another 2 hours. Total, less than 4 hours. It's really amazing and so helpful. For reference, I believe the price was $135/hr, but that was a couple years ago now.

One thing to check into is whether the company will allow you to help move things out, or if they want you to sit and watch instead. I've never encountered the latter, but I made sure to ask in case they wanted the most money possible or something. I wouldn't hire movers that wouldn't allow me to help, personally.

Tips for hiring movers:
1. Indicate before they get there where they can park the truck. Most will have side doors, so don't worry about having room behind the truck. Let them know if they can pull up on the lawn or something, though they likely will not want to do this for liability reasons anyway. Find out from your new landlord where it's best to park the truck there as well.

2. TIP! These guys work their asses off. If you have lots of stairs, or weird furniture that doesn't fit well down the hall, take these kinds of things into account. If they are extra fast and don't dawdle, they're saving you money, so recognize that. I've tipped each guy $20-$40 depending on how awesome they were.

3. Pack your poo poo well. They usually state that they will not move boxes that are not able to close fully. That means if you have poo poo poking out and the flaps cannot go down all the way, they won't take them. If the boxes are not taped thoroughly and are flimsy, they will not take them. Just make sure they're structurally sound. This will all be stated by them, and probably on the contract you have to sign as well.

4. Offer beverage, and/or food. Be nice to them, they'll be nice to your stuff.

If you hate moving and you're not broke, I really recommend hiring movers. As long as you pack all your stuff yourself, short-distance movers can be surprisingly inexpensive and save SO much headache. Even my super cheapass boyfriend, who thought I was nuts for hiring movers, now swears by it. Having everything completely moved within a few hours is an incredible feeling.

Eggplant Wizard
Jul 8, 2005


i loev catte

Skywriter posted:

My tips:

Don't ever, ever rent a place with baseboard heaters. Those things cost a shitload in electricity.

I dunno, they're a hell of a lot better than this kind:


(Kittens make every illustration better)

I've only lived in a place with no-radiator heating once and it was all right but I don't think it was much cheaper than with baseboards. If you live in a place where most of the housing is more than a couple decades old, and you're looking on the cheap, good luck finding a place without radiators.

Scionix posted:

Also it kind of makes me laugh to see the roommate questions, I just assumed everyone would move in with a friend (in my case). I'm so naive :allears:

Even when moving in with a friend, though, it's good to get all that stuff out in the open. I'd say especially with a friend, assuming you want to keep him/her. I'm living with a friend now and we're better friends than ever, but getting stuff clear like "I need you to listen to music with headphones, especially during exams." can save a lot of anger down the line. Also, holy poo poo, make sure you're on the same page in terms of food sharing.

Thanks for all the good stuff so far guys :) Keep it coming!

Internetjack
Sep 15, 2007

oh god how did this get here i am not good with computers
Top Cop
If you're renting a trailer or truck for moving long distance, more than across town, pay the extra $25 for the accident insurance. I rolled my truck and U-Haul trailer on day two of a 1000 mile move. That $25 saved me the cost of several thousand dollars for what was left of their trailer.

For cleaning, and this tip is more important than the insurance I just mentioned, get some Mr. Clean Magic Eraser cleaning pads. Seriously, buy a few boxes, now. They are a goddamn miracle of modern cleaning technology. With just water, you can remove years of soap scum off the surface of the shower/bath in minutes. They are designed to break-up and disintegrate as you use them, so buy a few. I've cleaned showers, sinks, walls, doors, light-switch plates, BOATS, etc. with these things in a tenth of the time it would take with your best spray bottle of cleaner and a rag or sponge. Seriously, do yourself a favor.

Also, on the walk through with the manager; test every single appliance and light switch. Each burner on the stove, the oven, the heat and/or AC, flush the toilets, turn on all the hot and cold faucets, check the frige/freezer for temp(or at least plug it in and listen for the compressor to come on), check the outlets, or at least the main ones in the bathroom, kitchen, and of course whereever your computer will be plugged in. You can carry a small nightlight plug-in with you to do so.

exiledone
May 18, 2006
Buy a shitload of toilet paper and paper towels. Especially if you have roommates. That stuff goes really loving fast. Buy the biggest pack you can find, and if you don't care about quality, get the cheapest.

Thoguh
Nov 8, 2002

College Slice

EtaBetaPi posted:

Not unless you enjoy being thrown out at a whim.

No, he'd still have rights as long as he can show he's been paying. Still not the best idea though. Unless it's a case where his friend's parents bought a house in the area for their kids to live in during school or something. Then it could possibly be win/win for everybody. On the other hand, if it's just because he's to cheap to pay a subleasing fee it's probably a bad idea.

Ghostsauce
Jun 4, 2005

scared you didnt i lmbo
edit

Ghostsauce fucked around with this message at 21:25 on Oct 4, 2017

Blind Pineapple
Oct 27, 2010

For The Perfect Fruit 'n' Kaman

1 part gin
1 part pomegranate syrup
Fill with pineapple juice
Serve over crushed ice

College Slice

Chade Johnson posted:

Is it wise to pay my friend straight cash for a room without signing a contract?

I do this, but...

1. It's my best friend who I've known for 11 years
2. I still use checks for record keeping purposes
3. I have enough money to move out if it all goes to poo poo for some reason

I'd say if you have to ask, you should probably think about protecting yourself.

Safety Biscuits
Oct 21, 2010

Chade Johnson posted:

Is it wise to pay my friend straight cash for a room without signing a contract?

Only if you don't want him to be your friend any more.

Comstar
Apr 20, 2007

Are you happy now?
I'm looking at apartments and a lot of them don't have a place for a full-size dishwasher. Has anyone got experience with a desktop-sized one that is about half the size of a normal one, and sits on the kitchen counter, with plumbing just connected to the sink?

Also, whats the opinion on getting a washer-dryer, instead of two separate machines for washing clothes and then drying them? What about dryers that don't need a ventilation shaft and put all the evaporated water into a tub you empty manually?

Thoguh
Nov 8, 2002

College Slice

Comstar posted:

I'm looking at apartments and a lot of them don't have a place for a full-size dishwasher.

Every apartment I've ever been in either had a dishwasher or didn't. Washer/Dryer is the only appliance I've even seen that had hook-ups or a reserved space that wasn't always included.

I can't think of any reason to justify buying a dishwasher if it isn't included. Just handwash your stuff. The extra cost and hassle doesn't in any way justify it.

Washer/Dryer stacks rather than two separate side by side machines are fine. I've never heard of a dryer that didn't need a vent though. I can't imagine that the expense would be worse than a luandromat or sending your laundry out if you don't have hook-ups.

Are you really that opposed to doing chores of any kind?

Thoguh fucked around with this message at 13:33 on May 19, 2011

BigHead
Jul 25, 2003
Huh?


Nap Ghost

Ghostsauce posted:

Any recommendations for ISP and HD TV bundles? I'm leaning towards fiber, and since I can't get FiOS i'm looking at UVerse.

See if you can get an internet-only package with unlimited data, or at least oodles of data. Cable is really really really overpriced in terms of what you use to what you pay for. Do you really need 135 channels when you only watch Discovery Channel, TNT and NBC?

I have seen people get a 3G or 4G cell phone with unlimited data (those plans exist) and then not get a single other utility. Netflix + patching your laptop through the phone is plenty and costs like $100 per month, whereas cable + land line + internet + cell phone can be much, much more.

What I'm trying to say is that you don't necessarily need the HDTV + HBO + Netflix + Fiber + Land line + Cell Phone plethora of entertainment utilities that everyone seems to assume they need.

BigHead
Jul 25, 2003
Huh?


Nap Ghost

Comstar posted:

Also, whats the opinion on getting a washer-dryer, instead of two separate machines for washing clothes and then drying them? What about dryers that don't need a ventilation shaft and put all the evaporated water into a tub you empty manually?

On a related note, a washer/dryer at a garage sale or craigslist costs about the same as three months heavy laundromat usage. If you have the option and apartments are comparatively priced, a washer/dryer is much more economical.

Edit: \/\/ and much much less of a pain in the rear end.

BigHead fucked around with this message at 07:13 on May 19, 2011

PT6A
Jan 5, 2006

Public school teachers are callous dictators who won't lift a finger to stop children from peeing in my plane

Thoguh posted:

Washer/Dryer combo stacks are fine. I've never heard of a dryer that didn't need a vent though. I can't imagine that the expense would be worse than a luandromat or sending your laundry out if you don't have hook-ups.

Are you really that opposed to doing chores of any kind?

Laundromats are a massive loving pain in the rear end. Having laundry machines in your place turns laundry from a miserable chore that you need to practically plan your day around into a simple task that can be done whenever you have a few minutes.

Dogfish
Nov 4, 2009

Comstar posted:

I'm looking at apartments and a lot of them don't have a place for a full-size dishwasher. Has anyone got experience with a desktop-sized one that is about half the size of a normal one, and sits on the kitchen counter, with plumbing just connected to the sink?

Also, whats the opinion on getting a washer-dryer, instead of two separate machines for washing clothes and then drying them? What about dryers that don't need a ventilation shaft and put all the evaporated water into a tub you empty manually?

Unless you have a TON of people living in your apartment, you probably don't need a dishwasher. I haven't lived in a single place with one, and even living with five other people, it wasn't a big deal. That being said, my grandmother had one of the teeny dishwashers and as I recall it was extremely noisy and took up a lot of space, but that was back in the 90s so the technology has probably improved.

Also make sure you know what your landlord's position on dishwashers is. I've rented placed before where the landlord pays water and doesn't allow tenants to have diswashers, and also one place where the (admittedly crazy) landlord didn't allow dishwashers, fish tanks, or water beds, because he was afraid that something would break and there would be water damage.

My experiences with washer-dryers have been terrible; in every case, I've just given up on the 'dry' cycle and bought a dollar-store drying rack for my clothes instead. I've also used a dryer that I've had to empty the water out of manually and it was no big deal.

Also seconding "any washing machine is better than a laundromat." I remember going to the laundromat with my mom as a kid and it took literally a whole day to get the family's laundry done. I used to sneak out and go get treats from the ladies at the grocery store to alleviate my crushing boredom.

Thoguh
Nov 8, 2002

College Slice

PT6A posted:

Laundromats are a massive loving pain in the rear end. Having laundry machines in your place turns laundry from a miserable chore that you need to practically plan your day around into a simple task that can be done whenever you have a few minutes.

Laundromats suck, but I got the impression that the poster doesn't have hookups for anything in their apartment if they are looking at stuff like countertop dishwashers and ventless dryers. Trying to jerryrig stuff and buy niche equipment is very unlikely to be worth he hassle and expense. Much easier to get a place with the amenities you consider essential or suck it up and spend a day at the laundromat.

If you really want a dishwasher, then either only look at places with dishwashers or say "A dishwasher is worth X amount extra per month to me". Same for Washer/Dryer. Though for washer/dryer if you can find a place with hook-ups but no appliences, you can probably get a used set off craigslist.

Thoguh fucked around with this message at 17:02 on May 19, 2011

DrBouvenstein
Feb 28, 2007

I think I'm a doctor, but that doesn't make me a doctor. This fancy avatar does.
One good one I don't think I've seen mentioned:

LEARN YOUR LOCAL AND STATE TENANT'S LAWS!

Some places have lovely ones and favor the landlord (sorry...) but other places (like where I live) are very renter friendly. Some typical laws you might encounter include things like how much notice they have to give before they evict you, and how much notice for them to just stop by (typically 24 hours...NEVER let your landlord just "pop in" ever. I don't care if you're not doing anything illegal or breaking the lease, odds are they'll find something to bitch about.) Also look very deep into laws about the security deposit...what the limit is (typically 1 to 2 months rent is the max,) what they can and can't charge you for, how long after you move out they have to get it back to you, etc...


Speaking of getting it back, it seems to be common for lots of people to consider their SD to be a loss, and that every landlord everywhere will nickle and dime you to keep all of it anyway, so you might as well assume it's lost and treat your place like poo poo/not care if you break something. Most of these people are idiots. Even in non-tenant friendly locales, there are going to be rules regarding what a landlord can/cannot charge you for. Simple wear and tear generally they cannot. If you live in a place for five years and a landlord keeps all your deposit because the carpet is worn done near the entryway and he has to replace all of it, that's probably BS. It just amazes me that so many people never expect to get a SD back...I've only once never gotten anything back and that was my own fault for wrecking the floor in my room (in my defense, though, who the gently caress has ever heard of soft wood floors? My office chair ate that pine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Thoguh
Nov 8, 2002

College Slice

DrBouvenstein posted:

If you live in a place for five years and a landlord keeps all your deposit because the carpet is worn done near the entryway and he has to replace all of it, that's probably BS.

Also illegal. Carpet depreciates over 5 or 7 years (don't remember which), and a landlord can only charge you for whatever percentage was left if you destroy it(at least in the US). So for example, if the carpet was a year old when you moved in, and had to be replaced when you left two years later, they can only charge you for whatever percentage hadn't been depreciated, not the full cost. Most things that wear out over the course of a few years are similar. The IRS has depreciation tables for landlords for that kind of things.

Now, if you punch a hole in the wall, that's a different story.

Siroc
Oct 10, 2004

Ray, when someone asks you if you're a god, you say "YES"!

Eggplant Wizard posted:

[*]The Lease: When you sign your lease, make sure you read it all the way through and ask questions. Most of it is boring, but sometimes there are important things in there. You need to be educated on what your rights are in case there are issues down the line. Don't sign till you're sure you understand all the terms.

....

Questions to ask a potential landlord (in no particular order)
[list][*]Which utilities, if any, are paid by the landlord, and which are paid by the tenant?


For the utilities, it helps to also ask HOW they are paid. In my first apartment alone, I didn't realize until I signed my second year least with them that the gas bill was summed for the building and divided by the number of units. That meant I had to pay $180 in the winter for gas and the large Mexican family with 8 people in a similarly sized apartment also paid $180. My first winter, I tried to conserve and reduce that bill with no success. Early in the second winter, I cranked the heat up and my bill actually decreased- THEN i knew it was some BS happening. But then, I looked in my lease, and it was right there. So READ THE drat LEASE.

Chemmy
Feb 4, 2001

I don't get it, do you think more people in one apartment means they use more heat?

Thoguh
Nov 8, 2002

College Slice

Chemmy posted:

I don't get it, do you think more people in one apartment means they use more heat?

Well, if by "heat" he means the gas bill, then they would use a lot more. Water heaters are almost always gas and if the stove or a dryer is gas as well then it can really start to add up.

Diseased Dick Guy
May 14, 2011

The pit is open.

Chemmy posted:

I don't get it, do you think more people in one apartment means they use more heat?

I think he's upset because even if they use the same heat as him, the thing is that the bill is split between at least a few people in that unit and he had to pay the same amount alone, footing some of their bill.

e: Including what was said just before me about hot water usage, which increases a lot when you have eight people in a unit as opposed to one or two.

Diseased Dick Guy fucked around with this message at 20:30 on May 19, 2011

Siroc
Oct 10, 2004

Ray, when someone asks you if you're a god, you say "YES"!

Diseased Dick Guy posted:

I think he's upset because even if they use the same heat as him, the thing is that the bill is split between at least a few people in that unit and he had to pay the same amount alone, footing some of their bill.

e: Including what was said just before me about hot water usage, which increases a lot when you have eight people in a unit as opposed to one or two.

Yes, this. Sorry if it was unclear. I tried to cut corners and turn down the heat (i.e. decrease my gas usage), but it didn't matter because the bill for the entire building was summed and divided by the number of units in the building (12). The apts with one tenant had to pay as much as the large family living a a few units over. Plus, you add in hot water, etc with multiple people, and thats how, in effect, I paid for their gas.

I went from keeping the heat on at 66 all winter (and turning it off during the day when I wasn't home) to leaving it on 75 degrees all day/night long. My bill didn't increase at all, due to the pooling and division of the gas bill.

chuchumeister
Jul 23, 2007

Stuffed with dericious cream for your pleasure!

Thoguh posted:

Now, if you punch a hole in the wall, that's a different story.

So I'm moving out of my apartment and we do have two holes we've patched up, one from a doorknob and the other from... well, a fist. The walls are textured and the lease says they'll repaint between every tenant anyway, so I'm wondering if it's worth it for us to try to repaint the patches ourselves or let them do it. I just don't want to get hit with a huge painting bill; if they keep our deposit, that's fine, since it was only $100 or $150 anyway.
Obviously the repainting is done under normal wear and tear, but I'm worried the patches will take the whole repainting out of that category and put the financial burden on us.

Cookie Kwan
Dec 10, 2007

Stay away from the west side!
I think this is the longest post I have ever done, or ever will do, on SA. I hope this stuff is useful. :ohdear:

:siren:Australian Rental information:siren:

Places to look for houses-

Information for renters-


Legislations-Residental Tenancy Act -


A quick overview of some of the main points

Rental Agreements DYI posted:

Rents
Landlords and the tenants can freely agree on rent in all Australian states.

Both period and fixed contracts increases or decreases in rents may be reviewed by a tribunal. Tasmania is the exception where increases in rent may be assessed by a magistrate. Tenants must make an application to get the rent increase reviewed. The tribunal will look at the range of rents charged for comparable premises in similar locations. Other considerations are the proposed rent compared to the current rent, the state of repair of the premises, the term of the tenancy, the period since the last rent increase and any other factors that the tribunal considers relevant.

In the Australian Capital Territory the rent cannot be increased more than annually. In Victoria, South Australia and in Northern Territory the property owner can only increase rent after six months. For Western Australia rents can not be increased in the first 6 months of the tenancy term and thereafter not less than 6 monthly.

New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia, and Victoria require 60 days notice of any rent increase. The Australian Capital Territory requires eight weeks notice. Queensland requires a minimum of one month notice for a fixed term agreement, and at least two months notice for periodic agreements. The Northern Territory requires thirty days notice regardless of the type of tenancy agreement.

Deposits
The tenant is usually required to pay both rent in advance plus a rental bond, as a security deposit in the event the tenant fails to pay rent, services, or damages the property.

The maximum advance rent is generally two weeks or a month's rent, depending on the type of tenancy agreement and the residential tenancy law for each state:
  • In New South Wales, the maximum rent advance is two weeks' rent if the rent is less than $300 a week; otherwise, four weeks.

  • In Queensland, the maximum is one month's rent for fixed term tenancies and two weeks' rent for periodic agreements.

  • In Tasmania, the maximum is one month's rent.

  • In Victoria, the maximum is one month in tenancies where the rent is less than $350/week.

  • In the Australian Capital Territory, the maximum rent advance is a month's rent.

  • In the Northern Territory, the maximum rent advance is one rental payment period.
The tenant is in addition usually expected to pay a rental bond. Each state, except Tasmania, Western Australia and Northern Territory, has its own Rental Bonds office, and maximum rates for the rental bonds differ according to the rent, type of tenancy agreement and state where the tenancy takes effect.
  • In New South Wales the maximum bond rate is four weeks for unfurnished premises, six weeks for furnished premises with rent of less than $250 a week and an unlimited amount for furnished premises with weekly rents of more than $250. Bonds must be lodged with the Rental Bond Board of the Office of Fair Trading.

  • In Queensland the maximum bond is four weeks' rent if the weekly rent is less than $500. For premises that charge a weekly rent that exceeds $500 an unlimited amount can be asked. Bonds must be lodged to the Residential Tenancies Authority.

  • In South Australia bonds should not be more than four weeks' rent if the weekly rent is $250 or less; otherwise, a landlord can ask six weeks' rent as bond. Security bonds must be paid to the Residential Tenancies Fund.

  • In Victoria, the maximum bond is four weeks' rent for tenancies worth less than $350 / weekly. The Tribunal, upon application of the landlord, will determine the maximum bond for premises with weekly rent that exceeds $350. Bonds are lodged with the Residential Tenancies Bonds Authority.

  • In Western Australia, the maximum bond is four weeks' rent.

  • In the Australian Capital Territory, the maximum bond is four weeks' rent. Bonds should be lodged with the Office of Rental Bonds.

  • In the Northern Territory, the maximum bond is four weeks' rent.

Ending the tenancy agreement
The two types of tenancy in Australia are fixed term tenancies for a specific period of time and periodic tenancies, which are either week to week or month to month.

A landlord can terminate a tenancy by giving notice in the approved form, or by using the tribunal. At the end of a fixed term agreement the landlord must give written notice to the tenant.
  • In New South Wales and Queensland a minimum of 14 days notice is required. In Victoria, 90 days notice for a fixed term agreement of less than 6 months, otherwise more

  • In South Australia and Western Australia there is no required minimum notice, but landlord and tenant must discuss the issue and come to an arrangement.

  • In Tasmania, 28 days notice.

  • In Australian Capital Territory, 3 weeks notice.

  • In Northern Territory, 14 days notice.
Where a fixed term tenancy expires and the tenant does not lease the residence, the tenancy is transformed into a periodic tenancy in all states, except in New South Wales, where there is automatic renewal on the same terms and conditions as before.

In Western Australia, if the tenant does not leave the premises after the expiration of the agreement the landlord must apply to a Magistrates Court for termination and possession order within 30 days of conclusion of contract.

The length of notice varies in each state and each 'cause' from 7 days in Queensland, Western Australia, and South Australia to 182 days in Australian Capital Territory.

Various changes to entry to the property rules
In 2005 the Northern Territory amended its Residential Tenancies Act 1999 to allow condition reports to be partly in writing and partly by using images, or entirely by using images; provision for a clause allowing the Commissioner to prepare the condition report if no agreement was reached between the landlord and the tenant; provision for a maximum notice periods for breach of tenancy agreement by either the tenant or the landlord; and protection of landlord's interest from the tenant's failure to remedy a breach after notice was given.

In 2005 the Australian Capital Territory introduced a provision to terminate the agreement at 4 weeks written notice if the lessor is posted away from Canberra, with the tenancy ending 4 weeks after receipt of notice (or on a later stated date), repayment of rental bond to the lessor; and provision for an 'enforcement condition' in termination and possession orders, with an expiry date given by the tribunal but not more than 1 year after the day the order is made.

In 2004 Tasmania prohibited up-front fees for entering into, renewing, extending or continuing a residential tenancy agreement. It also provided a prescribed time (3 working days) for security deposits to be returned. It introduced is a new emergency order mechanism for either landlord or tenant to terminate the agreement and a 28 days notice to quit or vacate the property for both landlord and tenant.

In 2002 Victoria amended its Residential Tenancies Act 1997 to require 60 days notice for a proposed rent increase, the rent not to be increased at intervals of less than 6 months, a right of entry for the landlord after the end of the first three months of tenancy, and payment of bonds before occupancy.

Recent changes in landlord and tenant law
In 2010 a new Act was passed in NSW for Residential Tenancies. The new rules and tenany agreements were introduced 1st February 2011.
There were a number of changes and simplified rules for both landlord and tenant. Concensus is the changes are for the better.

In 2009 Queensland introduced the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008. Some of the changes include:
  • Properties must be advertised at a fixed rate.
  • Only deposits before a tenancy are holding or key deposits
  • Landlords must give tenants 2 months notice to leave without grounds for both fixed term and periodic agreements
  • Tenants can dispute significant changes to agreement
  • Rent cannot be increased unless there has been at least 6 months since the last increase.

I've only rented in Victoria, but so I don't know about any other states, but this is what usually happens -

You find a house that you like on the net/in the paper and go to the inspection. Most real estates won't let you rent the house unless you've been to the inspection or organised a private viewing. While at the inspection, you pick up an application form and hand it in to the real estate after you've filled it in at home. If the area you're looking in is very competitive, and you've found a place for a good price that you're pretty sure you'll like, you can go to the real estate's website a print out an application before hand and fill it in. The details of the real estate will be listed underneath the ad for the house. If you've got the credentials, and since we don't do credit checks, it's first in best dressed. If they like you'll they'll call you to tell you you've got the place after calling your references and checking out your bank statements and pay slips. After that you'll be required to pay the bond and first month's rent before you move in. Once you move in, you have a week to hand in your Condition Report, which is basically a report that lists all the rooms in the house. There is a list of each item in the house and what condition it is in, and at the bottom there is an area for additional information. For instance -
pre:
Bedroom 1  
               Excellent     Average     Poor
Bedroom Door                               X
Additional Comments:
Bedroom door has kick mark on it.

Some real estates will pre fill in the form for you. Don't just sign it and give it back. That burn mark on the carpet that was already there when you moved in? Probably not listed, and guess who's bond a new carpet is going to come out of? Make sure you go through the house and make sure every tiny little thing is listed, including that small crack in the window.

After you've been there a few weeks, you should receive a letter from the Bond Authority saying your bond has been registered. If you don't get that within 6 weeks, call them and ask them WTF is wrong because they have 4 weeks from the date you move in to lodge it. They aren't just allowed to keep the money in a bank account, they have to lodge it with the Bond Authority.

If you are taking over a lease from someone else, you get them to fill in a form signing the bond over into your name and then you pay them the bond out of your own money. Don't give them the money first or they'll run away with it and take their bond back when they move out of the house. Then you'll be stuck with no bond and no house.

After a few months you'll have your first inspection. Legally they aren't allowed to do it during the first month, but I once had a landlord send me a letter exactly one day after I had been there for one month. They legally have to give you 28 days notice for any inspection. If you can't be there, you have to have someone there to let them in, or they will use their own key to get into the house.

Any simple questions about renting in Victoria ask me. I've done it all - Sublet and got burnt, sublet and not got burnt, taken over leases, applied for new houses. Plus, my Mum got burnt by some ex friends of mine who were renting off her so I've been to a few VCAT hearings as well.

HOTLANTA MAN
Jul 4, 2010

by Hand Knit
Lipstick Apathy
This is a pretty awesome thread and very helpful, so I hope I'm not stepping out of line in bringing this thread back to attention

I dunno if this is the perfect place for it but I'm gonna take a bit of time to ask about decoration of a new apartment. This will be my first time not living in my childhood room or a cramped dorm and I'd rather not just hang up a bunch of posters and call it a day.

Basically goons, How can I spruce up a new apartment in terms of wall hangings, cool looking doodads and neat things? My roommates and I are starting to corroborate on this and we kinda wanna get creative.

moana
Jun 18, 2005

one of the more intellectual satire communities on the web
If you're allowed to paint, that's the easiest way to get things to look nice and not college-dormy. Posters should be framed if they are on the wall. https://apartmenttherapy.com is a great resource for DIY interior decorating and design ideas.

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BigHead
Jul 25, 2003
Huh?


Nap Ghost

One Sick Puppy posted:

This is a pretty awesome thread and very helpful, so I hope I'm not stepping out of line in bringing this thread back to attention

I dunno if this is the perfect place for it but I'm gonna take a bit of time to ask about decoration of a new apartment. This will be my first time not living in my childhood room or a cramped dorm and I'd rather not just hang up a bunch of posters and call it a day.

Basically goons, How can I spruce up a new apartment in terms of wall hangings, cool looking doodads and neat things? My roommates and I are starting to corroborate on this and we kinda wanna get creative.

Are you in college? Go to the art department or art majors and buy paintings for dirt cheap. They'll probably look like crap, but any color is better than bare white walls. Alternatively, go to garage sales. I bought a giant tacky painting of an abstract vagina that was a huge hit at parties.

Another idea is to buy big cloth wall hangings. Like a quilt, or any colorful cloth really. Just tack it up to the wall.

You can also buy large book shelves. Ikea has some huge square ones with lots of little cubbyholes without a back. Fill in those little cubbyholes with books and decorative doodads to your heart's content.

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