Your First Apartment Checklist: Everything You Need Before Move-In Day

You signed the lease, picked your roommate, and secured parking. Now comes the part nobody warns you about: you walk into your first apartment and it's completely empty. No dishes, no towels, no shower curtain, no toilet paper. This first apartment checklist covers every essential you need before move-in day at Baylor — organized room by room so you don't end up making three trips to Target in one weekend.

Before You Buy Anything: Coordinate with Your Roommate

The single biggest money-saving move is making a shared spreadsheet with your roommate before either of you buys anything. Divide items into two categories:

• Shared items (one per apartment): couch, TV, coffee maker, toaster, dish set, pots and pans, cleaning supplies, trash cans, shower curtain
• Personal items (one per person): bedding, towels, desk lamp, toiletries, hangers

This prevents the classic mistake of showing up with two blenders and zero dish soap. At Centre, you're splitting a two-bedroom, townhouse, or three-bedroom — so there's plenty of room, but coordinating saves hundreds of dollars.

Kitchen Essentials

Your kitchen is where most of the budget goes if you're starting from scratch. Here's what you actually need versus what can wait.

Must-Have (Day One)

• 1 skillet and 1 saucepan — you can cook 90% of meals with these two
• Baking sheet — chicken tenders, roasted vegetables, frozen pizza
• Chef's knife and cutting board — one good knife beats a cheap set of five
• Spatula, wooden spoon, tongs — the cooking tool trio
• 4 plates, 4 bowls, 4 cups, 4 forks/knives/spoons — match to your roommate count
• Can opener and bottle opener
• Dish soap, sponge, and dish towel
• Trash can and trash bags (13-gallon kitchen size)
• Paper towels — you'll use an entire roll on move-in day alone

Nice-to-Have (Week Two)

• Coffee maker or electric kettle
• Microwave (check if your apartment includes one)
• Air fryer — the MVP of college cooking
• Mixing bowls and measuring cups
• Colander for pasta
• Tupperware or food storage containers
• Spice basics: salt, pepper, garlic powder, olive oil

Budget tip: Hit up Facebook Marketplace and Waco thrift stores before buying new. Dishes, pots, and utensils are plentiful secondhand. Target on Bosque Blvd and Walmart on Franklin Ave are your best bets for everything else.

Bedroom Essentials

Must-Have

• Mattress and bed frame — if your apartment doesn't come furnished, this is your biggest purchase. Budget $200-$400 for a decent mattress-in-a-box
• Sheets (2 sets) — you need a backup for laundry day. Standard full or queen size (not twin XL like dorms)
• Pillows and pillowcases
• Comforter or duvet
• Desk and chair — you're in college, you need a study space
• Desk lamp — overhead lighting alone isn't enough for late-night studying
• Hangers (at least 30)
• Laundry hamper — though at Centre you have a washer and dryer in your unit, so no more hauling laundry across a parking lot

Nice-to-Have

• Nightstand or small side table
• Full-length mirror
• Curtains or blackout shades (check what your apartment provides)
• Under-bed storage bins
• Power strip with USB ports
• Rug — adds warmth to hard floors and reduces noise for downstairs neighbors

Bathroom Essentials

Must-Have

• Bath towels (2 per person) — one in use, one in the wash
• Hand towels and washcloths
• Shower curtain and rings — apartments rarely include these
• Bath mat — prevents slipping and keeps the floor dry
• Toilet paper — bring a 12-pack on move-in day. Trust us.
• Plunger — the one thing you absolutely cannot buy after you need it
• Toilet brush
• Trash can (small, with a lid)
• All your toiletries — shampoo, soap, toothbrush, deodorant, etc.

Nice-to-Have

• Over-the-door hooks or towel rack
• Shower caddy or organizer
• Bathroom cleaner spray
• Extra shower curtain liner

Living Room Essentials

This is where the "coordinate with your roommate" conversation matters most.

Must-Have

• Couch or futon — Facebook Marketplace is your friend. Check Furniture Row on Franklin Ave for new options.
• Coffee table or side table — somewhere to set your laptop and food

Nice-to-Have

• TV and streaming device (Roku, Fire Stick)
• Throw blanket and pillows
• Bookshelf or storage shelf
• Floor lamp
• Area rug

Skip for now: Expensive artwork, decorative items, and anything purely aesthetic. Focus on function first. You can decorate once you're settled.

Cleaning Supplies

You're responsible for keeping your apartment clean now. Here's the starter kit:

• All-purpose cleaner spray
• Broom and dustpan (Centre has wood-inspired flooring — a broom works better than a vacuum on hard floors)
• Mop or Swiffer
• Toilet bowl cleaner
• Glass cleaner (for mirrors and windows)
• Trash bags (kitchen and bathroom sizes)
• Paper towels and sponges
• Laundry detergent — you have a washer and dryer in-unit at Centre, so stock up

Tools You'll Actually Use

Don't buy a full toolkit. You need exactly these:

• Hammer
• Screwdriver set (Phillips and flathead)
• Tape measure
• Picture hanging kit (Command strips are apartment-friendly)
• Flashlight (or just use your phone)
• Batteries
• Duct tape

What You Don't Need to Buy

One of the best parts of renting at Centre is what's already included:

• Washer and dryer — in every unit, so skip the laundromat quarters and rolling cart
• High-speed internet — no router shopping, no installation appointment
• Parking — included, so no permit to buy
• Trash and pest control — covered in your monthly fees

That's four categories of expenses you can cross off your first apartment checklist entirely. Check the full list of what's included on our amenities page.

Where to Shop in Waco

• Target (5401 Bosque Blvd) — best for bedding, kitchen items, bathroom essentials, and cleaning supplies. Open until 11 PM Mon-Sat.
• Walmart Supercenter (4320 Franklin Ave) — cheapest option for bulk basics. Closest to campus.
• Furniture Row (6000 Franklin Ave) — new furniture if you're not buying secondhand. Near Richland Mall.
• Facebook Marketplace — search "Waco" for couches, desks, and kitchen supplies from graduating students clearing out. Best selection in May and August.
• Dollar Tree / Five Below — cleaning supplies, kitchen utensils, storage bins. Don't overlook these for basics.
• IKEA (Round Rock) — about 90 minutes south. Worth the drive for affordable furniture, but plan ahead — it's not a quick errand.

The Move-In Day Shopping List

If you can only bring one carload of stuff on move-in day, prioritize these items that you'll need immediately:

1. Bedding (sheets, pillow, comforter)
2. Towels (bath + hand)
3. Toilet paper and toiletries
4. Shower curtain
5. Dish soap and a few dishes
6. Paper towels and trash bags
7. Phone charger and power strip
8. Cleaning wipes for a quick move-in cleanup
9. Snacks and water (you won't want to cook on day one)
10. Basic tools (for assembling furniture)

Everything else can wait for a Target run once you're settled. For a full guide on how to survive the actual move-in day, check out our move-in day survival guide (coming soon).

Start With the Right Apartment

The best first apartment checklist in the world won't help if you're moving into a place that nickel-and-dimes you on basics. At Centre, you start with in-unit washer/dryer, high-speed internet, parking, and wood-inspired flooring — so your checklist is already shorter and your budget stretches further.

Browse our floor plans to see pricing and availability, or schedule a tour to see your future apartment before you start shopping for it.