Purchase these 5 first apartment bedroom essentials before moving in! These items will allow you to sleep in your new apartment from day one. Since moving is stressful, having these essentials will help you relax as you unpack knowing that the bedroom is taken care of. Also having the ability to go to bed or take a nap during the day will make things a lot less stressful.
1. Mattress
A good mattress is essential for a good nights sleep. There are many options when it comes to mattresses such as the traditional coil, water bed, and foam. We believe foam mattresses gives you the best bang for your buck while providing the comfort for a good nights rest. There are mattresses that utilize traditional coils and foam together and these are good as well.
Buying mattresses have become very simple these days with these items easily shipped in boxes. They come vacuum sealed and ready to use in a few minutes to an hour. Depending on the size of your bedroom we suggest getting a queen sized for maximum comfort. However, if a queen is not possible then hopefully you can fit a full sized bed. Queen sized sheets are the easiest to buy as they are the most common size. These days, a box spring is not required or needed as many bed frames come with wooden slates. These slates replace the function of a box spring and provide support to the mattress.
Check out these recommendations for mattresses:
This is an inexpensive mattress that has great reviews and is marketed as very comfortable.
Zinus Green Tea Mattress, Queen, White
We especially like this mattress as it combines both the positives of foam and traditional coils. Since it is only 8 inches, the profile is a bit low, but the comfort cannot be beat and it has great reviews.
Linenspa 8 Inch Memory Foam and Innerspring Hybrid Mattress – Medium-Firm Feel – Queen
This is a bit more expensive, but it’s from Tuft & Needle a branded mattress company and the quality is undeniable.
TUFT & NEEDLE Queen Mattress | Bed in a Box | Utilizing Proprietary T&N Adaptive Foam
2. Soft Sheets and Pillows
There is nothing like getting into a bed with soft sheets. Now it depends on if you want 100% cotton (our recommendation), silk, or bamboo. Silk is the most expensive material as it is the softest and great for your skin. Silk is difficult to take care of and wash. Cotton provides the best value and comfort while still being easy to wash. For cotton the higher thread count means its softer. Generally you want something that has over 300 thread count with Egyptian cotton being the best type of cotton for sheets.
This is a 400 thread count set of sheets made from 100% cotton
400-Thread-Count 100% Cotton Sheet Pure White Queen-Sheets Set, 4-Piece
This is a 600 thread count 100% cotton sheet set. Very soft and great quality
600-Thread-Count Best 100% Cotton Bed Sheet Set
This is made from microfiber and is a bit cheaper. It has a great selection of colors
Mellanni Bed Sheet Set – Brushed Microfiber 1800 Bedding
4-pack of pillows with 100% cotton covers
Very comfortable set of 2 pillows
DreamNorth PREMIUM Gel Pillow Loft (Pack of 2) Luxury Plush Gel
3. Comforter
Nothing beats a nice comforter on a cold day. That’s why you want to buy the coziest and best quality comforter the market has to offer. There are different types of fillings for a comforter: down, polyester, wool, and even silk. Wool and down are the warmest, but are hard to maintain and wash. We suggest cotton or polyester filling. Down is great, but you have to be committed to following the cleaning instructions so you don’t ruin the comforter. Polyester and cotton are much more forgiving and can be thrown into a normal washer and dryer.
Along with the comforter you will want to buy a duvet cover to keep the inside comforter clean.
A great comforter with down alternative (microfiber) which makes cleaning it a breeze
Linenspa All-Season White Down Alternative Quilted Comforter
Another nice option with lots of colors. You might be able to get away without a duvet cover given the color options, but we always suggest a duvet cover.
Beckham Hotel Collection 1600 Series – Lightweight – Luxury Goose Down Alternative Comforter
Another great comforter with a design and comes with 2 pillow shams
Utopia Bedding Printed Comforter Set (Queen, Grey) with 2 Pillow Shams
100% Cotton duvet cover with multiple color options
FACE TWO FACE 3-Piece Duvet Cover Queen,100% Washed Cotton Duvet Cover
Duvet cover with different designs
Wake In Cloud – Botanical Duvet Cover Set, 100% Cotton Bedding
Duvet cover made from microfiber. A bit cheaper than the other options
Hotel Luxury 3pc Duvet Cover Set
3. Bed frame and Headboard
A nice bed frame and headboard goes a long way in making your room feel like a home. Make sure to buy the correct size for your bed. If you have a queen size mattress make sure you buy a bed frame and head board that fits the queen sized mattress. Most bed frames come with slates as they function to provide support to the mattress replacing a need for a box spring.
A very simple modern look
Zinus Paul Metal and Wood Platform Bed with Wood Slat Support
A great looking bed frame with headboard
Zinus Upholstered Platform Bed
A great upholstered head board and frame from Lucid
LUCID Mid-Rise Upholstered Headboard
4. Dresser
Depending on how much clothes you have and the space of the bedroom you can go for a 3-drawer dresser or a 6-drawer dresser. Pick a dresser that matches the color scheme of your bed frame and headboard.
A clean and classic 6 drawer dresser
Prepac Fremont 6 Drawer Dresser, Espresso
A classic looking 5 drawer dresser that takes up less space than a 6 drawer dresser
A classy dresser with a cherry finish
Sauder Palladia Dresser, Select Cherry finish
5. Lamp
A lamp is a simple but useful addition to any room. Brighten up the room with a floor lamp or even a desk lamp.
A great floor lamp from Ikea
Ikea Uplight Lamp, 69-Inch, Black/White
Another floor lamp with a small reading light
Simple Designs Home LF2000-BLK Mother-Daughter Floor Lamp with Reading Light
A nice pair of bed light lamps
HAITRAL Bedside Table Lamps – Small Nightstand Lamps Set of 2
Don’t forget to buy light bulbs too
Philips LED Non-Dimmable A19 Frosted Light Bulb: 800-Lumen
First Apartment Bedroom Essentials Conclusion
Having these bedroom essentials will make your first week of moving much simpler. These are just the beginning items you need to start your bedroom. To see a bigger list of items for your whole apartment check out The Ultimate First Apartment Checklist: All The Essentials and Must Haves. Also if you don’t have have a checklist to keep track of all your items then check out our checklist page which contains a pdf you can print and use.