Dollar-Store Essentials for Outfitting Your First Apartment

Setting out on your own for the first time is exciting, and perhaps a little scary. There's a lot to think about and tons of things to buy, but it doesn't have to be an expensive proposition to outfit your first apartment.

When my daughter and her high school friend knew they would be attending the same college, they decided to rent an apartment together. Second-hand furniture was gathered from various sources and the girls brought some of their things from home. Meanwhile, I headed to the dollar store to pick up most of the smaller items to help outfit their new apartment.

Here's a breakdown of some things you'll need for your new place that can be found at the dollar store:

Kitchen

With the exception of pots and pans, you can get just about anything you need for the kitchen at Dollarama. This includes a dish drainer and tray, dish soap, two-sided cleaning sponges, storage containers, tea towels, dish cloths, cups, plates and bowls, cutlery, glassware, place mats, a cheese grater, knives, a colander, mixing bowls and a paper towel holder. If there are other small kitchen gadgets that you think you'll need, chances are you'll find them at the dollar store, too.

Bedroom

This is probably the room where you will need the most storage options. Dollarama has drawstring laundry bags, vinyl under-bed storage units, hanging shoe organizers, plastic and wooden hangers, plastic laundry baskets and storage bins of various sizes.

Bathroom

You'll need a toilet bowl brush and some hand soap, which you can buy in bars or liquid. You may prefer to buy a pump bottle that you can refill with hand soap. Dollarama has some clear acrylic soap dispensers for $2, along with a matching toothbrush holder for the same price. You can also find shower curtains, hooks and a shower caddy for $1.25 each.

Things like toilet paper and tissues are better bought in bulk, but you can get some very nice towels and washcloths at Dollarama. The shades may not match exactly, but they're very good quality for the $2 price tag. One bath towel -- the size I use for drying my hair -- costs $2. Two hand towels or four washcloths are $2 each for the set. You'll have to go elsewhere to get good sized bath towels or bath sheets.

Miscellaneous

Nobody I know enjoys cleaning house. Nevertheless, it is a job you can't ignore, so pick up some all-purpose cleaner, a broom handle, broom end, dustpan, mop head (which can be used with the broom handle), bucket, bathroom cleanser like Comet, furniture polish and a micro-fiber cleaning cloth at Dollarama. Most of these things are only a buck each. If you need waste baskets, Dollarama has a variety of styles to choose from and none of them will cost more than $2. And don't forget the garbage bags.

Does anybody use an iron any more? Dollarama has a small tabletop ironing board with folding legs that will tuck neatly into the corner of a closet when not in use. I bought one and it's solidly constructed of wood with metal legs. To my mind, it's not bad value for a toonie.

Small or older apartments may not have many electrical outlets, but you can buy a Sunbeam brand six-outlet wall tap for $1.50 or an an eight-foot extension cord for $2. You'll want to make sure that these are safe, so check out a previous post on how to tell whether you're buying something that's been tested and certified.

Marlene Alexander is a freelance writer and dollar store diva. She writes tips and ideas for home decorating using only items from the dollar store.