I Moved Five Times in One Year, Here’s What I Learned

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Category: Moving Stories, Neighborhood Advice

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Until I graduated as a graphic designer, I lived my entire life in the small desert town I was born (the nearest city was Tucson, Arizona). Besides farming and cattle, there were few career opportunities… let alone ones for an aspiring designer.

This is why after a couple of months working for a local magazine, I decided to pack up and find a bigger city with greater employment opportunities—specifically in the tech industry. My choice to move to Austin, Texas was easy. But my next four decisions to move (in the same year) were all a bit harder.

How to Survive if You Have to Constantly Move

Due to job changes, living conditions, and other needs, I had to move over five times in one year, and each one of them had their level of difficulty. It forced me to learn many things, from finding suitable roommates, to knowing when to buy your first pieces of furniture. 

There’s still a long road ahead of me, but I want to share with you what I’ve learned about continually moving with limited resources and big aspirations. 

Make finding friends an immediate priority

Foregoing possessions, I had to focus all my energy on establishing myself. I had to keep the packing as light as possible and only brought these bare necessities to start my new life in Austin:

  • Important legal documents and every government-issued ID I had (passport, driver’s license, etc.)
  • My computer
  • A few essential clothing items: five shirts, two sets of pants, a hoodie, and undergarments

Lucky for me, I had a few friends who didn’t mind housing me for a few weeks while I got settled in the city. As a lucky break, after seeing my work, my friend gave me a job referral that helped me land my first job at the startup where he worked! 

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So here’s my first piece of advice: Know how wide your friend and acquaintance network goes, and especially who might help during your first few days. You might not know someone that lets you crash on their couch, but maybe a friend of a friend can point you in the right direction for the safest places in town to find a room or a hotel. 

If you don’t have a job lined up yet (like me), do what I did and start combing through your contacts on LinkedIn that might provide you recommendations. I was able to find Austin recruiters who showed me open positions in my field. (Job listing websites such as Glassdoor or Indeed can work well, but I’ve come to find that the best way to get a quick answer is by reaching out directly via LinkedIn.) 

Finding Decent Living Arrangements on a Budget

I’ve lived alone before, but now in a larger city and with a limited budget, it was necessary to find a place where I would live with roommates.

I’ve learned to identify potential red flags in a home or roommates with every move. After living with six people in five different places, here’s my ultimate list of the most consistently important things when looking for good living arrangements (aside from the typical “find somewhere close to work”).

How do you find a good place to live?

A lot of things won’t be perfect when you’re starting out, but in my experience, these were the worst things I dealt with while finding my own way.

  • How old is the apartment/house? Unless you’re okay dealing with your roommates and landlord over leaky pipes or moldy cupboards, I suggest finding a place that has less than 10 years on the market, or at least looks like it’s been diligently looked after. Living in newer homes means you’ll be less likely to have any issues with the infrastructure—trust me.
  • Learn the room space to rent ratio. I was so inexperienced that I never realized I could negotiate rent with my roommates, so I ended up splitting the rent equally. Later, I moved in with people who broke down the rent according to room size, and everything just made more sense! Why was I paying the same rent as someone with a bathroom and walk-in closet? Talk openly to any potential roommates and negotiate rent for fair pricing.
  • Don’t settle when it comes to pets and household cleanliness. An irresponsible pet owner (ahem) can be a nightmare when sharing a reduced space. If there are resident pets in the place you’re considering, check out if they are potty trained or where the litter box/puppy pads are located. Ensure that the smells that may arise won’t be a source of inconvenience for you (accidents happen, but hopefully, it won’t be near your room!)
  • Avoid places with pests and infestations. You won’t get a complete picture with only one visit, but it’s always a good idea to ask how long has it been since the last fumigation and how do they keep dangerous bugs or vermin at bay (I once lived in a place where I couldn’t open a kitchen drawer without seeing a cockroach running around and I ran out of there as fast as I could).

How do you find roommates?

Moving in with strangers as a foreigner is sometimes intimidating. It was for me. But after living through some rough experiences, I finally have a pretty good idea of what topics to discuss before picking a roommate.

  • What’s their lifestyle? Social butterflies and introverts aren’t always a good mix for sharing a living space. While one may choose to have friends over every weekend, the other might find it overwhelming. There’s nothing more awkward than spending the night cooped up in a room while knowing more strangers are outside (been there). All I’m saying is to make sure your future roommate’s activities and behaviors are compatible with yours.
  • Share electronic payment responsibilities. The most pleasant places to share are those with clearly defined responsibilities. It’s usually a good sign if you see that household tasks are divided among the rest of the roommates. For example, someone pays the electrical and gas bills, while the other pays for internet and water bills. 
  • Cleaning help truly helps. As responsible adults, it’s ideal that everyone cleans up after themselves… but as crazy as it sounds, I highly recommend pooling together and setting aside a budget for cleaning help at least once a week, especially for the common areas that are bound to get dusty or dirty. It will save you and your potential roommates a lot of emotional frustration. 

Furnishing (When You Move a Lot)

To avoid a furniture dilemma, seek furnished rooms during the first months of your arrival. My first three places were furnished rooms before finding a cozy loft where I could live by myself. Only until that point did I start frantically looking for a mattress, box, and desk, which were the bare minimum I needed to live and work comfortably. 

How do you constantly deal with furniture?

Whenever I needed a piece, this is the moving timeline I used for organizing all my furniture shipping (so I didn’t get stuck sleeping on the floor for days):

  • Three weeks in advance: Seal the deal with the new landlord of your place. This depends on each property, but this usually includes dropping a security deposit, one month’s rent, and all legal paperwork. It usually takes over a week to get it all in place and finally have the keys in your hands.
  • Two weeks in advance: Once you have an agreement in writing, start measuring up the place to know how big your furniture needs to be. After putting down a deposit and rent, there tends to be little wiggle room for impulsive buying (at least for me), so I recommend creating a layout of the stuff you need with measurements, and shopping accordingly.
  • One week in advance: Once you carefully select all the furniture for your place and have the keys, leave a one-week delivery window for your stuff to arrive. If you’re given the opportunity, plan to receive most of your things on the same day; otherwise, you’ll have to be coming and going all week long. 

By the way, I learned the hard way to keep your new stuff packed and sealed until you are fully moved in to avoid getting dust and dirt all over it. This will make the moving day far easier.

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How to Move (Quickly)

Forget about sparking joy until you think you’re even close to settling down. Here are some tips.

Don’t obtain much to pack

Packing will get more complex as you grow in your new life and feel the new city like a second home. 

I try to keep my stuff easy to transport, but for my fifth and final move, I had to hire a truck and a couple of movers to help me with all the furniture, books, clothes, and even plants. I used this last-minute moving checklist to help with those small details I never dealt with before, since I was moving so often and so quickly. (Here’s a hint: keep things light!)

Search for hourly movers

Finally, when you’ve finally accumulated enough stuff, you might need some muscle for a quick turn-around.

Though I didn’t know the first thing about hiring movers, two weeks before my move I Googled and was able to find movers by the hour, then I booked them online almost immediately. All I had to worry about was finding enough boxes, though a couple of trips to the supermarket solved it (if you’re getting your boxes from a supermarket, remember to clean them first). Also, since I don’t own a car and mainly use my bike for transportation, this post on keeping it safe in a moving truck saved my life. 

Earlier on when I was moving so much, everything was as simple as picking up my clothes, getting in an Uber, and arriving at the new apartment during my first few moves. Yet even as it got a little more complex, getting a couple movers was a little bit rewarding, as I got to see the fruits of my new life I had finally made.


Moving is an unavoidable part of growing. And if you’re anything like me, be prepared to grow a lot. If you’re going through a similar journey, I hope my experience helps you find a great place to live with awesome roommates. Good Luck!

My Practical Guide to Moving In With a Partner (Romantically and Financially)

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With Valentine’s Day and the scent of relationship milestones heavy in the air, it’s time to talk about one of the biggest milestones of all: moving in with a romantic partner.

If you’re considering moving in together, my assumption is that you’re already bringing all the love and excitement and ooey-gooey feelings to the situation — which means that it’s my job to bring the practicality, organization, and the cold hard sense. This wretched Virgo thrives on sucking the joy out of situations, replacing it with a structure that will serve you well, far beyond your relationship’s honeymoon phase. (Spoiler alert: in my experience, all that good stuff comes flowing back in once you’ve set up a solid foundation.) 

Here’s a list of some of the un-fun, straight-up, business-like details that have made living with a partner so much better for me.

Decide whether you’re clean-slating-it, or moving into one of your existing spaces

If one of you lives in a two-bedroom alone while the other lives in a lofty attic garret, this is probably a no-brainer. But in my experience, few situations are that simple.

I absolutely loved the studio I was living in when I met my boyfriend, and by the time we moved in together, I’d been living there for seven years. It was basically my longest relationship, outlasting all the boys I’d dated along the way, proving itself reliable in ways they hadn’t been.

Still, my initial thought was that I wanted to start somewhere new with my boyfriend; I wanted to live somewhere neither of us had a history with. Realistically, this was going to create more issues than it solved. For one, my boyfriend had just moved into his roomy one-bedroom a year before, at which point he’d paid a hefty broker’s fee. (This is a cute thing that used to be legal in New York City, and was the bane of our collective existences.)

“…(W)e each ended up saving $630 on rent by moving in together.”

The fact that it made more sense for me to move in with him was staring us in the face, so I asked him for a couple things to make that prospect more comfortable for me.

First, I wanted reassurance that I could bring my own decorating touch to the space, and secondly, I wanted my vote to count a bit more the next time we went apartment-hunting. 

Since I hadn’t had any input in the selection of this current apartment, and it wasn’t a space I was super excited about, it felt only fair that I could weigh in extra on the next one! Happily, my boyfriend agreed. Something we’ve embraced in our relationship is that a compromise doesn’t have to just fall on one person; if there’s something you’re giving up, think about what you’d like to ask in return. Keep it within reason, of course, and don’t try to punish each other when you don’t get your way. But always ask for what you want — the worst your partner can say is no.

Don’t be shy about talking moving costs

We — or rather, I — now had a move to organize. Which was a particularly intimidating prospect after so much time in the same space. I’d been accumulating items around me like a cheerful little magpie for almost a decade, so there was a lot to dig through, get rid of, and sell-off. 

Moving List
This was our actual moving cost list, which we decided to split.

I know my own space and I like things a certain way, so I was happy to take on the labor and organizational side of things. In exchange, my boyfriend offered to split the moving costs with me, which brought a whole range of new options within reach, like rental boxes from Gorilla Bins, and a team of local L.A. movers, which I’d never been able to spring for before.

Since he was getting to miss out on all the most annoying parts of moving, he reasoned, it only made sense that he could contribute to the process financially.

According to my moving spreadsheet (lol), we each paid $577.92, all told. This included the bins, the team, the tip and tolls for the truck, and a mattress and dresser we purchased for our shared space. It might sound high, but I was able to pay down my end by selling big-ticket furniture items that wouldn’t be making the move, and we each ended up saving $630 on rent by moving in together. The whole extravaganza more than paid for itself within just two months.

Get all math-y with how you split rent

valentines catTalking about money can be fraught for me, which I counter by talking about it pretty much all the time to build up my resistance. One area where I still struggle, though, is in asking others for money.

When we first moved in, my boyfriend was making about three times what I did. (Incredibly, data science pays slightly better than freelance writing and bartending.) But for my own reasons, I wasn’t comfortable asking him to pay two-thirds more rent than I was. If you are, that’s great! You should lean into that hard. But if you’re like me, I have a solution for you.

I suggested to my boyfriend that we come at the rent split from a different angle. Aside from the mushy romance stuff, a big part of wanting to move in together was a desire to save money, which is why we ultimately decided to base our rent split not off of what we were spending, but what we were saving. 

With a standard split on our $1,750 Queens one-bedroom, my boyfriend would be saving $875 on what he used to pay, while I’d be saving just $385 on my old $1,260 studio. It was a great amount to be able to bank every month, but I was jealous of my boyfriend’s much larger savings.

“…(W)e ultimately decided to base our rent split not off of what we were spending, but what we were saving.”

To make the split more equitable, we added $875 and $385 together to get our total savings, then divided by two to find the average. The answer was $630, which we subtracted from each of our prior rents. I’d be paying $630, and he’d be paying $1,120. Not quite a two-thirds split, but one I never would’ve felt comfortable asking for without the power of math. 

These days, the gap has closed between our incomes, so now we are able to do a true 50/50 split, but the above method served us well for over a year. I’d highly recommend it to anyone taking the leap to cohabitation.

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Make your lovely, wonderful significant other sign a dry, unromantic cohabitation agreement

As a child of separation and a graduate into the recession, my fundamental understanding of the world is that most things fall apart (cute!). But I’ve learned to speak my expectations so that others have a chance to respond calmly, or run screaming into the sea. 

Coming into this glorified roommate situation after seven years of solitude, I figured I was probably bringing some pretty serious expectations to the table, so I asked my boyfriend if we could lay out a document spelling them out. Our agreement detailed the aforementioned rent split, what goes down if we break up, and what major responsibilities we’re each expecting from the other in the meantime. 

Some things we considered: 

  • Who buys groceries? Can we eat each other’s food?
    • Answer: we both buy groceries, but he buys more because I cook more. Any food is up for grabs, but there should be communication for specialty items that one of us has been looking forward to.
  • Does one of us like cleaning, or should we maybe spring for a monthly service?
    • Answer: one of us likes cleaning, and it’s me. I do it once a week, and if I need or want anything from my boyfriend, I let him know.
  • If we break up, can I have this couch please?
    • Answer: yes, because I’m the one who designed it and got us a discount on it.
  • Should we get a joint bank account for some of our expenses?
    • Answer: yes, at Simple and then Ally, but let’s keep the majority of our finances separate.
  • Can we please get renters insurance?
    • Answer: yes, an Allstate policy costing $13/month that we’ve transitioned to a USAA policy at $24/month.
  • Which streaming platforms do we want?
    • Answer: unfortunately, all of them. But we’ll cobble them together in a way that makes sure we’re each paying for our fair share.
  • What are your ideal bedtimes and wake up times?
    • Answer: I’m an 11p.m.-7a.m. “bb”, but he’s a 1a.m.-10p.m. angel, so we tried it his way for a while and have now settled on an 11:30p.m.-8:00a.m.-ish situation.
  • How much time do we each need alone?
    • Answer: we decided we each get a minimum of a couple hours a day separate, him to play video games or chat with his friends, and me to play my silly little iPhone games and watch my television stories.
  • How much time do we like to have together?
    • Answer: a lot, but there’s such a thing as too much, so let’s keep an eye on that.
  • Will Judge Judy be impressed with us if she ever reads this?
    • Answer: nothing impresses her, but also yes.

Not every item made the final list, but putting it together gave us each an opportunity to share our biggest needs, wants, and fears about combining our lives, and it ended up being an incredibly productive conversation — one that we revisit every August to make sure we’re both still comfortable and feeling good.

And that feels like a good thing to add here: we are still a couple, and living together quite happily — in a Los Angeles apartment that I got a big vote in picking out — paperwork, uncomfortable conversations and all. We not only like and love each other, but respect each other’s boundaries, which gives me true confidence in the longevity of this match!


Illustrations by Molly Magnell

How Your Renters’ Rights Can Lead to Rent Relief (and a Better Lease)

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It often feels like you hear a ton about bad landlords, a tiny bit about good landlords, and almost nothing about the people in between… you know, the ones who neither are your best friend nor take advantage of you as a renter, but who just do their jobs.

But we should be talking about the typical landlord a lot more! Not only are they the most common experience, but interacting with the leasing system is a great opportunity to take advantage of your rights as a renter

What are my renters’ rights?

They’re what you automatically get just by upholding your responsibilities as a renter.

Uh… what are my responsibilities as a renter?

The terms of your rental contract, and to pay rent. That’s it.

Is that really it?

Maybe you’re way ahead of me on this, but it took me a second to figure out that I didn’t owe my landlords literally anything beyond my monthly rent check and the terms and conditions I’d agreed to in my lease.

My landlords weren’t my parents, they weren’t my friends, and it turns out you don’t even get a gold star for being an A+ tenant who only ever asks for one thing fixed in seven years. (Why my toilet started suddenly and endlessly flushing of its own accord early on a Sunday morning, I will never know.)

But while you can’t get awards for being the best tenant, you do get rewards just for being a good tenant—or even just being a tenant at all. (See what I did there?)

These rewards are called “renters’ rights“.

Back up! What exactly are ‘renters’ rights’?

Hopefully you’re already well aware of this, but if you rent a property in America or its territories, there are lawful protections in place that are designed to help people who sign rental agreements. Renters’ rights extend from the federal level—meaning laws that universally apply to every state, U.S. territory, and the capital—all the way down to laws applicable only at the local level.

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Those rules and regulations differ vastly between areas, so it won’t be possible for us to get into the logistics of every single state in this one article, sadly.

But what I will do is cover the federal guidelines, plus lay out some of the specifics of my home state of California (plus my hometown of West Hollywood) in order to give you an idea of what sorts of things to be on the lookout for.

And don’t worry, I’ll also show you how to gain access to this information for your very own state, city, and even your neighborhood.

What are my federal renters’ rights?

Broadly speaking, in America, your overall federal renters’ rights (which you can click and dive into if you’re curious) are designed with three main goals in mind:

  • Provide a template for landlord-tenant agreements that can be adopted at the state level
  • Safeguard every renter’s right to a habitable space
  • Ensure that no American tenant experiences discrimination

Maybe you’ve heard this stuff before, but the first step to taking advantage of your rights as a renter is understanding them, so let’s dive a little deeper.

 

“Renters’ rights extend from the federal level, all the way down to the local level.”

 

A habitable space literally means “suitable or good enough to live in”, with specifics determined by your state. But examples of breaches might include:

  • Lack of running water
  • Faulty wiring
  • Poor maintenance
  • Pest infestation
  • Holes in the wall, ceiling, or floor

In terms of no American tenant experiencing discrimination, the Federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of:

  • Race
  • Color
  • National origin
  • Religion
  • Sex
  • Familial status
  • Disability

This is enforced by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 

renter rightsNever be shy about reporting rental discrimination infractions

If you’re having issues in any of the above areas, you don’t have to just suffer through it; the federal government is there to provide support in just these sorts of situations without retribution. 

If you feel you’ve been experiencing discrimination from a landlord, you can (and should!) file an online complaint here. For habitability issues in federal housing, you can call (800) 685-8470, while those living in non-federal housing should contact state services (which we’ll get into next).

What are my state-level renters’ rights?

With the federal rights covered above, now we can zoom down to the state level to see what specific rights (often called “tenant rights”) you’re entitled to within the state that you live in.

Tenant rights cover a massive range of topics, and may (or may not) include written rules for matters such as:

  • Utilities
  • Rent control, and/or rights of low-income citizens
  • Security deposits
  • Air conditioning
  • Lawyers
  • Insurance obligations
  • Thresholds for maintaining renter or landlord status
  • Disaster relief
  • Military members
  • Specific parameters for things such as evictions, repairs, late fees, or lockouts
  • And much, much more

There are a lot of ways to go about figuring out your own state laws, but the two easiest ways are:

  • Google [your state] + [renters rights/tenants rights]
  • Select your state from the list below and explore (try to stick to “.gov” websites)
Alabama Illinois Montana Puerto Rico/U.S Virgin Islands
Alaska Indiana Nebraska Rhode Island
Arizona Iowa Nevada South Carolina
Arkansas Kansas New Hampshire South Dakota
California Kentucky New Jersey Tennessee
Colorado Louisiana New Mexico Texas
Connecticut Maine New York Utah
Delaware Maryland North Carolina Vermont
District of Columbia Massachusetts North Dakota Virginia
Florida Michigan Ohio Washington
Georgia Minnesota Oklahoma West Virginia
Hawaii Mississippi Oregon Wisconsin
Idaho Missouri Pennsylvania Wyoming

Where I live in California, for example, I’m led to a 121-page document that lays out everything I need to know as a renter, which includes a lengthy section on my rights as a renter.

Here are just a few of the things Californian renters are entitled to:

  • Strict limits on security deposits and late fees
  • Information about rent control ordinances that could limit or prohibit rent increases
  • Limits on their landlord’s ability to enter their property
  • The circumstances under which they’re allowed to withhold rent payments
  • Specifics about what “habitable” means in California
  • The right to know whether someone died in their unit (!) within the last three years
  • Information about procedures their landlord will have to follow if they want to evict them

What are my current place’s renter rights?

It should all be on the paper you signed (digitally, or in person).

In other words, your lease. This is the most relevant piece of literature for any renter. You should always read it carefully before signing.

Here’s the thing though: an unsigned contract is your chance to ask for amendments. You can get items struck that you know (from your research) aren’t legal, and potentially even request a rent reduction. (Hey, there’s no harm in asking!)

But even if you’ve already signed your lease, now is as good of a time as any to go back through it and make sure your landlord is holding up their end of the bargain.

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What can get me a better personal lease?

Great question! And the answer is almost as long as the state-wide list of stuff up there.

It’s often a matter of getting creative with your asks. There are no guarantees, of course. But there are a bunch of us who’ve saved hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars with gentle negotiation and a little bit of tenant rights research. 

Okay, so beyond my rights, what kinds of rent relief and additional perks are we talking here?

I’m talking about renter perks like

  • Rent reductions
  • Security deposit waivers
  • Full-on lease rewrites
  • And beyond!

But usually only if you ask! Ask, ask, ask!

Changes in your lease are all about doing your research and collecting supporting evidence that you can bring to your landlord or managing company as proof that you should get what you’re asking for.

How to Get Rent Relief Through a Better Lease

I’ve compiled a great list of tried-and-true techniques, as well as a few lesser-talked-about tactics for increasing the value of your rental lease.

  • Keep an eye out for empty units in your building

A friend of mine who lives in a Brooklyn two-bedroom had her roommate move out during the pandemic, and she couldn’t afford the rent on her own. Yet she’d noticed there were multiple open units in her building that hadn’t been rented for months, so she asked if her landlord might be willing to negotiate the price.

He asked what she’d be able to pay, and the two of them ended up settling on a price that was a whopping $1,000 less per month than she and her roommate had previously been paying, all because she’d been a good tenant and he didn’t want to lose her (or her monthly rent check).

  • Scope out any issues with nearby public transportation 

When I moved in with my boyfriend after his lease ran out in 2018, his landlord wanted to increase the rent by a little over $100 per month. But when I pointed out that the subway nearest to our apartment in Astoria was scheduled to be closed for the next few months—meaning a significantly longer walk to the train—he agreed to keep the rent where it was. 

 

“Beyond your official, written protections, there are often goodies within reach for those who pay their rent on time, communicate well with their landlords, and are generally good neighbors.”

 

  • Look for impending demolition or construction notices

Something else I pointed out to our Astoria landlord was that construction was starting on the empty lot next door, which was going to be a noisy nuisance during the day—when I’d be home working as a freelance writer or trying to sleep after a late-night bar shift. Who knows whether the deciding factor was the train or the construction, but either way, he agreed! I’m glad I was ready with both.

  • Get a reduction for a newly-obstructed view

A friend of mine who lived in Washington D.C. watched nearby construction completely change the view from his high-rise apartment. In response, he was able to get his rent decreased by $400 per month just by bringing it up with his landlord! (If something is going to affect the amount your building can rent units to new tenants for, existing tenants should be able to take advantage of that change as well.)

  • renter rightsBe the tenant you wish to see in the world 

Beyond your official, written protections, there are often goodies within reach for those who pay their rent on time, communicate well with their landlords, and are generally good neighbors.

Take a moment to think about what kind of renter you are. There’s no more shame in being a mediocre renter than there is in being a mediocre landlord; it all just comes down to how much more attention you want. If you’re currently getting away with something like an unapproved subletter, a secret pet, tons of wall damage, or late rent payments you haven’t been dinged for yet, you might not want to ask for anything additional for risk of losing the benefits you’re already skating by with. But it’s truly up to you.

  • Google your specific neighborhood’s laws

Depending on your area, you may be covered by local city or even neighborhood laws that offer protections beyond what’s included in that document.

In my city of West Hollywood, for example, we have this great Rent Stabilization Ordinance that ensures that rents can only be increased once annually, and then only by a set amount. Currently, it’s capped at 2.25%, and rent increases of any kind were specifically prohibited during the pandemic. (As were evictions, but that hasn’t stopped my landlord from putting notices on doors and hoping people don’t know their business, so stay alert!)

  • Make the most of a crushing recession (or, y’know, a global pandemic)

A friend who lived in New York City in 2008 balked at a proposed rent increase at the height of the recession. Thinking quickly, she looked up the city’s cost of living increase for the year, which was so low that it didn’t justify the jump in rent. She called her leasing office to plead her case, letting them know she wasn’t able to pay the new number. She was able to talk them out of charging her more—at least until the next year.

  • Come up with your own contract ideas, then give them a shot (seriously)

At the end of the day, a living arrangement is anything that multiple individuals legally agree to. It’s very probable you don’t know what’s going on in the life of a landlord. How much slack they have and what they have to work with will be different for every single person.

Here are other things that might lead your landlord towards granting rent relief

  • Overall rent decreases in your area
  • If they have other problem tenants who are taking up a lot of their resources
  • A change in your own income, like losing your job or suddenly finding yourself without a roommate or partner to split the rent

Basically, if it comes down to a choice between a rent reduction or having to find a new tenant who may or may not be more reliable than you’ve been, you’d be surprised at how many landlords will choose the first option. This is true especially right now, with rent costs plunging on average in the wake of COVID-19.

Remember, we as tenants have more rights and negotiating power than you might realize. Use them.


Illustrations by Kyle Smart

How to Orchestrate a New York to Los Angeles Move in 28 Days Flat

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In February 2019 I’d been living in New York for a decade. I had vague, hazy plans to consider a move to the west coast in the next three to five years, but had done zero planning about how to make that happen.

Then, on the first of the month, my boyfriend was offered his dream job in Los Angeles, with a proposed start date of March 1st. That gave us just four weeks to break our lease, pack up our entire lives, make the cross-country move, and find an apartment in an unfamiliar city. Yikes.

Where do I even start with my whirlwind NYC to LA move?

It was an intimidating proposition, made even more so by the fact that I couldn’t find any published resources to help guide the way. Luckily, my partner and I are both writers and performers, so there were a lot of people in our community who’d made that same move. (It’s super common for creatives on one coast to get cast or staffed on a show on the other, and have just weeks or even days to show up on site.) 

Through a combination of their recommendations and my own frantic research, I was able to cobble together a plan for how to do the long distance move from NYC to LA that went off without a hitch… and then I wrote it all down.

Month 1: Leaving New York

leaving new york

Day 1: Book your movers ASAP (they get booked fast)

Your very first call should be to a moving company, because long-distance mover slots book up lightning fast. Come in with as wide a range of possible moving dates as you can—shoot for three to five days—that flexibility will make it more likely that you’ll be able to snag your first choice.

Our first choice was a business called Oz Moving & Storage, a company offering residential, commercial, and long-distance moves in three states: New York, New Jersey, and California. (But of course, you can check a mover marketplace like HireAHelper.com to find a company that works for you.) Not only did Oz come highly recommended by friends who’d used them, but the company offered a service that seemed tailor-made for our situation: the ability to book without an existing address on the LA end, plus 30 days of free storage.

Oz quoted me a price of $1954.59 to move our one-bedroom just under 3,000 miles (this is not a bad deal for a coast to coast move), and I put down my $50 deposit to reserve an appointment. Then I moved on to the next item on my list, ready to build out the rest of my schedule around that tentpole.

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Day 1-5: Get your plane ticket

Now that your stuff has a way to get to LA, you should probably find a way to get your body there as well.

We’d toyed with the idea of driving for our cross-country move, but ultimately opted to fly so we’d have more time to apartment hunt on the other end. Also, like most New Yorkers, we didn’t have a car, which both complicated and eased our travel arrangements.

Once we’d booked a flight—scheduling it for well into the afternoon, since our movers were set to arrive in the morning—we looked for a short term Airbnb in LA. We booked an affordable spot for five days up front, and confirmed with our host that she’d be open to us extending our stay if we didn’t find an apartment during that time. 

Day 1-5: (Gently) break your lease

Ideally, your lease is ending organically, or you’re in a month-to-month situation, but if you’re not and don’t want to pay a penalty, your best bet is to drop the news on your landlord as soon as possible. The sooner the unit is filled after your departure, the less likely it is that you’ll have to pay any kind of penalty for bailing out early. In our case, avoiding getting dinged came down to flexibility… and a tremendous amount of luck.

“Your very first call should be to a moving company, because long-distance mover slots book up lightning fast.”

Moments after we spoke to our landlord, he ran into our downstairs neighbor, who happened to have a friend looking for a spot. She shot some video of our space, and he asked if he could come by to view the place before a scheduled trip took him out of town. He committed to taking the place on the spot. 

With a move-in date of March 1st, the apartment wouldn’t sit empty for a single day, so we didn’t have to pay a penalty, and got back every dollar of our deposit. Phew!

Day 5-infinity: Spend as much time as you want apartment-browsing online, but don’t sign anything

Los Angeles, California

You’ll notice that I haven’t said anything about trying to lock down an apartment in advance, and the reason for that is —I didn’t do it, and I don’t want you to either.

Here’s why: for those of us who have lived in New York City for any length of time, the rental market has broken our brains. This is a fact. But the Los Angeles market isn’t nearly as competitive, so signing an LA lease sight unseen is setting yourself up for a scam or a disappointment. 

For example, one of my friends lined up a gorgeous one-bedroom in advance, only to discover a cockroach infestation that necessitated a quick move-out. I was also shown quite a few listings that were priced higher online than the number I was quoted in person. It seems many agencies are well aware that out-of-towners are eager to get everything nailed down in advance, and some take advantage by increasing the rent on online listings to see what they can get away with!

Also, final note: the LA apartment we ended up renting was one I’d seen a listing for in advance and hadn’t even bothered saving. But I had a totally different reaction when I saw it in person, so please don’t stress too hard if you’re not seeing anything that grabs you. 

Day 10: Sell any big-ticket items you’re not in love with

The price of a long-distance move has everything to do with the amount of boxes and larger furniture pieces you’re bringing, so make your choices wisely. Anything that doesn’t fall into the must-have category can go up on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, where the profits from its sale can go toward your moving costs.

Neither of us was completely enamored with our couch, so we sold it in New York — for almost as much as it had cost in the first place. And since we had a connection to the guy who was moving into our place, I took photos and wrote detailed descriptions of all the furniture we weren’t bringing with us, in hopes he might want to buy some of it. It was a time-consuming process, but the new tenant wound up wanting almost all of it! He Venmoed us $1,100 for the pieces he was interested in, which made it well worth the effort.

Day 14: Start packing up your New York apartmentmoving city apartment

My personal feeling is it’s never too early to start packing, but I’d say make sure you’ve begun in earnest by the time your move date is two weeks out. Don’t seal up the boxes until Day 25 or so, but you can start filling them now with items you don’t use on a regular basis, making sure to label the boxes carefully and avoid overloading them.

Day 28: Bring your freaking sheets with you

Since we’d have to go without the majority of our stuff for weeks as we waited for the rest of our stuff to arrive, I made sure to leave space for daily items in our checked luggage. For us, that list included a few kitchen supplies, toiletries, our electronics, and was missing one big item: bed linens. 

We’d always planned to purchase an air mattress before our first night in our new apartment, but for some reason, we hadn’t considered what we’d sleep under. We spent a few embarrassing, shivery nights swaddled in coats and towels before a lovely friend took pity on us and brought over some sheets, pillows, and a comforter. 

Month 2: Okay, You’re in LA. Now What?

Los Angeles downtown

Congratulations! Your feet are on the ground in Los Angeles, and the settling in has begun. (This is the easy part, I promise.)

Day 1-5: Stretch your apartment-hunting legs (literally)

The advice we heard over and over again was simple: walk the streets looking for “FOR RENT” signs. Once you find one, call the number listed and cross your fingers you get to talk to a real person, who will either schedule an appointment or come show you the place right then.

“To get a moving permit, Los Angeles City residents can call (213) 485-2298 with at least five days’ notice—be prepared to pay around $50.”

We got started in West Hollywood, because it was walkable to my boyfriend’s new job, and set our sights on a one-bedroom for $2,000 or less. I’d learned from my research that that would be a tough ask, and one agent actually laughed in our faces as she showed us a unit, but I figured we could afford to be a little picky since this was our first day looking. That mindset paid off when just down the block from that giggly agent, we found the perfect spot on our very first day looking: an adorable one-bedroom for just $1,750.

We applied on the spot and were approved, our new building manager eyeing us nervously as we sweatily raced through the application, desperate to protect this apartment from the hordes of prospective renters we were certain were on our tail. (We saw no one all day, our brains are very sick.)

Day 5: Give your address to your moving company

Once you have keys in hand, it’s time to inform the moving company (or whoever you’re storing your stuff with) of your new address, which in our case also triggered the next phase of our move. Oz would be moving our boxes from New York storage and onto the truck any day now, which opened a 14-day window during which we could expect to receive our items.

Day 15: Get a moving permit, ideally for the correct city

As the time got closer, we heard from Oz again, with informative emails narrowing down the delivery window to a certain day, and noting that we’d likely need a moving permit.

To get a moving permit, Los Angeles City residents can call (213) 485-2298 with at least five days’ notice—be prepared to pay around $50. (For West Hollywood residents, the number is (323) 848-6392, and charges start at $10 and go up to $35 depending on the specifics of your move.)

Just for fun, try knowing what city you live in before you get a permit. I called LA instead of WeHo, and they got all the way out to our block before realizing that we were outside the LA City limits. They refunded my money, but I had to start over with WeHo with not enough time before the deadline, which was nice and stressful. (Thankfully, everything ultimately worked out.)

Day 15: Ask your landlord whether your new building requires a Certificate of Insurance (COI)

This was a new concept to me. Oz noted in an email that if our building required one, they’d be happy to provide it, but that didn’t turn out to be necessary at our location.

apartment fridge
I wish my fridge looked this cool.

Day 15: Be aware that for some bizarre reason, your apartment might not come with a fridge 

I know. This is a very weird one. Our apartment did come with a fridge. And we were warned that plenty don’t. If yours doesn’t, don’t worry—there’s apparently a thriving market for secondhand fridges in and around LA. If you need one, consider planning its arrival for the day the rest of your stuff arrives, so you don’t have to lug it into your apartment solo. (Remembering to check with your movers to make sure that’s an okay task to add, of course.)

Day 366: Note that your lease will likely transition to month-to-month after a year

Apparently, this is the case in other cities as well, but since I’d been in a rent-stabilized unit for most of my time in New York, I wasn’t aware. After your first year in many LA apartments, your lease will switch over to a month-to-month situation. 


And that’s a wrap on that—you’re officially an Angeleno! Who knows if the time will ever come when I need to attempt this long distance move in reverse, but if it does, I feel much more prepared now than I did the first time around.

Moving to New York City instead? Check out our guide.

How Much Does Renters Insurance Cost?

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If the thought of another $100-plus monthly expense is keeping you from buying renters insurance, you should know a renters insurance policy isn’t likely to cost nearly that much.

The average cost of renters insurance in the U.S. was $188 a year, or just over $15 a month, in 2015 per data from a 2017 report by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), ranging from a high of $262 to a low of $114.

Now that you know that the cost of renters insurance is closer to a car wash than a car payment, read on to learn more about how that number is determined:

How Much Does Renters Insurance Cost in Each State?

Given that your neighborhood and building type can influence your premiums, it stands to reason the cost of renters insurance varies dramatically across state lines. Keep in mind, though, pricing gets more granular than that, and the cost of renters insurance can also vary dramatically across any given state.

With that caveat in mind, here are the average annual renters insurance premiums in each one as of 2015, per the NAIC:

 

State Avg. Annual Premium
Alabama $242
Alaska $172
Arizona $191
Arkansas $214
California $202
Colorado $166
Connecticut $201
Delaware $156
District of Columbia $158
Florida $195
Georgia $226
Hawaii $201
Idaho $155
Illinois $173
Indiana $183
Iowa $146
Kansas $177
Kentucky $172
Louisiana $249
Maine $147
Maryland $161
Massachusetts $196
Michigan $203
Minnesota $144
Mississippi $262
Missouri $180
Montana $147
Nebraska $149
Nevada $189
New Hampshire $150
New Jersey $171
New Mexico $191
New York $202
North Carolina $154
North Dakota $114
Ohio $185
Oklahoma $242
Oregon $166
Pennsylvania $156
Rhode Island $179
South Carolina $192
South Dakota $121
Tennessee $210
Texas $241
Utah $149
Vermont $155
Virginia $153
Washington $169
West Virginia $186
Wisconsin $132
Wyoming $153
United States $188

The most expensive states for renters insurance

The unifying theme here: Extreme weather. Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana and Alabama are coastal and susceptible to strong storms, while Oklahoma has a tornado problem.

  1. Mississippi: $262
  2. Louisiana: $249
  3. Alabama & Oklahoma (tie): $242
  4. Texas: $241
  5. Georgia: $226

The cheapest states for renters insurance

Conversely, the states with the cheapest renters insurance are much more insulated from extreme weather and natural disasters. Is it worth moving to cut your renters insurance rates? We’re gonna go with … no. But it’s good to know about state-by-state disparities if you’re planning a move so you can account for the cost difference in your budget, or just understand why cousin Beth in North Dakota is paying so much less to insure her apartment than you are.

  1. North Dakota: $114
  2. South Dakota: $121
  3. Wisconsin: $132
  4. Minnesota: $144
  5. Iowa: $146

What Determines the Cost of Renters Insurance?

Renters insurance provides protection for your belongings, plus some liability coverage for good measure. Renters insurance rates are determined by a few factors, some of which you can choose, and some of which you can’t.

Renters insurance cost factors that are set by your circumstances:

  • Your location: Renters insurance rates can vary widely by location (see the table below) and can even vary within cities and neighborhoods and property by property (older buildings tend to cost more, while newer buildings with more security and safety features can garner lower premiums).
  • Your credit score: Your credit score influences a lot of the rates you’ll get in your financial life, and renters insurance is among them. A good credit score is considered a sign of financial wellness and is a big factor in lowering your premiums.
  • How much stuff you have: Generally, the more value your home inventory has, the more it’ll cost to insure. We’re saying value because, while having a lot to insure generally costs more, the total price of your possessions is the real driver here. So a two-bedroom full of Ikea furniture may be valued less than a studio full of Eames.

Renters insurance cost factors that are set by your choices:

  • How much coverage you want: More coverage costs more money. If you’re willing to accept lower payouts in the event of a claim, then your premiums will be lower. And if you’re willing to gamble that your entire vintage guitar collection isn’t covered, then you’ll save some money upfront. But if you want higher coverage limits and additional riders for expensive items (and you probably do), expect your premiums to be higher than if you just had a thrift store bed and a beater guitar.
  • How high (or low) you want your deductible to be: That’s the amount of money you pay out of pocket before your coverage kicks in. The higher your deductible, the lower your premium.
  • How you want to be paid in the event of a claim: Actual cash value renters insurance will pay you the value of belongings at the time of a claim, not the price you paid for them or the price it would cost to replace them. Replacement cost renters insurance covers the cost of repairing or replacing the item at the time of the claim. Replacement cost renters insurance pays out a lot more if you need to file a claim, but it also costs more.

How Do Coverage Choices Affect Price?

Since your circumstances are generally set, it’s your choices about coverage that allow you to have some leeway over the rates you’ll get. Find out how your choices can change your premiums.

What does a basic renters insurance policy cost?

The average renters insurance policy costs between $120 and $190 a year. These basic policies generally offer $25,000 personal property coverage, $100,000 liability protection, and a $500 deductible, though those numbers are just ballpark figures and your particular insurance company’s basic coverage may be different.

Some examples of what a basic renters insurance policy will cover:

  • At least part of the replacement cost of a laptop that gets fried by a water damage from a burst pipe.
  • Some coverage for medical expenses if a friend gets hurt making a smoothie in your apartment — plus some court expenses if that friend decides to sue you.
  • Coverage for personal property that is stolen when you’re away from home.
  • If a covered event renders your apartment uninhabitable, your policy will also pay additional living expenses so you can stay in a hotel during repairs.

Check out our deep dive on what renters insurance does and doesn’t cover.

What is the cheapest renters insurance you can buy?

The cheapest renters insurance will have the least amount of coverage. If you opt for low coverage amounts for personal property (say, $10,000), personal liability ($100,000), and medical payments to others ($1,000) and you choose a high deductible ($500 to $2,500), you can conceivably get renters insurance for as little as $5 to $8 a month.

Learn more about how to buy cheap renters insurance online.

How much does more coverage cost?

As you up the coverage limits of your renters policy, you also up your premiums. But remember, renters insurance is super affordable, so even huge leaps in coverage can result in just a few more dollars a month.

For example, if you increase to the most common coverage amounts — $25,000 for personal property, $300,000 for personal liability, and $2,000 for medical payments to others — your premiums can still often be under $20 per month.

You can also purchase riders to increase your coverage for specific belongings, so if a basic policy only covers $1,000 worth of jewelry but you have a $5,000 ring, a rider could make up the coverage difference.

Riders are also available to add to your policy that cover you and your belongings in more situations. For example, renters insurance policies don’t cover earthquakes, but you can purchase a rider so that you will be covered in the event of a seismic disaster.

These additions can be as low as a few more dollars a month, or in some cases, even less than that.

Read more about popular renters insurance riders, floaters, and endorsements.

How can you save on renters insurance?

You can lower your insurance rate by increasing the number of safety and security features in your home. Many renters insurance companies offer discounts if you have one or more of the following features in your home:

  • Local fire/smoke alarms (sounds in home)
  • Central fire/smoke alarms (alerts monitoring system)
  • Automatic sprinklers
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Local burglar alarm (sounds in home)
  • Central burglar alarm (alerts monitoring system)
  • Deadbolt lock

Some companies also offer discounts if you bundle your renters insurance plan with another plan, like auto insurance, or if you pay your annual premium at once instead of monthly.

Finally, another huge way to save: increase your credit score. This one takes time, but as your score gets higher, you can get better renters insurance rates.


Colin Lalley is a writer for Policygenius, an online life insurance site with one purpose: “To get people the insurance coverage they need and make them feel good about it.”’ Please note that this editorial content is not written by an insurance agent. It’s intended for informational purposes and should not be considered legal or financial advice. Consult a professional to learn what financial products are right for you. 
This post originally appeared on Policygenius.

Paint Chips Aren’t the Only Toxic Hazard I Found While Apartment Hunting

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I‘m a single mom, so you might say I’m a little overprotective of my daughterwho isn’t?

My daughter and I are a dynamic duo. When it was time for us to pack up our stuff and journey across the city, my overprotectiveness made sure our new home was safe for the one thing in my life I couldn’t possibly live withoutmy little girl.

I also happen to live in New York City. And like many families here and other metropolitan areas, we’re your average apartment dwellers. Guess what? Especially here on the east coast, apartment buildings are often old, which set off my mom alarms when I was looking for a new place.

What I already knew to do was be vigilant about paint chips. But after a scare that led me to do more research, I found out there was so much more than lead paint to worry about. I want to share what I learned so other families can be safer when they move.

Asbestos

Have you heard of asbestos? I had heard of it before but never understood what it really was until I was told that the material was actually in my new apartment.

Through my ordeal with the removal process, I learned that this toxin is the only known cause of a rare form of cancer called mesothelioma. Wow! Getting cancer from the one place meant to keep you safe?

What happens with asbestos is this: when disturbed, the asbestos particles are released into the air and then unknowingly inhaled. Those particles get caught in the lining of vital organs. Consistent exposure can cause cancerwhich can form in the abdomen, lungs or even heart. Asbestos is tricky because you can’t identify it by sight with the untrained eyeyou actually need to pay someone to inspect your home. (Sometimes this can come with your home inspection, but you might need to ask for the actual test.)

Though when I say you need to, I mean just that. If your home or apartment building was built between 1930 and 1980, it may have asbestos in it. The initial cost may seem like a heavy burden now, but in the long run, will prevent an unnecessary battle with cancer. Get that stuff far, far away from your loved ones!

Radon

Radon detecting units being built underneath a house

So you’ve checked for asbestos. Now onto radon, another sneaky toxin. Radon is an invisible, odorless, and tasteless gas.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as many as 8 million homes throughout the county have elevated radon levels. That is problematic because the gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Radon leaches from the soil and into the home where it can collect. There is the highest risk of elevated radon levels in the basements or lowest levels of buildings.

The only way to know if you have elevated radon levels is to test your home. There are two different forms of testing: short and long-term detectors. Short-term detectors measure radon levels for two to 90 days. The long-term tests determine the average radon concentration for more than 90 days. Long-term detectors are more accurate, as radon levels change constantly.

Mold

Mold … now that I’ve done the research, just thinking of this word gives me the willies. Mold is quite common, and for those with allergies or asthma, the presence of mold can be really disruptive to their lives. Yep, unfortunately, I am one of those people. (All my fellow allergy suffers please blow your nose in solidarity.) 

Unfortunately, mold does not discriminate against any homes or apartments—you lucky ones with brand spanking new homes may still fall prey to mold growth. Thankfully, it’s pretty simple to remove! 

Mold growth can be removed from hard surfaces with commercial products, soap and water, or a bleach solution of no more than one cup of household laundry bleach in one gallon of water.

To prevent further mold growth, ensure that humidity levels in your space are low. An air conditioner or dehumidifier can help to dry that air out! Cleaning bathrooms with mold killing products will also ensure no little spores have time to flourish. Also, make sure to consider your vents. Keeping household vents open will allow for proper circulation to keep mold at bay.

Lead-Based Paint

Lastly, it’s still important to be on the lookout for lead-based paints. Bad paint was at the forefront of my mind with a little “ankle biter” in tow when I looked at prospective apartments.

Lead is particularly dangerous for kids because, if you weren’t aware, just about everything goes into their mouths, including paint chips. For kids, lead exposure can result in behavior and learning problems, slowed growth and lower IQ. Again, older homes and apartments have a higher incidence of lead paint—those built before 1940 have an 87 percent chance that they contain lead paint. If the lead paint is in good shape, there is little to no risk. but if the paint is chipping, peeling or cracking, it’s time to get it removed.

It’s important to have your homes inspected for lead-based paint. Don’t be shy about bringing it up to a landlord, even if you’re already moved in! A basic risk assessment will inform you about any lead-based paint present in the space and how to mitigate the risks.

As a young professional making my way on my own I was confident that I was smart enough to know what to look for when apartment hunting. It turns out I wasn’t smart enough without additional research. But hopefully, through the tips and tricks I’ve mentioned, you can be sure to save yourself from some headaches (and heartaches) and prevent you and your little bundles of joy from exposure to toxins.


Tonya is a single mother and blogger raising her daughter in NYC. She has a newfound passion for health after journeying into motherhood and hopes to share her knowledge with those around her. In addition to writing, she enjoys going to the park with her daughter and cozying up with a good book.

7 Things I Learned When Downsizing From a House in California to a Shoebox in NYC

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Full disclosure: I’m a child of the suburbs. I grew up in sprawling northern California, where trips to used bookstores and the mall are practically pastimes. There wasn’t much spatial constraint when it came to accumulating things. If I picked up a tchotchke, there would definitely be a place for it somewhere in my home.

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Movehack: How to Perfectly Wrap an Office Chair in Under 3 Minutes

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When you move, protecting your furniture is a huge part of the deal. And for most people who move, we’ve noticed the hardest piece of furniture to truly protect is none other than the common chair.

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Prioritize These Things for Your Rental, They’ll Be Following You to Your Future Home

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We often get questions from readers who are renters and they’re ready to upgrade their hand-me-down furniture pieces for “grown-up” ones. They’re usually hesitant to spend too much money out of fear that it won’t fit or go with the look of their next home.

While we don’t suggest that everyone go out and buy a ginormous sectional, there really are pieces you can buy now! Here are home decor items that you can (and should) invest in now, because they’ll most likely be able to find a place in your next pad. (more…)

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