We're approaching that time of year... college students graduating, getting their first jobs, and moving to the big apple for the first time. Of course, you had apartments in college but it’s different now; you’re entering the stage of “young professional” and want an apartment to show that.

The options are endless in New York City; some will find themselves a studio while others will shack up with multiple roommates and convert some minimal number of bedrooms into many more for financial purposes.  More often than not, the amount you spend on furniture is limited to what you are able to get as hand-me-downs. After you exhausted all other options, you’ll most likely resort to Ikea, Wayfair, or Amazon. At first glance, this makes perfect sense – you’ll have endless possibilities for relatively small dollars.  Most young professionals have this mentality that you’ll buy items now and simply replace them when you move. I like to refer to this as the “buy and replace” method. There is nothing wrong with this approach but, if you look at a 10 year cost of ownership, it can add up quickly. By constantly buying a new, but low-quality, piece of furniture, you would be spending more than if you invested in a quality item from the beginning.

Now don’t get me wrong; there are definitely items where there is no need to spend a dollar more than you need to. For example: lamps, bookshelves, desks, end tables, dressers, etc.  The 2 key items that you may want to consider actually investing in are: a quality mattress, and a quality sofa. And here is why:

Most mattresses and sofas can last you a minimum of seven years, so why settle for one of lesser quality that you will not enjoy, be comfortable on, or, ultimately, be happy with. When you make a purchase for these items, consider it as more of an investment. I’ve owned 4 sofas over the past 10 years and spent a total of $3,000. Investing in one durable sofa that I truly enjoy would’ve been well worth it, but hey, hindsight is 20-20.  Blvd Co created an adaptable sofa that will be waiting at your door when you get home. It is fully foam and extremely durable with no “real” assembly necessary. It’s easy to set up and will have you lounging in less than 15 minutes. It can endure a lot of use and will not only last for years to come but can be easily modified to fit your life and be taken with you as you move. The ability to add or remove pieces enables endless configurations. This is just one benefit. Additionally, you can remove the high-quality covers whenever you’d like to either remove and wash them or to give your couch an entirely new look with a replacement. Blvd Co makes the “sofa for life”; not only will the sofa last you a very long time but you can grow together as your living situation changes.

Now go ahead, start compiling a list of all the items you need to purchase and what you want to have in your first true apartment as a working professional.