So you're moving into your first place -- first of all, congrats! There's nothing like the mix of pride and independence you feel when you seal the deal on your first apartment and can say goodbye to your childhood bedroom at your parent's house, or the couch your bestie let you sleep on for the past however many months.
Having your own place for the first time is a big deal. But since this is your first go at adulting apartment-style, you may not know all of the essentials you need to check off of your list after moving day. Most of us know the big ticket items that are considered necessities -- bed, couch, TV -- but there are a lot of other things you should have in your first home to make it the peaceful oasis you need after a long day of work. Here are our recs.
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Bella 2-Quart Electric Air Fryer
Macys
Bella 2-Quart Electric Air Fryer
Don't listen to anyone who tells you cooking with an air fryer isn't real cooking. As a matter of fact, who says you have to really cook? Air fryers are by far the easiest and quickest way to make a home-cooked meal. You can plop a piece of poultry in the air fryer and keep working as it cooks. Clean up is simple with this small device which doesn't fit more food than what's needed for one or two people. And with versatile colors to choose from, you can pick a fryer that matches your kitchen decor.
Cuisinart ® Anodized Dishwasher-Safe 11-Piece Cookware Set
Bed Bath & Beyond
Cuisinart ® Anodized Dishwasher-Safe 11-Piece Cookware Set
If you're the type who likes to cook cook, then you need a set of pots and pans to see you through meal prep Sundays and dinner party Saturdays. In college, one or two pans might've been enough, but if you're truly preparing a feast -- say your first Thanksgiving dinner -- the last thing you need is to be slowed down by not having pots to cook in. This 11-piece set has all of the essentials needed to boil a pot of pasta, pan sear meat, and sauté vegetables at the same time.
Oxo Good Grips 10-piece Kitchen Starter Set
Macys
Oxo Good Grips 10-piece Kitchen Starter Set
Trust us when we say a large fork will only get you so far when it comes to flipping and stirring whatever's in those new pots of yours. This set comes with all of the basic cooking tools, like tongs, spatulas, and spoons, you need when just starting out and the bonus is they're nylon so they won't scratch cookware. The ice cream scoop and pizza wheel are also musts for those nights you need a little comfort food.
Bose SoundLink Micro Bluetooth® Speaker
Bose
Bose SoundLink Micro Bluetooth® Speaker
Trust us, you're going to want something to vibe to when cleaning the house Saturday mornings. Blast your tunes (at a respectable level) with this SoundLink Micro Bluetooth® speaker from Bose. You can connect by Bluetooth, give voice commands via Siri and Google Assistant, and even take the waterproof speaker with you on your next socially distanced bike ride or beach day.
Dyson V7 Absolute
Dyson
Dyson V7 Absolute
We don't need to tell you how quickly dirt can pile up on carpet and hardwood floors, especially if you have a pet tracking in dirt and shedding hair. Stay on top of the mess with this lightweight vacuum cleaner you can easily run each day to prevent the need for deep cleans on the weekend.
Hamilton Beach Stainless Steel Can Opener
Walmart
Hamilton Beach Stainless Steel Can Opener
Items like this are easy to overlook until you're ready to cook a big pot of spaghetti and can't get a can of tomato sauce open. Think ahead and grab an affordable electrical can opener like this within the first week in your new place. No matter what you decide to cook on a random night, you'll always have it on deck, and it even opens bottles and hard plastic packages making it the perfect multi-tasker.
Sterilite Wide 3-Drawer Chest with Wheels
The Container Store
Sterilite Wide 3-Drawer Chest with Wheels
This one's for the product junkies, i.e. all of us. Rarely does a bathroom come with enough storage for all of our hair butters, styling tools, and leave-ins. That's when a storage chest like this one comes in super handy. You can keep it hidden in a closet if it doesn't fit your decor and roll it out - because it has wheels - when you need it. The clear plastic will keep you from searching through unnecessary drawers prior to finding what you need.
simplehuman® Adjustable Shower Caddy
Bed Bath & Beyond
simplehuman® Adjustable Shower Caddy
Speaking of product junkie organization, chances are your shower isn't going to have enough space for your favorite shampoo, conditioner, hair mask, body wash, face wash, and loofah. And since nobody wants to have to remember to grab those items before stepping under their rainwater showerhead, keep them where you need them with this rust-free adjustable shower caddy.
Oster Metallic Black Electric Wine Opener
Oster Metallic Black Electric Wine Opener - FPSTBW8225Like with a can opener, you don't want to get caught at home alone with a tasty bottle of wine gifted to you at your housewarming and no way to indulge in it. With the way 2020 has gone, you know you're going to need a sip (or seven) of vino sooner rather than later. Make sure this item is at the top of your To Buy list.
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Featured image by Shutterstock
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xoNecole sat down with Luke James to talk about his latest series and all the complexity surrounding it—from the challenges taking on this out-of-the-box role to the show's depiction of the perplexing history of the relationship between Black Americans and police. When describing the opportunity to bring Edmund's character to life, Luke was overjoyed to show the audience yet another level of his masterful acting talents.
"It was like bathing in the sun," he said. "I was like, thank you! Another opportunity for me to be great—for me to expand my territory. I'm just elated to be a part of it and to see myself in a different light, something I didn't think I could do." He continued, "There are parts of you that says, 'Go for it because this is what you do.' But then also that's why it's a challenge because you're like, 'um, I don't know if I'm as free as I need to be to be able to do this.' Little Marvin just created such a safe space for me to be able to do this, and I'm grateful for everything I've been able to do to lead to this."
Courtesy
Them: The Scare, like the first season, shines a light on the plight of Black Americans in the United States. This time, the story is taking place in the 1990s, at the height of the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. While the series presents many underlying themes, one that stands out is Black people and the complicated relationship with the police. "For the audience, I think it sets the tone for the era that we're in and the amount of chaos that's in the air in Los Angeles and around the country from this heinous incident. And I say it just sets the tone of the anxiety and anxiousness that everybody is feeling in their own households."
James has been a longtime advocate against police brutality himself. He has even featured Elijah McClain, the 23-year-old Colorado man who died after being forcibly detained by officers, as his Instagram avatar for the past five years. So, as you can imagine, this script was close to his heart. "Elijah was a soft-loving oddball. Different than anyone but loving and a musical genius. He was just open and wanted to be loved and seen."
Getty Images
Luke continued, "His life was taken from him. I resonate with his spirit and his words...through all the struggle and the pain he still found it in him to say, 'I love you and I forgive you.' And that's who we are as people—to our own detriment sometimes. He's someone I don't want people to forget. I have yet to remove his face from my world because I have yet to let go of his voice, let go of that being [because] there's so many people we have lost in our history that so often get forgotten."
He concluded, "I think that's the importance of such artwork that moves us to think and talk about it. Yes, it's entertaining. We get to come together and be spooked together. But then we come together and we think, 'Damn, Edmund needed someone to talk to. Edmund needed help... a lot [of] things could have been different. Edmund could have been saved.'
Check out the full interview below.
Luke James Talks Ditching Sex Symbol Status For "Them: The Scare", Elijah McClain, & Morewww.youtube.com
Featured image by Getty Images
