Moving Into Your Italian Apartment

I have now successfully moved into two apartments in Florence. If you are studying abroad or plan on moving to Florence, here are some of my tips, tricks, and observations so you know what to expect when you get your keys.

• Most Apartments Are Furnished

Particularly for study abroad students, much of your furniture will be provided. This includes bedding, pillows, sheets, plates, cooking utensils and other necessities. Be sure to check with your program so that you don’t have to pack anything you don’t need. However, if you are super attached to your pillow or like really soft sheets, you will want to pack them anyways. I also recommend bringing a towel or two.

Our apartment was low on closet and drawer space, so we organized our clothing on this rack.

• Bring Multiple Adapters

If you are planning on bringing several devices such as a phone and laptop, you may want to bring an extra adapter so that you don’t have to worry about losing one while traveling and can charge all of your devices at the same time. While it is nice to save some money up front, it can be really frustrating always having to wait to charge each device.

• Pack Earplugs

The streets of Florence have a way of echoing, and the sounds of Florentine nightlife can be heard from most apartment windows, particularly if you live near any popular hang out spots. Or above a bar, like I do. I sleep with earplugs in every night so I can drown out the voices of the party goers outside my window.

• Washing Clothes

Italian washers tend to be much smaller than the ones found in the United States, and have a longer cycle. One small load can take around 2 hours to wash your clothing. Since moving here, I’ve gotten much better at planning out when I wash my clothes, and avoiding waiting to the last minute to do large loads.

 

• Drying Clothes

You will most likely not have a clothing dryer in your apartment, so if you are super attached to drying your clothes you will need to take them to a laundromat, which can get expensive if you are on a budget. However, your apartment should come with several drying racks which should do the trick, so keep in mind a longer drying time before you wait for the night before to wash your clothes!

• Mosquito Repellent

In the summer there are mosquitoes in Florence, and most windows do not have any screens. To keep enjoying fresh mosquito-free air with your windows open, you can purchase a plug in mosquito repellant at a local grocery store to prevent you from getting bitten.

• The 99 Cent Store

This store will become your best friend. You can purchase tupperware, cleaning supplies, plates, kitchenware, and other household essentials for 1 Euro apiece, helping to save you money when studying abroad. I purchased several organizers and a lot of tupperware because my apartment was lacking in drawer space and food storage.

Always check the 99 cent store before you purchase a household item, it is often cheaper than the grocery store.

• Expect the Unexpected

Anytime you move to a foreign country, things will be different, and almost any home or apartment will have its own quirks. For example, we have a doorbell…in our shower…we have now adapted it into the “Help I forgot my towel” alert.

What differences did you notice when you moved into your apartment abroad?