Essential items for the twenty something year old

[impolyt_one]

Originally Posted by Davidko19

Im 28 (in 4 days!!!) and looking back the only things I can say I am really glad I purchased are:

Quality mattress. Cannot stress this enough.
Quality Knife and Pan(s)
Cast Iron grill pan
Ipod
Retirement savings


PS - my couches and have had nothing but drinks spilt on them, people passed out on them and vomit projectiled onto them. Plus, they'd be a ***** to move. If your settled down then get nice ones. If your a regular 20 something, get something used thats comfortable and not too ugly.

Sofas should be clean. You don't need be finally laying down, going for the kill on some beezy you've been working on for a week, when you get a waft of your friends puke come up from your sofa cushion. Stay leather and easy cleanable with spray cleaner and a damp cloth, and if you think you can ball like Fuuma, get a repro LC3. Spend enough on them and you will feel compelled to move them.

 

[transient]

It's a really good question. I'm actively trying to get rid of as much as I can. Material possessions are a much greater burden than they are worth. At some point in my life I will begin hoarding crap, because I do love crap and stuff. But for now I want to have few items while keeping sure that everything I own is high quality, something I can sure for a while and not need to replace.

good versatile backpack
basic set of free weights
relatively modern computer (seriously, a computer should be like top 1-3)
a decent smoking piece
few pieces of art/posters

others have been mentioned

 

[APK]

My name is APK and you may remember me from such threads as "Minimalism (The Not Owning Stuff Kind)".

I moved into my own apartment when I was 21. The first full year I was living on my own, I went through this phase of accumulating all these things I deemed necessary for a great apartment to have. I chalked this up to maturation. Perhaps in a sense, but in retrospect, it was just me getting caught up in the experience of living on my own.

I'm 25 now and have been parring down my possessions for the last year. Part of this is because I want to relocate to a bigger city and moving hundreds of possessions is a logistical nightmare I want no part of. For what it's worth, here are three lists you may find helpful:

Things I Bought That I Don't Regret

• Cookware
  
• Knife set
  
• iPhone
  
• Platform bed
  
• Staple clothing items (i.e. leather jacket, go-to boots)
  
• Blender
  
• Assorted exercise tools (i.e. jump rope, pull-up bar)

Things I Bought That I Do Regret

• Black leather love seat
  
• L-shaped computer desk
  
• Bedroom dresser set (three separate pieces)
  
• Car

Things I Will Keep/Buy When I Make My Move

• Everything from first list
  
• Laptop
  
• My "essential" DVDs

In fairness, the furniture from my second list was either purchased second hand at rummage sales for great prices or a gift. Still, they ultimately weren't necessary for someone who isn't settled where they are. All of these things are going to end up on Craigslist this summer. I live in Michigan, so I need a car. But I didn't need the one I have. I totaled my first car four years ago. My mom offered to give me her Buick, but because I was young and concerned about that old people vibe Buicks give off, I declined and got locked into a four-year car payment plan. I'd have enough cash to relocate right now if I had just taken her offer.

Ultimately, what's "essential" to a twentysomething depends heavily on the type of person they are and where they are in their lives. My best friend is married, has a big mortgage with lots of flashy possessions. That works for him, but it'd be awful for me. I don't know where I want to be five years from now, so those things would just be anchors for me.

Universally speaking, I think the modern twentysomething really just needs a laptop, smart phone, decent clothes, a means to exercise, and a place to sleep. Naturally, if you're a single dude looking to get laid, it will bode well if you have a comfortable place with fancy plates and such to compliment your home cooking. But if we're speaking strictly barebones here, the average twentysomething doesn't and shouldn't own too many things they couldn't carry a long distance.

 

[ratboycom]

-Passport
-High quality vintage luggage
-Sense of adventure

Travel while you are young, its totally worth it.

 

[summej2]

Originally Posted by kaiserkarl

i'd like to ad a bialletti if possible and a good suitcase. try to buy your first real art piece. and lots of books.
+1 I bought a nice trifold garment bag when I got out of graduate school and I still use it regularly. I recall it seemed very expensive at the time.

 

[binge]

Look at all the things people state they regret buying at 20 and buy all of them. Get it out of your system early, when you are young and your ability to do long-term financial damage is still minimal. Seriously. Imagine if you wait another 10-15 years and keep that pent-up desire for some really cheesy, cliched furnture...you'll blow at least 5k on some stupid modernist couch you'll quickly regret, rather than the $500 knock-off you can afford now. At 20, you'll buy a lot of **** you'll likely want to discard in some time. Don't sweat it too much...don't put yourself into some inescapable debt of course...but don't fret away nights over it. Buy the **** you want now, and then buy the **** you want later.

 

[Pantisocrat]

Originally Posted by binge

Look at all the things people state they regret buying at 20 and buy all of them. Get it out of your system early, when you are young and your ability to do long-term financial damage is still minimal. Seriously. Imagine if you wait another 10-15 years and keep that pent-up desire for some really cheesy, cliched furnture...you'll blow at least 5k on some stupid modernist couch you'll quickly regret, rather than the $500 knock-off you can afford now. At 20, you'll buy a lot of **** you'll likely want to discard in some time. Don't sweat it too much...don't put yourself into some inescapable debt of course...but don't fret away nights over it. Buy the **** you want now, and then buy the **** you want later.

Lol. I so agree with Binge.

 

[Alter]

Leather stuff: passport cover, wallet
Metal stuff: Merkur razor, pocket knife, cook's knife

Other: sunglasses

 

[CTGuy]

Rich parents to buy all the **** suggested in this thread.

 

[v0rtex]

Originally Posted by binge

Imagine if you wait another 10-15 years and keep that pent-up desire for some really cheesy, cliched furnture...you'll blow at least 5k on some stupid modernist couch you'll quickly regret, rather than the $500 knock-off you can afford now.

Same can be extended to binge drinking, casual sex, drug use, etc; get it out of the way in your teens/early twenties then you won't end up having a mid-life crisis at 40 and wrecking your life going after all the things you "missed out on" earlier.

Owner of stupid modernist couch, regrettable OTT bespoke shirts, great memories from early twenties

 

[impolyt_one]

Originally Posted by CTGuy

Rich parents to buy all the **** suggested in this thread.

Start up a wish list for college graduation presents. I didn't and regret it, I probably could've finagled a couple relatives into getting me something.

 

[Lucky7]

Originally Posted by Magician

flask, cocktail shaker, mortar and pestle, pocket mirror, good razor blades, digital scale, baby straws

Digital scale is key. Unless you know him well, never trust your coke supplier.

 

[alan]

Things that i enjoy or value most:

A close friend
A close girl friend
Passport
Bar in your house.
Comfy chair
Some sort of video game/music set up
Car that you like
Watch that you like
Couple of jackets that you really like
Gym membership
Comfy bed
Good headphones
Humidor
Access or proximity to the beach

 

[CTGuy]

Originally Posted by impolyt_one

Start up a wish list for college graduation presents. I didn't and regret it, I probably could've finagled a couple relatives into getting me something.

I'm 30.

 

[impolyt_one]

I'm about to leave my twenties behind as well soon.

I'm thinking about going back to college as some sort of consolation gift to myself, where i can possibly try my hand at getting an 18 year old girlfriend and all of the *********** thread + an AMG and see where life takes me for a couple years.