The One Purchase You Need to Make After Graduation

Below is an actual list I made in the spring of my senior year of college. Bright-eyed and eager to start effing up some commas, I made a short list of things I wanted to purchase.

Purchases After College

This is a sad list, but it shows where my priorities were at 21. In case you were wondering I did purchase almost everything on this list. I tried Crest White Strips and immediately wanted my $50 back. I didn’t buy a George Foreman Grill just because I realized I’d prefer a real grill instead. Also, I didn’t want an actual water fountain, I wanted a desktop fountain as decor in my office. Something kind of like this:


Although I don’t shop at Whole Foods, I’ve definitely stepped my grocery game up and stopped buying pre-bruised apples. I frequently order from Meal Kit services like Blue Apron, Home Chef, and Hello Fresh which certainly can be considered a luxury by some.

On random Wednesdays, you can find me in Home Goods looking for a new piece to add to my apartment. My home decor game is strong. But, there is one purchase that did not make this list that defies all of the other purchases I made. At the time I made the purchase I didn’t realize how quickly I would grow to realize what a phenomenal investment I had made.

If there is one purchase you make after graduation that will change your life, it is to buy…

A Couch.

Yes, you read that correctly, a couch.

Not convinced? Consider the following:

  • Think about all the time you spent in your college dorm on the absolutely horrible standard dorm furniture they provided. It had the comfort level of cinderblocks stacked on top of wood. You spent 10 grand a year to live in a dorm that had all the amenities of a Swedish prison but you were happy because you were finally living on your own.
  • Then you probably moved off campus into some slumlords house where they overcharged you for a space that hadn’t been renovated since the original homeowners died in 1963. The furniture was all sorts of dusty, musty and crusty but you used anyways. If you were lucky, you and your roommates chipped in to buy a new chair or futon which doubled as a crash space for your other friends on late drunken nights.
The good old college futon days.

I had a futon when I was in college. It was a great buy at the time but I lasted 3 months after graduation before I realized I would have premature joint damage if I continued to sit on a futon. The padding was about an inch thick, the framing was breaking at the seams, I had duct tape holding it up in multiple places. I was better off sitting on an old comforter and a stack of pillows.

So when I finally made my way to a real furniture store, I was in awe. What had I been missing out on? I spent hours plopping and flopping around on couches before I found an affordable couch. $300 and a few days later my apartment buzzer rang to the sound of two delivery guys bringing my brand new couch into my newly minted adult apartment.

So comfy, so plush, so adult.

It’s been a few years since I’ve had this couch and I’m still proud of my decision. Your friends will thank you for having a comfy couch to sleep on rather than some poorly crafted IKEA furniture. When I’m deep into a Netflix binge, it’s far easier to make it past the four episode mark when my tushy is cushioned. A post-work nap on the couch is a joy when I can breezily fall into a sea of pillows and blankets. The point is, a great couch is a great investment.

Recently I was talking to a friend about the joys of having a couch. They complained that living in NYC they wouldn’t be able to do that because #AThousandDollarsAMonthToLiveInAShoebox. To that I say, lies. You don’t need anything big or fancy. Buy a two-seater loveseat instead. If you value comfortable sitting, you’ll find a space for your couch.

So as you embark on this next chapter in life, make a wise investment. Skip the Rolex or red bottoms, buy a couch instead.

18 Replies to “The One Purchase You Need to Make After Graduation”

  1. it feels so good to buy “adult” furniture. love the post!

  2. I feel you about comfortable furniture. At home time should be replenishing, and it helps when you have comfortable furniture.

  3. When my grandfather passed and we were cleaning out his house, my mom asked me if there was anything I wanted, and I immediately said the couch! It was beautiful and new, and definitely something I never would have been able to afford on my own. I’m still a long ways away from moving out (grad school, man) but it’s so nice to know I already have this out of the way! 🙂

  4. the sophia diaries says: Reply

    i totally agree!!! i think the furniture that one needs the most post-grad is a good mattress and a good couch…which is probably why they tend to get crazy expensive real quickly… still, yes, one would spend a lot of time on the couch for sure!

    1. I love my couch but I love my bed too! I invested a ton into making a relatively cheap mattress extra comfy with foam and nice pillows and the works!

  5. When I move out soon I’ll be fortunate enough to take my parents couch. If this weren’t the case though I would definitely be looking for one that’s well made and comfy.

  6. oh man! I had a broken couch in my college apartment too! I’ll be moving again soon and I’ll be sure to invest in better furniture. I feel like everyone deserves a nice couch haha
    -Emily
    https://norepeatsorhesitations.com/2018/05/16/red-flagged/

  7. The list is always growing but YES you for sure need a comfy couch!

  8. Buying my first real couch was amazing! I bought it in college when I moved into my condo and it felt so much better than the hanky couches we had in student living apartments.

    -xo, Azanique | http://www.lotsofsass.com

  9. A comfy couch is definitely a must!

  10. OMG so true – a couch is definitely needed!

  11. I agree with all this! Buying plants is going to be a huge responsibility for me lol I’m so bad at remembering to water them.

  12. I financed all of the furniture in my apartment because i yearned that “complete” look! Now, it’s so easy to get affordable furniture, but as I get Older… I need Sturdy furniture lol

    Le,
    http://www.marvelingmillennial.com

  13. awe i totally get this! I think for me I’d focus on a bed first thennnn a couch! but when I got my first couch it did feel like such a grown up step because it meant i was no longer eating in bed – now i was eating on my couch… i’m 28 and sitll don’t have a kitchen table lmao

  14. I’m two years out of college and still don’t have a couch- lol! I have two plush chairs which are in my living room instead. I did ask for furniture for college graduation gifts but my family and extended family helped me purchase my bedroom set instead of living room furniture! I’d love to get a couch in the next couple of years!

    xoxo A
    http://www.southernbelleintraining.com

  15. such valuable information! i remember i spent all my hs graduation money on well i don’t remember is the point lol. i wish i would have saved it on home items for my apartment and saved most of it

  16. I totally agree with this! I’m currently a rising sophomore in college but didn’t have a futon or anywhere to sit (except for my desk chair haha) in my dorm last year which made me realize the importance of a couch!

    xoxo,
    Katie
    chicincarolina.blogspot.com 

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