Congratulations! Exciting times! And you have an in-unit laundry? Awesome.

Is this a one bedroom? It would be most helpful if you sketch out the floor plan and include room dimensions. Room dimensions will dictate the furniture size.

Yes here is the floor plan! :)

Very smart to come here to get some input before you make purchases you might regret. Can you say more about what you want in each room? How many people do you want to sit in the living room. From what I can see, the rooms are pretty small, so whatever you do, no "sectional". Also, start looking for "condo/apartment" sized furniture. It will fit much better and go to a "next" location and fit there as well. It looks like neutral wall color? and Carpeting looks kind of beige? Check out photos of "small room décor" here on Houzz and save pictures that appeal to you to get started on defining the style you like best. Then we can go from there. Also post the dimensions of the room, with a rough sketch showing doors, door walls (sliding doors) openings etc., so the furniture can be laid out to scale for you.

Thank you Flo! I posted the room dimensions above :) The entire unit is 702 square feet. I have no particular style and am open to anything :)

I see you have a couple bed photos in your "ideabooks" and keeping thing neutral is a good idea. You can always add some touches of color if you wish with pillows and accessories. The bedroom is pretty small so are you hoping to put a queen size bed in there? I think that can work but it will be a bit tight. Think "Tiny House" and make sure each item is multi-purpose to maximize storage. Small spaces lack storage most of all. BEDROOM, the headboard has to fit on the one solid wall and there is a door to the bathroom (good the door swings into the bathroom) and a closet on the opposite side, so night stands will be small. Maybe shelves for night stands with plug in scones might be in order.

this is a "plug in" wall sconce. What that means is that rod covers a cord to an outlet and there is a bracket that the is screwed into the wall then the light is set into that bracket. This is less expensive than a "wired" in sconce so works well. Many different styles available.

I will do some scale layouts for you tomorrow. Closing up shop for tonight! But so fun getting your first place.

Thank you SO much! I really appreciate all of the help! :)

congratulations! following

Lindsay, this is SO fun!

I took a run at your space plan. I think it's important to buy pieces that are versatile and can easily transition to your next place.

In the dining area:

1) A 30"x48" table pushed toward the window that you can use both as a desk and as a dining table for four when needed.

2) Two comfortable dining chairs that can be pulled into the living room if you have guests hanging out.

In the living room:

1) Loveseat on the living room/bedroom wall. I think a ~5' loveseat fits into this space much better than an average 7' sofa.

2) A simple style floor lamp to the left of the slidr

3) A ~4' low console type of cabinet to put your TV across from the sofa.

4) A ~5' sideboard cabinet on the wall across from the slider to act as a drop zone and additional storage. The wall above would be perfect for favorite photos and art.

5) Two easily moved stools or ottomans that can be scooted over to the dining table when you have 3 guests for brunch :-)

I recommend first shopping at furniture consignment shops that deliver. For the price of an Ikea piece you can get quality, used higher end brands that will last you a lot longer.

Craigslist!

Lindsay, happy for you ! As you scour thrift / consignment shops and look for bargains anywhere you can find them- online - Facebook Marketplace - wherever, keep in mind combining styles for an eclectic look can make for a really interesting and fun decor. Anything can be painted, so color can be a great unifying element for a cohesive feel - whether it be metal furniture, wood pieces or pillows , lamps or art.—— in Benjesbride’s LR layout, I think you could move the sofa further toward the outside wall and use a floor lamp at the other end of it . This will allow enough room for 2 small scale accent chairs to be floated ( in an L with the sofa) facing the patio door with a small table btw. them to increase your seating . Sending some cute chairs at good prices for inspiration.

Here is a small scale chair, end table( maybe use 2 in front of the sofa ) and another chair if you just wanted to add one accent chair.

Also, if space is tight, you can always use a smaller scale , shallow console table with a bottom shelf ( in place of the “drop zone “ sideboard ) and use baskets below for storage. —- For the dining room , I would look for a small bench or settee to use along the long outside wall and combine it with a small round table and 2-3 chairs around it at the living room opening side , where you can “steal “ some space from the LR. - or you could just nudge the round table into the corner with 4 chairs at a diagonal around it.

If you're a younger-ish person, keep in mind that you don't need seating for every possible scenario. Two dining chairs, two storage cube ottomans and a loveseat will keep you and a guest comfy. Beyond that, there's always criss-cross-applesauce on the carpet :-)

Some more inspiration for your shopping - not knowing your tastes -

Some round dining table inspiration pics.- Good luck, Lindsay and have fun ! ( remember, too, that part of the fun is hunting for that perfect piece that sings to you AND your wallet ;) - sometimes ,one piece at a time - it’s a process .)

What a terrific first apartment!
I would place the bed against the wall with no door and see if you can open the bathroom and storage closet doors fully. The bathroom door is more important. Open both doors and measure the space between the open door edges to find the largest bed that will fit there. Bed size charts can be Googled.
There are used furniture stores all over, and you may find some good pieces to start out. Upholstered pieces need to be smell-tested to make sure no beast or human has defiled them...frankly, I would not purchase used upholstered pieces unless you get them from friends or family. Start with the basics for your kitchen and bedroom...Costco often has multi-size bed frames for under $30...a very good buy. Save the extra pieces for a larger bed in the future if you can't fit a queen-size between the two doors. A sofa from Ikea may be budget-friendly, but won't last forever. Ditto for a chair. You will want privacy window coverings in the bedroom,bathroom and the living room. Don't forget to include a floor lamp and a table lamp.
There is no rule that everything must be new in a first place, but used tables and dressers are more reasonably priced.
Don't buy more (on your credit card) than you KNOW you can pay off at the end of the month. Do not run up debt because it is too easy to get yourself in trouble.

My very first apartment dining room table was a very small bistro set- 30” round glass top pedestal table with 2 metal and ratan chairs . It has since found homes in our first condo’s K dinette, then in a corner of our first home’s living room , in our daughter’s bedroom and now in our master bedroom’s seating area :) . You might find something of that sort in the “end of season “patio sales. Homegoods, TJ Max, etc. are always great sources for all kinds of price-worthy finds, too.

If you're not a member of your local Buy Nothing Group, I highly recommend you check it out. It's basically a neighborhood gifting group. I (and many others) have given away decent furniture to fellow group members because I just want it out of the house and don't like to bother with craiglist anymore. https://buynothingproject.org/find-a-group/

Why not a loveseat sized sofabed, or futon sofa (think overnight guests maybe?) and at least one chair in the LR. Unless you plan to use DR chairs for seating in LR. Look on Fb marketplace, thrift stores, etc for the small stuff...but get a good sofa and a good mattress!

We just moved ourselves and have so much to do. I see you are getting some good input. Main thing is to do a scale layout on 1/4" grid paper and take that with you when shopping. Measurements are so important. Stores are selling large furniture these days and then when people get this home they are shocked that it doesn't fit and quite often can't return it. So, be careful and not too anxious to buy before you really know what will fit.