Moving out on your own and finding the apartment of your dreams might take you a little more time than you like. After all, you are going to be committing to a long-term lease, so you want to make sure you are happy with the choice you make when you look at apartments for rent. While most people think about things like pet policies, location and additional expenses, there are other things that you might not think about until you are moved in to your new apartment. At that point, it is too late. To make sure you cover all of the bases, here are three things to look at before signing a lease.

Storage space.

Oftentimes, people underestimate just how much stuff they really have until they get to the point where they are trying to find a place to put it all. One of the best ways to prevent being crowded in your new apartment is to look at the size of the closets. If the closets are large enough, you might be able to throw a few of your items in there that you don't need right at this moment.

Another thing to ask about is whether the apartment complex offers additional storage on site. Some apartments come with a small storage unit in the basement. This allows you to store additional items you might not need right now and keep them out of sight to help free up room inside of your apartment.

Washer and dryer in unit.

You never really think about how important it is to have your own washer and dryer until you are fighting with everyone else in the complex to do your laundry. Make sure to ask about whether the complex has units available with them inside or not, unless you don't mind having to wait to wash your clothes.

Large kitchen.

If you are someone who loves to cook and entertain, you need to spend some time looking at the kitchen. Don't just look for the basic essentials. Look at how much space is in the kitchen. Will you be able to have all of your friends over for a feast or are you going to be crowded trying to move in the kitchen as you prepare food? A large kitchen is often ideal for anyone who loves to cook.

By going through and looking at the things above, you can make sure you cover more than just the basics in your new apartment.