I don't know where you live, but I'm surprised that's even legal. Maybe you should check with your local government.

You really have only three choices, extension cords, putting your appliances somewhere else, or hiring an electrician.

Maybe you can cut a deal with the landlord.

is that even legal? i don't know if you want to be running extension cords all over your place. if it's even legal for them to not install outlets..you might have to make a deal with the landlord about getting them installed for your sanity later on and safety.

Ummm, call an electrician and have outlets installed?

Don't use too many appliances on the same outlet or you'll have serious fire hazard! I would think it's not legal...

Why would you move into any place that didn't have electrical outlets in the bathroom and kitchen in the first place? If the landlord will not have the electric updated, then you should probably get an electrician to give you an estimate. You could also contact your local housing authority to see if it's a legal residence. Might get you kicked out but . . . just saying. Slum landlords should be outlawed!

I hate to burst your bubble and play the "shoulda coulda woulda" card, but my advice is "move somewhere else."

I fell in LOVE with an apartment once that didn't have laundry facilities or a dishwasher. Boy, did I come to resent that place. You really have to be honest with yourself about what you need in a home, and pass up anything that doesn't meet your basic requirements... no matter how cute it is.

I'm dealing with the same thing in my bathroom. You can always store the appliances under the bathroom sink and then set up a vanity area in the bedroom with a mirror and good lighting so you can dry your hair and put on your makeup. I was frustrated at first, but now really like that my bathroom remains less cluttered and like the cute dressing nook I carved out in the bedroom. Not sure what to tell you about the kitchen...

You probably don't actually need one in the bathroom. Hairstyling appliances can be used in the bedroom or really wherever you can put a mirror. If someone in the household likes an electric razor get a cordless model.

What do you use in the kitchen regularly? You can ditch the coffeemaker for a pourthrough, French press, or stovetop espresso. Is there somewhere you can put a cart in the dining area for a microwave and/or toaster? Personally I'd feel comfortable using a heavy-duty extension cord for my food processor or mixer -- but I don't use them all that often and they would not be staying plugged in. Same with the blender. Those are all my appliances, but maybe you have others?

I'd love to hear people's suggestions. My kitchen has only 2 outlets that I can access (the other two are behind the oven and fridge) and right now I confess I have an extension cord that goes on top of my cabinets to access one of them. It's bright orange, not pretty, and probably unsafe. This is a frequent problem in older apartments/homes.

Check the light fixture in your bathroom. Some older medicine cabinets have outlets up near the light. Likewise with your stove. Just a thought. Other than that...it may be that the wiring in your place is so outdated that the landlord is afraid of what they might find if he has someone come in to install outlets. Could be a frightening situation.

Sounds sketchy --I would never put up with a landlord who rented a place like that.

no outlets at all in the kitchen --so where is the fridge going to go?

I don't know about the kitchen - that might be a no-go for me. We had a place with one outlet in every room and none in the bathroom.

I set up a vanity in my bedroom and kept the hairdryer and stuff in there. It was actually kind of nice to do my make up sitting down in front of a sweet mirror.

We had a lot of extension cords running under rugs and over door ways. It wasn't pretty and I feel SO MUCH SAFER now that we've moved.

I'd ask your landlord if he can pay for an electrician. Adding outlets here is usually like a couple hundred bucks (plus a couple hundred more for drywall).

A trip to Home Depot will show you a replacement for the light switch that will incorporate both a light switch AND an outlet. It won't be grounded (as current code requires for bathrooms and kitchens), but it will be a UL outlet. It's a simple change out AFTER YOU TURN OFF ALL THE ELECTRICITY AT THE PANEL FOR THE ROOM. Or, hire an electrician.

Personally I wouldn't rent there as it clearly is not up to code, and therefore must have been an unpermitted conversion.

I registered just so I could comment on this post... it's ridiculous to indicate someone is not mature because they are living in an apt with this issue. I just moved out of a similar place, where I signed a lease without realizing there were no usable outlets in the kitchen. Why didn't I realize this? Because, it NEVER EVEN occurred to me that I should look for this. Every place I'd lived before was much newer and of course, had plenty of outlets. This building was easily from the 1930's judging by the bathroom sink (which had separate hot and cold faucets) and the built-in to leave milk outside each unit. But, the lease was signed (and I did LOVE the hardwood floors, huge closets, and crown moulding).

So, here's what I did. There were a couple of outlets in the dinette area at the end of the kitchen. I placed a small table next to one and put my microwave and toaster on it. I did use a surge protector and also plugged my laptop in that space. Aside from those appliances, I basically did without. I rarely used my slow cooker or George Foreman, food processor, etc.

As for the bathroom, there was a terrible outlet at the top of the mirror - blow dryer and straightening iron cords did not stay in very well b/c of all the moving around. I did plug fans in there at times and that worked ok. So, I just did my hair in my entry way (directly in front of the bathroom) where there was an outlet and full length mirror. I've never been one to leave those hair tools plugged in - I don't just turn them off, I unplug them. So, it was never an issue of the stuff sitting around looking cluttered.

Good LUCK!

I assume that the stove and fridge are plugged in...

Most stoves made in the last 20 years have an outlet along the top or along the back panel (where the knobs are). In my last kitchen, I plugged a power bar into this outlet and mounted the power bar to the wall (it had holes in the back made specifically to hang it). This became our applicance station, but beware of plugging too many things into it. The fuse blew every couple of months because my roommate would be boiling water while toasting something in the morning.

No outlets is a major inconvenience. I lived in an apartment that had just one in each room. It was super annoying. Christmas lights? forget it. Toaster and coffee pot? no room. Vacuum while the lights are plugged in? nope. You end up making so many choices based on where the outlets are that it's really annoying.

Good question KassGood - which leads me to ask, "Is there not a fridge in the kitchen?"

I don't know the solution (don't drink coffee?), but also commenting in support of the OP. If you got approved for the apartment and you can afford it, you're way ahead of the game. Congrats on your new place!

I lived in a place like this. It was an attic with only one outlet in the entire kitchen/living room area, and it was located all the way on the living room side. I ran a 50-foot heavy-duty extension cord all the way around the room.

Some of the comments in here lead me to believe that these people have nothing but time to find their perfect apartments, or are viewing apartments without much competition. I, for one, had a total of 2 minutes to view my apartment, in which time another potential renter had already filled out the paperwork and applied for it. I, quite literally, didn't have enough time to count outlets.

In some cities, where there are an abundance of tenants and a deficit of places to live, there simply isn't time to be picky. If the furniture fits, the lights turn on, and the water runs hot and cold, you sign the lease.

I ended up getting the place, and I also have no outlets in the bathroom. (except one that is built into the light, which only works for my electric razor, but isn't powerful enough to run my travel sized blow dryer). I have considered talking to the landlord to see about getting an outlet installed, but as others have noted, my place is at least 60yrs old, and the plaster walls do not take kindly to being opened up.

I just use another outlet in my kitchen for the blow dryer. Compromise I had to make to live in my dream location, in a seriously low-rent (for the area) apartment with an amazing landlord.

Best of luck!

Some good suggestions here. As for the kitchen - pour over is waaay better than coffee pot, and simple and quick (but I'd be miserable without my espresso machine). Toast bread on a skillet on the stove. Get a big mortar and pestle for food processing (you'll be surprised). Might also be possible to hire an electrician to run conduit from the fridge outlet to the wall above the counter. That would at least get two outlets...

Of course I would highly suggest you bring it up with your landlord. We moved into a place that had one outlet outside of the kitchen and bathrooms. As mentioned above, we didn't even think to look, and we were moving across country so had to be quick in our decision, not to mention the super competitive rental market in San Francisco meant we needed a very fast decision. I telephoned our landlord and explained the problem....and it sounded like the phone went dead, he just couldn't have cared less.

We moved out as soon as we could, mostly for other reasons, but the extension cord situation was definitely a factor.

Good luck!

Ok. Clearly a lot of you have not lived in or know anyone who has lived in New York or Boston or Philly etc etc. This situation is quite common in old cities and if you like old buildings you're going to have to deal with it. And ah! - to think I could limit my rental selection based on a DISHWASHER! Crazy.
Moving on to the question at hand. For bathroom appliances (hairdryer is all I think you need) - set up space in the bedroom.
For the kitchen... first really think about the appliances you need in there. Personally I rarely use a food processor, blender, electric mixer, etc. I'm guessing you're living alone so it may not be worth the hassle if you're just cooking for yourself. The microwave (if you even have or use one) can really go anywhere... I once had mine on a bookshelf. It's self contained so there's no kitchen-y mess around it. Just proximity to the kitchen is important
Good luck!

Bathroom: There really isn't anything that people plug into the bathroom that couldn't be plugged in your bedroom. Blowdryer, curling/flat irons, etc. just require a mirror - not a sink or toilet, etc. A dresser with a mirror will do. If you have an electric toothbrush or razor, make sure they have good batteries and you can charge those wherever.

Kitchen: is it small? Is it close to a dining/living area that has outlets? If so, you can add a bar/island/counter space in a nearby room and use it as an extension of the kitchen.

And if your neighbors are friendly, ask them what they did!

The apartment that I lived in the longest was similarly lacking in outlets. It turned out that the outlet the refrigerator used had a second outlet, where I plugged in a multi-outlet surge protector. I just put up with the bathroom situation until my upstairs neighbor let his bath tub overflow, which resulted in my bathroom ceiling caving in and the need for a new bathroom complete with electricity.

If you don't have an absent-minded upstairs neighbor, why not ask your landlord if he would hire an electrician to install some additional outlets?

I also have no outlets in my bathroom (well, one shaver outlet built into an ancient light fixture... I have not worked up the courage to try it). And I just got back from a trip to the UK where it is apparently standard to have no outlets in the bathroom (for safety, I guess?).

As others have said: set up a vanity area in the bedroom or hallway or wherever is convenient: this will be where you dry/style your hair, charge your toothbrush, etc. It can even just be the top of your dresser or a shelf on the wall. It doesn't have to take up much space.

Likewise for the kitchen: set up a "small electrics" area as close to your kitchen as possible. If you have room for a microwave cart or rolling island, that's ideal because then you also have a nice workspace at which to use your small electrics. Keep the little appliances near the outlet where you plan to use them, but probably you won't want to keep them all on the top surface all the time.

Also, some appliances may just not be worth it for you. Toaster: you can make toast in the broiler if you pay attention. Kettle/coffee machine: use a kette on the stove. Microwave: YMMV - necessary to some, easy to eliminate for others.

But really, avoid extension cords if at all possible. They're ugly and dangerous.

I live in an apartment with exactly this quirk. It's from the 30s and I love it. I don't use a blow-dryer or other heat styling tools so the bathroom thing isn't an issue for me but a cute dressing area in your bedroom sounds like fun. As for the kitchen, there are two outlets in the breakfast area off that it opens into and I just use those. I don't keep anything plugged in to them, just plug in what I need when I'm going to use it. There's no reason to keep the toaster, microwave and coffee pot all plugged in at once, is there? (I don't actually own two of these three things; I don't eat toast anymore as a result)

If you don't have outlets in any kind of dining area, it might be a little more difficult but my suggestion would be to skip small appliances where you can and find outlets in another room where you can't. Coffee pot on the dresser in your bedroom, maybe?

I have never regretted moving into my apartment and I've been there for going on five years now. Gadgets are just not that important.

Sounds like you'll need to set up a little kitchenette stand in your living room. At most you'll need a microwave, coffee pot, and maybe a toaster, and that can all easily fit on a little stand (wire or wood). You could even get something with doors to hide it away when not in use. It'll be a serious pain in the butt to transfer things from the kitchen to the stand and back to the kitchen again, but it would probably be liveable.

I wouldn't go through the hassle of figuring out some sort of creative extension cord approach -- it will look crappy, be frustrating, and dangerous to boot! Better to just re-adjust your conception of what fits into "kitchen" activities. The coffee pot should probably go in the same room where you do all of your entertaining or studying/working anyway!

If you are able to run an extension cord into the kitchen, just be sure you do not plug the stove or refrigerator into ANY outlet that is not in the wall (these should be GFI by code, and any major appliance should be plugged into this type of outlet.)

If you live in Chicago, the lack of outlets is illegal and your landlord needs to bring the property up to code.

I just moved into an older house (1940) that had only one outlet in the kitchen, and it was not in a convenient place. I believe the current building code is any counterspace over 12" long needs an outlet, and if it's longer than 3 feet, then 2 outlets. I had an electrician out to install two new outlets, and it was kind of a big ordeal because he needed to add a new circuit, and our circuitboard is one that isn't made anymore, and there was a lot of extra wood to drill through inside the walls because the kitchen has beadboard. But eventually, the guy was able to install the new outlets. But be forewarned that if you decide to hire this job out yourself it may be a lengthy process, and could cost a few hundred bucks.

@fledder, thank you, I agree totally with your first sentence. I would try to run a surge protector from wherever the fridge and or stove is plugged in. It might be a major inconvenience, but when you love an apartment, you find work arounds. I thought my bathroom didn't have an outlet, until I happened across it in the light fixture, who knew? LOL. Luckily for me, I have a lil dressing area with a vanity so I don't have to rely on the outlet above the sink. Good luck and congrats.

If you are running electrical cords be sure to get heavy duty cords. You should look for a 12/3 guage- this is usually the orange/yellow or green type of cord. Keep in mind the further the electicity has to travel, the more the cord heats up(even though you may not feel it- it does) and the longer the cord, the heavier duty it needs to be. If you want to know what is best, go to your hardware store and ask a professinal there to help you. Do not use the lttle timy cords you use to add a few feet of cord to a basic lamp. Appliances like toasters and corffee pots use a lot more electiciity than you think. Consider finding an electrician that may be able to make up some custom cords for you .

The bathroom in my 1950s apartment has the same problem. I removed one of the lightbulbs from the vanity lighting fixture and replaced it with a socket adapter and an extension cord:
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=light+bulb+socket+adapter&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=7166784819&hvpos=1t2&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1469843171674602012&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&ref=pd_sl_2d6mglklmi_b

I've had zero problems with this set up over the last 2+ years. The only issue if something is plugged in that needs charging (e.g. an electric toothbrush) it won't charge when the lights are off.

Maybe someone has said this already, but PLEASE be very careful with running appliances on extension cords. A neighbor in my boyfriend's apartment building lost everything in a fire that started with an overloaded extension cord in his kitchen. Make sure that all extension cords are rated high enough for the load. If it were my place, I would spring for an electrician to come and put in some GFCI outlets. The peace of mind would be worth it.

I just bought an apartment with no outlet in the bathroom (the building was built in 1899 - love some of the comments from people not from NYC) I actually just got back from Home Depot with the GFI outlet. My electrician is installing it. My bedroom has no room for a vanity. I need my hair dryer. I assume you have a gas range so you don't need an electric coffee maker.

PLEASE! Do not do anything until you can research what's legal and what's not. This sounds like a horrific accident waiting to happen.

If there is one thing I wouldn't run off an extension cord, it's a power hungry fridge. The kitchen doesn't even have a fridge outlet?

The bathroom isn't critical, but have to ask the LW (letter writer) what exactly does the 'kitchen' consist of? Gas stove? Ok. If there's a fridge, there's an outlet. If not, but maybe a space near the stove, the outlet might be hidden from LW. What did the Check with the landlord regarding what previous tenants did for refrigeration.

Ask your landlord to install outlets. If they won't check the local rental/building codes. When we've discovered nonfunctional outlets or needed more powerful delivery we've split the cost with our landlord. Money well spent.

Old buildings just don't always supply enough juice for modern appliances/computers/televisions so sometimes you need to upgrade the junction box. Again, totally, totally worth it.

For instance, we couldn't use the toaster ove and the microwave at the same time without the upgrade because both were power hungry.

If it's not legal, you may be forced to move at a later date anyway. You may have no choice but to move in now, but I'd look for something else right away.

If you have no outlets in the bathroom and kitchen, the electrical situation in the rest of the house is probably not sufficient to handle your your computer, other electronics and electric appliances. Extension cords are not the answer here. I agree with the posters advising you to research whether this setup is legal. If it isn't, you will most likely be able to get out of the lease and find a better place. If the landlord decides to install the outlets, I recommend finding a qualified electrician and splitting the cost rather than dealing with possibly faulty work done by the landlord's BIL who read a couple of Sunset books. Peace of mind and all that. Good luck!!

I guess all of the folks who are suggesting blowdrying your hair in the bedroom haven't heard of Waterpiks, huh? My bathroom had working outlets on the vintage light fixtures until an electrician upgraded the electrical panel!! I'm interested in a real solution until the fixtures are rewired because I certainly don't wanna practice oral hygiene in the kitchen or bedroom areas. So far, I have it running under the door and plugged into the outlet directly outside of the bathroom door. Not at all convenient, but better than the kitchen sink!

Tell your owner it's a fire hazard. At the very least, they'll put one outlet per room.

If this article is still current, then an outlet is required if you have 2 or more feet of counter space in the kitchen:

The National Electrical Code, or NEC, requires the placement of kitchen outlets any time there is counter space that has a dimension of more than 12 by 24 inches.

There are many more specifications after that, but sometimes these type of regulations only apply to buildings constructed after a certain year or it depends on how many people occupy a building... basically you should talk to an expert. My answer to questions like this -- ones that can potentially endanger you -- is always the same: contact a local tenants' rights group and pose the question.

In the bathroom, where there is serious electrocution potential, GFCI is absolutely essential. Do not even think extension cord.

@AlexHI: Please reconsider your solution to the outlet problem as what you have done is really unsafe. Outlets in places like bathrooms and kitchens near sinks are required to be GFCI. GFCI outlets are meant to protect you from electric shock, the risk of which is higher in a moist area. Here is some more information.

http://home.howstuffworks.com/question117.htm

For everyone who is concerned about the legality of the electrical situation in this apartment, the truth is that it is legal in most states and Canadian provinces to not have updated electrical systems, or receptacles in each room if the building is a heritage building that has not undergone major renovation. I live in just such an apartment, and there is no receptacle in the bathroom, and only two in the kitchen, both of which have a major appliance connected to them (fridge on one, stove on the other). Extension cords in the kitchen are really ill-advised, especially if you need to power a major appliance. If a fire starts because of an overloaded extension cord used improperly, you cannot expect the insurance company to cover any damage, and your landlord may actually be able to sue you for damages! So please, be very careful. Splitting the costs for new receptacles with your landlord really is your best option, just ensure they are GFCI in the kitchen and bathroom. However, in our apartment, the circuit would be overloaded if we added anymore, so be prepared to hear bad news from your electrician.

Legally, you have to have an outlet every 12' feet (in most states) and a minimum of one per room (minus closets). I would make the landlord install outlets, it sounds like the space was converted without permits and could be unsafe to live in, this could be a serious issue. I have limited outlets and you can always tap into a light fixture with a screw in plug, but if the space was done without permits that could be very unsafe.

When I was younger, I could very easily have signed a lease without checking on electrical outlets. You just assume stuff exists - until you've been burned and inconvenienced, and then you start getting picky.

(I once rented a tiny studio that smelled like cat pee. Thought that if I opened the windows for a day or two, the cat pee smell would go. Now I know that it will not. I actually fled. Luckily, no lease.)

The house I bought now had very bad electric when I moved in, and my insurance company made me upgrade. Adding these extra outlets actually meant some serious work - the electricians had to run wires up through my attic and then down into the bedrooms, because the framing doesn't allow simple run-ups through the walls. I believe this upgrade cost me $5000 or $6000. And left round holes in the walls, where the electricians had sawed out the horse-hair plaster.

I'm guessing that for this landlord, upgrading would mean a similar difficulty and expense. It's likely that he'd have to disrupt other tenants and then patch drywall/plaster and repaint units to make this happen. All of which I know he SHOULD do - but it's not always as easy or quick as "call an electrician and have them put in an outlet." That's the drama of living in an old building.

So... my suggestion is to find the right old cabinet and put it in your living room or dining area. Put your appliances in there, and then just take them out and use them in a non-kitchen room when you need to. There's no rule that the slow cooker can't sit in the living room while you make stew, or that you can't have a toast and coffee station in your bedroom.

In Ireland and the UK it is actually illegal to have an electrical outlet in a bathroom, apart from a special one for electric shavers (they have special two-pronged plugs). You don't need a "vanity", you just need a mirror near a plug to be able to plug in a hair dryer / curling tongs / hair straightener. I keep my hairdryer in the bottom drawer of my chest-of-drawers, take it out to dry my hair using my mirrored wardrobe door as a mirror, then put it away when I'm finished with it. It may take getting used to for you, but it's not inconvenient.

As for the kitchen, as most Americans don't seem to have electric kettles, if your fridge and cooker have power then you should be able to manage with either a (safe) extension cord or by keeping appliances like a toaster or microwave outside your kitchen.

If the place is really that nice then you can totally live with these limitations. Unless you are somebody who cooks a lot and needs a lot of kitchen appliances like food processors etc - in which case this may be a deal breaker for you.

This is a foolish landlord. And, if there are other units in the building that have the same issues, I suspect there would be a significant fire hazard. Extension cords are good for a short-term solution, like using a vacuum cleaner. But as a permanent power point? No.

Aside from the aesthetics, I would think about why there are no outlets in two crucial work areas of the apartment. Is it that the electric panel cannot support having more power drawn from it? Does it mean that you'd have to unplug the TV before running a hair-dryer or iron? If this is the case, then the wiring is probably old and not up to code. I'd walk away from this, if it's not too late. Living in a town with a lot of old houses that have similar issues, I can count on both hands the number of fires that have started because of the very same thing. If you're locked into a lease at this point, buy an insurance policy for your apartment, and a fire extinguisher.

I lived in an apartment for 3 years that had only one outlet in the kitchen, across the room from the counters. And, it could only have one thing plugged in at a time or a fuse would blow. In the 3rd year, we plugged an extension cord into our stove outlet (easier to reach than fridge), and that helped immensely. We also kept our toaster in the living room, on top of a radiator. As for the bathroom, I just did my hair in the bedroom. Extension cords and creative thinking are your friends in this situation.

All of those citing cods for the situation being illegal need to understand that those codes only apply to new construction are most existing buildings are grandfathered in.

When I lived in a place with a roommate, I set up a vanity in the bedroom with a mirror, all my makeup and my hair dryer/accessories. I've loved it so much I've been repeating it in other homes. If you have an electric toothbrush/water pic. Simply charge them there and bring it into the bath while you're using it.

As for the kitchen, I would get a small cart on wheels, and bring it into a room with an outlet when you need to use one of them. That way you're plugging directly into an outlet, but can still leave the appliances in the kitchen.

In the Tenant's Bill of Rights for California, tenants are expected to inspect the premises before renting and avoid places with "inadequate lighting or insufficient electrical outlets." However, landlords are also required to provide "an electric system, including lighting, wiring, and equipment, in good working order."

If you have a reasonable, normal amount of things you want to plug in and you're having trouble dealing with a fire hazard extension cord, or keep short circuiting, you may be able to make a case that the electric system in your apartment does not qualify as being in "good working order" and pressure your landlord into installing another outlet. The language of these bill of rights varies from state to state, but I'd bet that no matter where you are, your landlord is required to provide electricity at some reasonable standard.

I agree with most people here, extension cords are not a good idea. My first (tiny) appartment had only five outlets, including one on my stove. I plugged my toaster in that one when I needed it, and then put it back on a shelf. You don't have to be in the bathroom to blow dry ou straighten your hair, all you need is a mirror. Pour over coffee is the best, tastes good and all you need is a stove kettle and a drip cone. All you need is a little imagination, keeping safety in mind.

You can have your light switch altered to double as a light switch AND one outlet input. Thats what I have in my bathroom.

QUOTE: Q: I'm moving into a new apartment this weekend that I absolutely love! Only one problem… no outlets at all in the kitchen or bathroom! Any suggestions on how to handle this safely and stylishy??

SO much erroneous info here. Contrary to popular belief, an extenson cord is NOT unsafe.....PROVIDED it is rated for it's intended purpose/load. Granted, one should never be used for major applicances in lieu of hard wiring but for short term use, small applicances (toaster, blender, blow dryer, etc) they are perfectly safe. If in doubt, call your county's electrical inspector & ask for advice. Building codes vary from state to state & even county to county - and as someone mentioned, in some areas, historical structures are 'grandfathered' - meaning these buildings are sometimes exempt from specific codes.

Failing all else, as someone mentined above, replacing a light bulb with a socket adapter might be an option for you. If so, you will quickly learn which small applicances can be used simultaneously and which blow a fuse/trip a breaker. As for GFI outlets, yes, they are ideal BUT they are also a fairly recent invention The entire population has mangaged to survive all these years without them.... just sayin... no need for fear/panic. A little *common sense* goes a long way. (hum...common sense.... seems to have gone the way of the dinosaur). All that said, stay safe and best wishes on your new digs!

Like some people said before, loads of places don't have outlets in the bathroom. I'm from KS originally, but I'm now living in Ireland, and our bathroom doesn't have any outlets. Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to get a mirror to set up somewhere, so I plug in an extension cord into the outlet in our hallway so I can use my curling iron in the bathroom. When I'm done, I put my extension cord up in the closet so it's not strung out when people come over. Extension cords aren't unsafe, unless you use them unsafely.

As for the kitchen, I'm stumped on that one! That would be tough! I would say pull out the extension cord for when you need it, then when you're done, just put it up?

I'm with all those posters who asked if there is a fridge and stove in the kitchen. If they aren't side by side, there's a chance they are plugged in to two different outlets. Meaning there would be an empty slot on each! I have the "luxury" of having one three pronged outlet in each room and an additional 2-pronged outlet or two. Oh the adventures that has created. I wonder what genius bent the third prong on my fridge to make it plug into a 2-prong outlet??? Anyway, in my kitchen I have run an extension cord all the way along the bottom of my 1950's metal cabinets, taped it in place, and wedged it between the cabinet and the wall (there's a big gap) so I could have my microwave plugged into the propper outlet. I got a cord with three outlets so I plug in any mixers, food processors, etc, there as I use them. I've lived with this setup for a year with no problem. Do go to a major home improvement store like lowes or home depot to make sure your cords are rated high enough to take the load. if you don't even have one free outlet, consider your kitchen habits. Could you unplug the stove? I would consider all of those options before calling the landlord so you can discus them with him. Perhaps he would prefer adding outlets the right way than deal with the fire you might create with your custom wiring schemes! If not, make sure your renter's insurance is all ready to go!

A comment on the bathroom. My look is fully unplugged, so I could live without an outlet, but does it even have an exhaust fan? Mine does not and I have to keep a fan plugged in and running in there to keep mold from taking over. Just something to think about...

Another commenter here who has dealt with the same issue in an older home (which had so many plusses like character, hardwoods, huge closets, etc. that the outlet thing was not a huge problem). Just use an extension cord - you're not going to burn the place down unless you're running a space heater, a blow dryer, and toasting bread at the same time. My adorable hex-tiled and 12ft ceilinged 1930s kitchen had one, ungrounded outlet (the stove was also plugged into this), so plugged in a power strip and hid it on a shelf behind my microwave. I made sure to unplug things when I wasn't using them so I'd be conscious of how many I was plugging in when I did need them (and in doing so, was always reminded not to run multiple appliances). As for the bathroom - mine had zero outlets - I don't blowdry or use an electric razor so the only thing I had to deal with was charging my sonicare on my dresser right outside the bathroom door - no biggie. If you are a bathroom gadget user, just do the power strip thing. Like I said, just be conscious of what you're doing and only run one thing at a time. People have lived happily in that apartment for at least 80 years -- you're going to be fine! Enjoy the period details and the pride that you can survive without a counter-full of dumb appliances that each do one thing.

You can easily buy a freestanding dishwasher to place in the kitchen. Usually it has a countertop on top (which you can use for cooking or appliances) and is on wheels. When you need to wash, you wheel it over to the sink and connect the hose with the faucet. It's about $400-$500 but worth it if you really love a place. Plus, you can take it with you if you move. I live in Brooklyn, and there are a lot of old apartments here that don't have dishwashers. My husband and I bought one and we love it! You can also get portable washing machines, but haven't tried this myself. I just use the laundromat around the corner.

Thank you fledder. Also, some rental markets are so demanding that compromises must be made. I live in NYC, and the only way my husband and I could afford an apartment big enough for a family of three AND be able to afford the costs of having a baby was to make some concessions. We have a large apartment in a safe and nice neighborhood that is very accessible to public transportation. (Being New Yorkers, we don't own a car, so this is essential.) But, it is an old prewar and it has some old-apartment issues. While we have sufficient outlets in the kitchen, the bathroom is another issue.

I assume some posters either have unlimited funds or live in cities where most available rental housing is new construction.