Essentials You Need to Buy for First Apartment in 2022

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You moved to the new home with a few clothes, books, and a couple of personal essentials. This would have helped you trim down the moving cost to the minimum.

And these items might fill just a small part of the home. Once you settle in, how small the house is, you would require a few essentials.

While you plan to buy essentials for the first apartment, you may be tempted to buy tons of them, which can burn a hole in the pocket. No, you don’t need everything you see in the market. You need to prioritize and buy the most crucial items first and the next later.

Here is a list of essentials you need to buy for the first apartment, whereby you fill the space, have all necessary items, and save the wallet.

For move-in day

As you move into the new home, you may need a few items that you cannot live without. Though very small in size, they are highly crucial in daily life and you need to get them from a nearby grocery shop or drug store.

Toilet paper
Trash bags
Bottled water
Paper towels
Tissues

As you get settled in, you would require more items and you cannot get everything in one day. But when you have essentials at home for multiple days, it makes your home more livable and when you’ve got something to unpack frequently, the post-moving life would be more exciting.

Let’s move forward with the list of essentials you need to buy for the first apartment.

For the bedroom

Moving to a new home, you shouldn’t miss the luxury of sleeping and must consider the bed and beddings as essentials. Add the following items to your list of essentials you need to buy for your first apartment.

Mattress
Bed frame
Sheets
Pillows
Pillowcases
Blankets
Dresser
Hangers
Trash can
Nightstand
Mirror
Laundry hamper

Things you can buy later: Throw pillows, rug, bed frame, bedside table, curtains.

For the kitchen

Going out for food is romantic but it is not possible every day. You need to have certain essentials in the kitchen to prepare a good meal. It may not be feasible to buy every stuff at one go and it is not even required. But you need some basics.

As time allows, you can continue adding up things to the kitchen.

Plates
Bowls
Glasses
Mugs
Utensils
Knives
Pots and pans
Cutting boards
Sponge
Dish soap
Dishtowels
Food storage containers and sandwich bags
Kitchen furniture
Microwave
Colander
Measuring cups and spoons
Ice cube trays
Can opener
Serving spoon and spatula

Things you can buy later: Toaster oven, food processor, cake pans, serving dishes, crockpot, or Instapot.

For the living room

The living room is the place where you cuddle up to relax and it is important to be in a comfort zone. While the décor is important, you also need to ensure it doesn’t burn your wallet.

Focus on these living room essentials first:

Couch
Coffee table
Lamp
TV
TV stand
Additional seating and furniture
Bookshelf
Chairs
Love seat
Recliner
Streaming device

Things you can buy later: Artwork, throw blankets, plants, décor, curtains, area rugs, sound system

For the bathroom

Pay close attention to the items you need while shopping for bathing and shower essentials. Apart from the basic toiletries, you would require things to keep the bathroom organized.

Bath rugs
Bath scale
Cosmetic mirror
Curtain rings
First aid kit/medications
Hairstyling tools
Hand soap
Plunger
Shower caddy
Shower curtain
Shower curtain liner
Soapdish
Toilet brush
Toilet paper
Toiletries
Towel hook
Towels/washcloths
Wastebasket

Things you can buy later: Fancy soap dispenser, water cup, extra storage, shower speaker.

For cleaning

After moving to the new home, you may require cleaning it before unloading your stuff. And that requires cleaning products and laundry. Add them to the list of essentials you need to buy for the first apartment.

Broom/dustpan
Bucket
Cleaning products
Dish soap
Dryer sheets
Drying rack
Fabric softener
Garbage bags
Garbage can
Iron/ironing board
Laundry basket
Laundry detergent
Mop/steam mop
Stain remover
Step stool
Vacuum
Antibacterial wipes
Paper towels
Bathroom cleaning spray
Rubber gloves
Hand soap

Things you can buy later: Fancy vacuum, furniture polish, microfiber sweeper.

For food

When you reach the new home and start living, a big challenge would be how to fill the pantry and fridge. Stock smartly and while having everything in the kitchen, you also need to have control over the budget. Do not buy everything on the first go, instead have the basic things.

This is how you need to purchase groceries and other cooking stuff.

Rice
Bread
All-purpose flour
Sugar
Coffee and tea
Cereal
Quick-cooking oats
Grains (quinoa, lentils, farro, etc.)
Nut butter
Ketchup and mustard
Cooking oil
Vinegar (white, red, apple cider, balsamic)
Soy sauce
Canned or dried beans
Canned tuna
Dried pasta
Pasta sauce
Snack food (chips, pretzels, nuts, etc.)
Salt
Pepper
Milk
Butter
Eggs
Cheese
Fresh fruit
Fresh vegetables
Jam or preserves
Frozen pizza
Frozen patties (burgers, veggie burgers)
Meat/poultry
Frozen fruit
Frozen vegetables

The thing you can buy later: Spices – purchase as you need them

Additional accessories

While moving to a new home, having a starter toolkit will be helpful. This can be great when you need to screw or unscrew something or while for nailing purposes.

Hammer
Screwdrivers (flat-head and Phillips-head)
Allen wrench kit
Screws
Nails
Stick-on wall hooks or Command hooks
Small first aid kit
Small fire extinguisher to store in your kitchen
Batteries (AAA, AA, and D are the most common)
Extension cords or outlet adapters
Measuring tape
Duct tape
Light bulbs

For first-aid

You may not like it but accidents may happen while moving. Your finger may cut while opening a box or while handling broken glass. And it is always good to have a first-aid kit ready as you move in.

Band-Aids
Antibiotic ointment
Anti-inflammatory such as Advil
Thermometer

For safety

If you are moving to a new house, fire safety might not be a big deal as there will be smoke detectors. However, if your home is an old building, it is good to have extra coverage. Make sure you also have a carbon monoxide detector and add a small fire extinguisher to your safety essentials list to keep on hand near the kitchen.

Smoke detectors
Carbon monoxide detector
Fire extinguisher

Tip: While you move home, the safety of your household belongings will be the priority. A trustworthy moving company at your side can make you relaxed during the process. Here are the top-rated movers in the US.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How much does it cost to move home?

There is no fixed cost, instead, a moving company quote is based on the distance you cover, the volume of items you move, the time of the year you are moving, and the moving services involved. A moving company in your area will be the best one to give you the exact cost.

Will a moving company carry every item at home?

Normally a moving company will ship every household stuff that is approved by the law. This means, legally a professional mover cannot transport ammunition, firearms, live animals, batteries, chemicals, and much other stuff. Apart from that, every mover will have its own list of items that it will not move. Check with the moving company before you sign a deal about the items it will not ship.