When you’ve chosen your dream apartment and signed the lease, it’s time to move into your new apartment. Living in your first apartment is a milestone. For the first time, you live apart from your family, even if you move in with a roommate. The apartment may have essential amenities to provide your living and you must’ve brought some of your belongings from home.
On the first day of moving in, you might find yourself sitting on your brand new couch, sinking in the idea of the freedom you’ve just got. In the next hour, you’ll finish your Chinese take-out for lunch since you’re still too exhausted to cook. You’ll head to the fridge and pour some orange juice to freshen up, that’s when you realize you don’t have any ice cubes. The next thing you know, you don’t even have an ice cube tray. There are a lot of things you’ll be missing on the first day of moving in. Worry not, we are here to help you list all the things you should buy for your brand new apartment.
read more: Thing to Do in The First 24 Hours of Arriving in New Apartment
The Entrance
This is the area that will welcome you every time you get home. Make sure this area looks nice because ‘first impression’ matters.
- Welcome mat
- Wall hooks (to hang keys, jackets, or hats)
- Shoe rack
The Living Room
When you get sick of laying on your bed all day long, the living room is the place where you’ll escape to. Here, you can enjoy a cup of coffee while binging on your favorite Netflix originals.
- Sofa
- Coffee table (Don’t ruin your sofa by spilling your coffee all over it)
- TV
- TV stand (This is optional if you have your TV attached to the wall)
- Artworks (There is nothing that says a place doesn’t feel like home louder than the absence of artworks. Spare some money to buy artworks and buy cheap ones for a starter)
The Bedroom
This room is where you’re going to spend most of your time. Some people spend their night in the morning in this room, some just simply go inside the bedroom every time they got home and only leave it when they’re going outside.
- Mattress (Invest in a good quality mattress, so you’ll be able to use it until years to come. You won’t regret it)
- Pillows (Bed pillows and throw pillows)
- Pillowcase (If you have extra money, invest in satin pillowcases. Your hair and skin will thank you for it!)
- Sheets and comforter (Start with at least 2 for each item, so you will have one to use while the other is being washed)
- Blankets
- Dresser (If you want it to be tidier, you can use organizer boxes to put your clothes in your custom categorization)
- Nightstand
- Mirror (No, it’s not narcissism. It’s an obligation to look good every time you’re about to head out)
The Kitchen
Living apart from your family doesn’t necessarily means you have to eat take-out every single day. You can learn how to cook and that will definitely save more money. By cooking our own meal, we also know exactly how clean and healthy foods are. Cooking is also a great skill to develop and worthy to spend your precious time into. You can try to make hundreds of recipes happen, from appetizers, main dishes, to desserts. This area will have the longest list to complete, so be prepared!
Cookware
- Pots and pans
- Spatulas, whisks, ladles
- Knife set
- Measuring cups
- Plastic wrap
- Wax paper
- Baking tray
Dining utensils
- Silverware set (for 4 or 8 persons)
- Silverware organizer
- Plates
- Drinking glasses (for 4 or 8 persons)
- Wine glass
- Trash bin
- Ice cube tray
- Dish drying rack
- Bottle opener
Kitchen appliances
- Blender
- Hand mixer
- Toaster
- Microwave
- Rice cooker
Miscellaneous Kitchen Items
- Plastic container
- Ziploc bags
- Sponges
- Fruit basket
- Trash can
- Trash bags
- Dish soap
- Dishtowels
- Chip clips
- Paper towels and holder
The Bathroom
The room where you’re going to spend a long time in, a quarter for actually taking a bath, and the rest for singing your lungs out and contemplating about your existential crisis. Its actually an important room from your biological needs.
- Bath towels (Just like bed sheets, invest in minimal two towels so you’ll have one to use while the other is being washed)
- Hand towels
- Bath mat (Don’t let your bathroom floors get soaking wet)
- Toiletries
- Shower curtain
- Toilet brush (You can also have an extra toothbrush to clean small areas in the bathroom)
- Toilet paper
- Hand soap
- Over-the-door hook
- Toilet plunger
- Toothbrush holder
- Shower caddy
- If you share a bathroom with your roommate, you may need to keep your personal toiletries in your room and use a carrier to take them every time you’re going to take a bath
Laundry Essentials
If you have extra money to splurge on laundry services, then go ahead. But if you prefer to save up, you’ll need to stock up on these laundry essentials.
- Laundry basket (If you want to separate your clothes before washing them, you might want to have multiple laundry baskets)
- Detergent
- Iron or steamer
- Ironing board
- Fabric softener
- Folding area (It can be a desk or any clear surface to fold your clothes)
- Drying rack
- Clothespins
- Mesh bags for delicate clothes
- Sewing kit (In case you tear your leggings apart after the yoga session)
Cleaning Essentials
Doesn’t matter how busy you are, do not ever forget to clean your apartment! Do not ever let your room turns into a wrecked ship. If your apartment has cleaning services each week, you still should have this cleaning essentials in your unit, in case if something happens and you need to clean up.
- Broom
- Mop
- Glass and mirror cleaner
- Furniture polish
- Bleach
- Cleaning cloths
- Microfiber cloths
- Gloves
- Feather duster
- Dustpan
- Vacuum cleaner
- Cleaning wipes (Trust us, this is a life savior when you’re too lazy to use the complete tools)
Now you know what to buy to complete your brand new apartment. Make sure you have checked every item on the list and enjoy the freedom of living! We hope this list makes you feel right at home!