Before planning your apartment move, you might also look through our other insightful articles so you will be better prepared to plan your move. See these articles on how to find an apartment to rent.
Congratulations!! You are moving in to your new apartment.
Whether you have a studio or a three bedroom apartment there are some basic things you are going to need to make living there a happy, successful apartment rental experience. You are going to want to eat, sleep, bath, wash your clothes, towels and linen, take out the garbage and carry supplies in and out. Here are some ideas to help you get started
Kitchen
Equipment:
- dishes for 4
- silverware for 8
- multi-piece drink set (17 or 24 pieces)
- large slotted spoon
- large spoon
- silicon spatula
- silicon spoonula
- pancake turner
- 8” and 10” frying pan
- 1, 2, and 8 quart pot with lid
- pot holders
- colander or strainer
- balloon whisk
- mixing bowls
- baking pans (9x13, 8x8)
- pizza cutter
- pizza pan or cookie sheet
- 8” chef knife
- 3” paring knife
- potato peeler
- “soft” plastic cutting board
- can opener
- trash can (13 gal)
- plastic storage containers with lids
- cookbooks
- canvas bags
Appliances:
- Blender and/or food processor
- toaster or toaster oven
- microwave
- electric mixer
Cleaning supplies:
- dish detergent
- automatic dishwasher detergent
- sponges with tuff scrub pad
- paper towels
- bar towels or cheap terry cloth towels
- broom
- dust pan
- sponge mop
- bucket
- plastic garbage bags
- spray cleaner (to remove grease)
- glass cleaner
- plastic trash bags (for kitchen can)
- vacuum cleaner
The kitchen is where food is stored, prepared and often eaten. This is also the room where dishes, pots, pans and utensils are stored. Much of this activity is focused around the sink.
Organize your cupboards and drawers so that plates, cups, glasses and silverware can be removed from the sink or dishwasher and placed in the cupboard without having to take more than one step. Minimize your work by minimizing your movement.
Food preparation and cooking are also focused on the sink. Set up food preparation so that one side is the sink and the other side is the stove. This allows waste and dirty utensils to move to the sink and food to move to the stove. Even if you buy prepared food and primarily use a microwave for cooking the food prep area is useful for those activities.
Canvas bags are great for hauling groceries and other items. Grocery stores supply bags when you shop, but these bags generally don’t put up with the wear and tear of carrying the groceries more than a short distance. Canvas bags will make carrying cans and bottles that tear other bags much easier. Canvas bags are also easier on your hands if you have to carry them more than a few feet.
Cook books. “Joy of Cooking” and “The Fannie Farmer Cookbook” are resource cookbooks. Their information goes far beyond the recipes and teaches the “how to” of cooking.
A toaster oven can do more than toast bread and can save you money on the electric bill by allowing you to prepare one and two person quick fix meals and frozen dinners without having to heat a large oven.
Blenders are more effective if you are planning to crush ice and blending drinks. Food processors are more effective if you are planning on pureeing food and for mixing dry and semi-soft ingredients like butter, honey, shortening and flour.
Bathroom
- Bath towels, hand towels, wash clothes (2 sets each for each person in the household)
- plunger
- toilet bowl cleaner
- tile cleaner (Ka-Boom works great on soap scum)
- toilet brush
- scrub brush
- first aid kit
- adhesive bandages
- Neosporin
- rolled bandage
- 3x3 squares
- paper or surgical tape
- hydrogen peroxide
- aspirin or a similar product
- Q-Tips
- toothaste
- toothbrush
- hand soap
- bath soap
- shampoo
- razors (1 per person)
- shaving cream
- tweezers
- shower curtain with rings
- bath mat
- trash can
- plug-in night light
Hint: Defog your bathroom mirror. Wipe your dry bathroom mirror down with shaving cream then use dry paper or terry cloth towels to whip it clean. It won’t fog up when you shower. This treatment lasts about one month or until you wash the mirror.
Bedroom
- Two sets of sheets and pillowcases that fit your bed or futon
- alarm clock
- bedside tables
- reading lamp(s)
- clothes hangers
- laundry hamper
Two sets of towels and sheets will allow you to change the sheets and towels without having to rush to the laundry to wash them. Some apartments have a washer and dryer in each unit, so laundry is easier to do. Many apartments share a common laundry room which will have limited hours. Two sets of linens allows you more flexibility to schedule your time to do laundry.
Laundry
- detergent (check your machine instructions you may need an HD detergent)
- dryer sheets
- fabric softener
- bleach (non-chlorine)
- laundry basket
General Supplies
- telephone(s)
- picture hangers
- tool kit
- slotted screw driver
- Philips screw driver
- light hammer (10 oz)
- needle nose pliers
- flat tipped pliers
- small level
- sewing kit
- placemats
- table clothe(s)
- vase(s)
- baskets or dishes to hold small items
These are some of the basic items to get your apartment started. The living room, den and dining room will also require tables, chairs, bookshelves, art and all those personal items that make this apartment your home.
Where to Shop for Apartment Supplies
These are some of the major stores that will carry the basics and can make for one stop shopping.
Hardware stores often have excellent deals on house wares as well as tools:
Local stores and second hand outlets such as the Salvation Army and Goodwill are great places for bargains on the things you are looking for.
Happy Shopping!!