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Essentials Items You Need for a New Apartment or Home

Essentials Items You Need for a New Apartment or Home

Whether you are moving overseas, moving out of your parents for the first time or buying a new place there is a set of essential items you will need for your new apartment or home. A big congratulations is in order first! Nothing feels better than making a big milestone like this.

I did mine in a more extreme style, I moved overseas, moved out of my parents house and I left everything behind a part from a suitcase full of clothes. It was a pretty big learning curve too!

Here are the essentials list of things to buy when your are moving into a new house

One of the things I learnt is that in the UK it is very common to find furnished apartments (especially for a house share) or you can request that you landlord furnishes the apartment (this will be their choice). With a pre-furnished rental, you can expect the place to have bed frames/mattresses, tables, couches, fridge, washing machine etc.

With pre-furnished or house share in mind, your starting point is the household items that won’t come with the apartment or house. I have split the list into rooms, what essentials you should consider and nice to have items. 

Psst… I have included a free spreadsheet at the end of the article which covers everything I mention in this article. 

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I earn a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you purchase one of these items. Thank you for supporting Kat’s Gone Global! 

Essential Bedroom Items

  • Pillow
  • Sheet sets
  • Duvet
  • Surge protectors
  • Laundry hamper
  • Clothes Horse – Even if your shared house comes with a clothes horse, it save the arguments on washing day. Keep in mind that you generally won’t have a clothes lines available outdoors or indoors.
  • Hangers
  • Towels
  • Trash can + bags

Other Bedroom Items to Consider

  • Mattress protector
  • Mattress
  • Bedframe
  • Set of draws
  • Bedside tables
  • Extension cords
  • Lamp and light bulbs
  • Fan and heater
  • Curtains – most rooms should come with curtains
  • Alarm clock
  • Under bed storage
  • Door hooks – these are super handy to hang your coats on your door.
  • Hanging closet rod – great for doubling up if you need the space, and easy to set up.
  • Shoe rack
  • Bookshelf or hanging shelves
  • Storage bins
  • Space saver bags – great for storing off season clothing and easy to keep in a bin under the bed or in closet. A great way to free up space in a small closet.

Bathroom Essentials

Towels

Favourite Bathroom Item

Filter Shower Head

The water is really harsh in places like London, to help I suggest getting a filter shower head which will purify the water.

Other Bathroom Items to Consider

  • Shower curtain
  • Curtain rod + hanging rings
  • Shower caddy
  • Toothbrush holder
  • Toilet brush
  • Bath mats
  • Bathroom scale
  • Towel hooks

Kitchen Essentials

Kitting out kitchens can get expensive quickly, especially if you are like me and like all the expensive kitchen equipment! I always find the better quality stuff just lasts longer. For example a Kitchen-aid can be worth a small car but my first one was my grandmas which lasted over 30 years. 

It’s easy to build upon on household stuff so focusing on the essentials will mean you can do your daily cooking and then add as time goes on.

If you are moving into a shared house the chances are high that the kitchen will come with basics you need.  I generally bought things that shared houses wouldn’t come with like baking gear or a slow cooker.

Eating and Drinking Essential Items

  • Forks, knives and spoons
  • Plates
  • Bowls
  • Glasses
  • Coffee and tea mugs
  • Wine glasses

Kitchen Organisation

  • Silverware organiser
  • Utensil holder
  • Knives holder
  • Magnetic hooks
  • Drying rack

Cooking Essentials

  • Spatulas
  • Tongs
  • Ladles and Skimmer
  • Whisks
  • Cutting board
  • Pots and Pans
  • Tupperware
  • Bottle Opener u0026amp; Corkscrew
  • Measuring Cups / spoons
  • Can opener

Other Kitchen Items to Consider

  • Toaster
  • Microwave
  • Coffee Maker
  • Kettle
  • Blender
  • Colander
  • Trash can u0026amp; bags
  • Ice cube trays
  • Oven mits
  • Cooling mat

My Favourite Kitchen Items

I have been looking at ways to improve my kitchen but also reduce my plastic and one time use items. These items not only reduce plastic but they are awesome and save you money! 

Baking Sheets

These have saved me so much cleaning time. I no longer have to scrub my pans if something sticks to them and my pans last for longer with these baking sheets.

Reusable Coffee Cup

I am in love with my bamboo coffee cup, not only do I save money when purchasing coffee but it’s helping reduce my waste. There are so many styles you can choose from!

Bee’s Wrap

Bee’s Wraps are a replacement for cling film and are a great alternative to the single use plastic. A little more pricey initially but well worth the investment. 

Living Room

Below is a comprehensive list of living room items but chances are if you are moving into a shared house you won’t need any of these items. If you are moving into a pre-furnished you will need to purchase things like a TV (although still optional). 

Living Room Essentials

  • Television
  • TV stand or Media center
  • Couch
  • Coffee table
  • Coasters
  • Dinning table and chairs
  • Bookshelf

Other Living Room Items to Consider

  • Sound System
  • DVD Player
  • Throw pillows
  • Throw blanket
  • Area Rug
  • Lamp

New Apartment Checklist

Everything I have mentioned in this article is on this downloadable checklist. I hope this has helped you think of the things you need to buy for your new home. Anything I have forgotten let me know in the comments below! 

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