December 16, 2022 Posted in Moving Tips

Things You Need for Your First Apartment – The Complete List of First Apartment Essentials

When you first move out, one of the biggest milestones is finding your own place and making it your home. It can be a stressful experience, but don’t worry – we’re here to help! In this post, we’ll go over all the things you need for your first apartment. From furniture to appliances and decorations, we’ve got you covered. So read on and get ready to settle in!

A girl making a packing list before long-distance moving
What do I need for my first apartment, you wonder? Our list hides all the answers

Furniture Is First on the List of Things to Buy for the First Apartment

Furniture serves two primary functions. Firstly, it provides an area where you can relax, unwind, entertain guests, or do whatever else it is that makes you feel comfortable in your own home. Secondly, it creates order in an otherwise chaotic space. By separating different areas of functionality with pieces like couches, tables, chairs, and beds, you can make sure that everything has its place in your home. But which furniture should be a part of the new apartment shopping list? When making a to-do list, consider buying and packing the following:

Bedroom essentials

Since getting enough sleep is crucial, the first thing you’re going to need is a mattress. If you’re on a tight budget or have a last-minute move, note that it’s okay to start with a sofa or air mattress as long as the real mattress is your endgame. You’re also going to need a bed frame, lamps, storage options, and a bedside table. Items like plastic bins or full-length mirrors can be bought later on.

Living and dining room necessities

Even though no one really wants to eat dinner every night on the floor, it’s not the end of the world if you have to do it until you can afford a dining or coffee table. But eventually, you’ll need these goods for your new palace of residence, alongside a sofa and/or dining chairs. Side tables and storage spaces such as shelves are also desirable, so you can unpack with ease once the time comes.

Other furniture required

If you have a remote job or need to work from home a lot, then you’ll also need the home office furniture, most importantly a desk and a comfortable chair. If you’re relocating to a new city alone and plan to move with pets, on the other hand, you also need to consider furniture pieces important to them, such as dog beds, bird cages, fish tanks, or cat scratchers.

Where to Get Furniture for Your New Place?

When you’re relocating out of state and shopping for furniture for your first move, there are plenty of options available. You can choose to go with secondhand pieces if you’re on a tight budget. Different online marketplaces often have great deals on gently used furniture from people looking to get rid of their old stuff quickly. Alternatively, there are plenty of stores around offering new pieces at reasonable prices as well as financing options if needed.

However, don’t forget that you can relocate furniture from your own place. Once you decide where to live, the first step is to determine exactly which items you want to keep when relocating – and check with your parents if you can even bring those you want.

Once you have made this list, you can then start planning how to move the furniture across the country. If you wish to move efficiently, however, your safest bet is hiring movers from California to Seattle or movers from Seattle to California – depending on your desired destination. These professionals will ensure your belongings get from your old to your new home safely and damage-free.

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Kitchenware Is Another Necessary Part of the List

It can be easy to overlook this essential part of the list when you’re moving out, but having the right tools and appliances in your kitchen will make all the difference. As far as utensils go, there are a few basics that no kitchen should be without – so gathering them must not be one of the things you forget to do. The kitchen relocation essentials include:

  • Spoons,
  • Forks,
  • Knives,
  • Glasses,
  • Pots and pans,
  • Can openers,
  • Spatulas,
  • Vegetable peelers,
  • Colanders or strainers for draining,
  • Tongs for flipping food

If you’re looking for something more specific based on your type of cuisine or style of cooking – such as sushi mats or certain specialized carving knives – you might want to invest in those items separately.

When it comes to appliances for your kitchen, there are some basic ones that every household needs. A refrigerator is essential for keeping food fresh, a microwave is great for reheating leftovers, and if you want to save time on washing dishes by hand after each meal, then investing in a dishwasher is well worth it. However, make sure you find out if some of these large appliances come with the apartment or if they should be perceived as things to buy for a new apartment.

Finally, there are smaller kitchen gadgets that can prove invaluable over time. These include things like scales (for measuring ingredients accurately), timer clocks (for tracking how long something has been cooking), coffee makers (for brewing up delicious drinks), and even food processors (for chopping vegetables quickly). Again this list may differ depending on how often these items get used – so think carefully before investing in any particular item!

Things to Buy After Settling In

Depending on your personal preferences, some of the mentioned kitchen items you’ll buy immediately after the move, while others can wait. For example, cutlery will always be an essential, as well as cooking utensils, but you may wait a couple of months until you decide to get things such as a blender or a scale. Therefore, you need to make a new apartment checklist of all the necessary kitchen items you’ll need from the start – and the list of those you wish to buy. As your financial situation improves, you’ll be able to afford more of those nice-to-have gadgets.

A woman making a smoothie after cross-country moving
A blender can be essential or a nice-to-have item - depending on your lifestyle

Which Bathroom Supplies You’ll Need to Acquire?

No matter how large or small, every bathroom needs certain necessities, so gathering them must be a part of your relocation day preparations. This includes towels, toilet paper, hand soap, and other hygiene products. Stock up on these items before you move in – you don’t want to find yourself running out of toilet paper on your first day in your new place!

On the other hand, many people make a relocation mistake by overlooking storage solutions for their bathrooms – but this is an important item to add to your list! From shelves to baskets and hampers, finding storage solutions that fit both your style and space requirements will help keep everything neat and organized, so everything has its place.

Don’t Forget About Cleaning Supplies

You may also want to consider getting a few cleaning supplies like Windex, bleach, and/or Lysol wipes to help keep your bathroom clean when you move in. After all, you can’t be sure who lived in the place before you and what their cleaning habits were – just note that these are some of the items movers won’t move. If you’re looking for an eco-friendly option, there are plenty of natural cleaning products that are just as effective but much better for the environment. If you’re interested to know how to make an eco-friendly cleaning kit, take a look at the video below:

Electronics of Your Choosing Are Also Among the Essentials

What do you need for your first apartment when it comes to tech equipment? If you deem that television is a must-have for any living space, then you’re going to need one. Whether you’re catching up on the day’s news or streaming shows from Netflix, having a television to watch will help make your apartment feel like home. When it comes time to purchase a TV for your new place, consider getting one with smart features built-in so that you can access streaming services without needing an additional device.

Additionally, it’s essential to have access to a computer or laptop that can be used for work, school, or entertainment purposes. Laptops are ideal if you plan on taking them with you when traveling, but a desktop computer may be more suitable for tasks like gaming or graphic design work due to their superior processing power. However, these items need to be handled with extreme care with special packing materials – it’s best to hire a professional long-distance moving company to help you pack them efficiently but safely.

A desktop computer unpacked after the move
Packing electronics you already own needs to be done with extreme caution

Other Important Items Each Apartment Needs to Have

You can either buy a basic first aid kit and add over-the-counter supplies to it or create from scratch. Either way, keep in mind that initially, you’re going to need the following:

  • Bandages,
  • Cotton spheres,
  • Alcohol,
  • Neosporin (for minor injuries),
  • Aspirin,
  • Ibuprofen,
  • Aloe gel (for sunburn and other mild burns),
  • Electronic thermometer.

There are a few more things you should get before you hire cross-country movers and finally move in. For example, you should keep one flashlight in your room and another in the main area. You should also need some basic tools such as hammers, pliers, screwdrivers, and so on – many of them will come in handy during the unpacking after the move.

Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Decor

Your new space can also be a great place to express your style with decorative accessories like curtains, rugs, and artwork. These items will help make it feel more like home and give it that extra touch of personality that makes it uniquely yours. If you plan ahead of time, you can even get matching sets that will complement each other and make the whole room look more cohesive. Don’t forget about lighting fixtures, too – a good overhead light or wall sconce can make all the difference when it comes to creating ambiance in the room.

A living room decorated after long-distance moving
The sooner you personalize the space, the sooner it will start to feel like home

Things to Consider When Making a New Apartment Checklist

One of the first things you should consider is how much space you have available. Do you need an entire bedroom set or just a few pieces of furniture? Think about the size of the items before buying them or getting packing services in order to relocate them. If they don’t fit, then all that money was wasted on something that can’t even be used in your new home!

Another thing to think about is how long you plan on living there. If it’s a short-term rental, then there’s no need to invest in expensive furniture or decor. However, if you’re planning on staying for an extended period of time, then it might be worth investing in quality pieces that will last for years to come. Also, consider whether you will live on your own or plan on having roommates during your stay. This will affect what kind of furniture and appliances you need for the space as well as your budget.

Finally, make sure to factor in any additional costs associated with relocating to a new city, such as deposits or utility setup fees. It’s also wise to set aside some money for emergencies (such as long-distance moving services or buying extra supplies). Adding these costs into your relocation budget ahead of time will ensure that nothing slips through the cracks and that there are no surprises once you move in!

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Make Sure That All the Things You Need for Your First Apartment Arrive at the New Home Safely

It’s important to take into account how you will move your belongings when relocating to a new home. You don’t want anything valuable to get lost or damaged in transit. Hiring a professional cross-country moving company is the best way to ensure that all of your things arrive at your new home damage-free. With the help of skilled long-distance movers, you can rest assured that everything will be taken care of. You’ll be able to start enjoying your new place right away – alongside all the relocation benefits living in the new city brings.

Milly Andrews

Milly is a Portland prodigy of packing and relocating! She has been on the move her whole life, and she's got the moving boxes and stories to prove it. With her vast experience in the art of relocation, she's like a human GPS, always finding the most efficient way to navigate the moving process.

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