Apartment Checklist: The Essentials You’ll Need for the Move

Juliet D'cruz

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It’s almost unbelievable that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, 20% more Americans plan to move in 2021 than in 2020. Reports indicate that the primary reason for doing so is to lower their living costs and move closer to family.

Moving can be both an exciting and nerve-wracking experience. Exciting in the sense that it’s a new phase in your life and presents a unique opportunity to make new friends and connections. It’s also nerve-wracking in the sense that there’s so much to do and so little time.

Putting down an apartment checklist of everything you’ll need for the move is one of the most difficult aspects of moving, but worry not; we’re here to help. In today’s post, we’ll be highlighting all the essentials you’ll need when moving into a new apartment.

Bedroom Essentials

After a long and tiring day at work or school, the first thing you want to do when you get home is hop on your bed and take a long, satisfying nap. As such, the bedroom should be your first area of focus because it’s where you’ll spend most of the time before you complete the move.

The first thing you’ll want to get is a new mattress; you can sell or dispose of your old mattress. Everyone knows mattresses don’t come cheap, but if you’re strapped for cash, you can get an air of futon mattress for the time being. When you get some cash, you can get a better one.

Apart from the mattress, don’t forget to buy

  • A set of sheets
  • Pillows (one or two)
  • A duvet
  • Laundry basket for dirty clothes
  • A lamp and hangers for the closet

Once you have the above down pat, you can consider buying extra stuff like throw pillows, curtains, and even a rug.

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Kitchenware

If you’re the type of person who eats take-out every night, you don’t need that much kitchenware. However, if you plan to do a little cooking here and there, make sure you have the following home essentials:

  • Drinking glasses and a few plastic tumblers
  • Dishes (both bowls and plates)
  • Cooking utensils
  • Pots and pans
  • Spoons, forks, knives
  • Spatula, cooking utensils
  • Garbage can

It’s worth noting that kitchen requirements vary with the type of homeowner. While some barely know their way around the kitchen, others are borderline master chefs. Ensure you match your kitchen shopping list with your kitchen proficiency, don’t underdo or overdo it.

Bathroom Essentials

Your bathroom shopping should start with the usual like tissue, toothpaste, shower gel, shampoo, and the rest. Once you have the basics, you can move to other bathroom necessities like:

  • Bath and face towels 
  • Bathroom mat
  • Plunger for your sink and toilet
  • Toilet brush
  • Hook and toothbrush holder or a plastic cup

You can buy extra storage and stuff like a soap dispenser much later. Also, it may be a good idea to hold off the bathroom décor for a bit, then look into it much later once you have all the bathroom necessities.

Cleaning Supplies

You’ll want your new apartment looking spick and span so that you can have your friends and family over. Some people tend to go a bit overboard on the cleaning supplies, but if you’re starting, the following should do just fine:

  • Broom and dustpan
  • Mop for hard-surface floors
  • Detergent for your laundry
  • Trash cans and garbage bags
  • Hand soap, vinegar, and baking soda
  • Cleaning spray for your bathroom
  • A couple of buckets

The above should do for now. Later on, you can get yourself a fancy vacuum cleaner, a squeegee, and microfiber cloths for wiping surfaces. Some short term rentals feature managed services, so you don’t have to worry too much about cleaning.

Furniture for Your Living Room

You can’t have an empty living room, but everyone knows how expensive furniture can be. If you don’t mind, you can get hand-me-down furniture from your family for your new apartment. That way, you can save a ton of money and at least fill up your living room.

That said, if you can spare a couple of dollars here and there, consider getting the following pieces of furniture for your living room.

  • A couch (make sure it fits the living room)
  • A coffee table and a few chairs
  • A dining room table and some chairs
  • You can get extra lighting for your dining and living room (optional)

Apartment furnishing can get expensive, but at least have the above for a start. Later on, you can consider getting some artwork, indoor plants, a TV, a sound system, and décor. 

Food 

You can’t have an apartment without food. Plus, moving everything into your new apartment can have you feeling a little hungry. With all the major stuff out of the way, now it’s time to fill up your food and pantry. It’s a good idea to stock your kitchen from the get-go to help you save a bundle in food expenses for the long haul.

For your pantry, ensure you have the following:

  • Pasta (long, short, and tubular pasta)
  • Grains (rice and quinoa)
  • Canned goods like tomatoes, and coconut milk
  • Pickles
  • Condiments like mustard, peanut butter, ketchup, and the likes
  • Baking supplies like flour, sugar, and baking powder
  • Oil, spices, and vinegar

Once you fill the pantry, ensure you stock up the fridge with:

  • Dairy products like milk, butter, and cheese
  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Preserves and jam
  • Eggs

If you want, you can also get some frozen pizza, patties, and meat that you’ll cook later. Don’t forget to throw in some soda and fresh juice to wash down all that food in your fridge and pantry.

Apartment Checklist Done and Dusted

The above apartment checklist is sure to come in handy the next time you’re moving into a new apartment.  Put it down on paper and bring it with you next time you’re doing your apartments for rent in buffalo ny shopping. If you can’t afford everything on the list, just note down the ones you missed and get them next time.

For more informative articles, be sure to check out the other pieces on the site.

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