101 Must-Haves For Your First Apartment | Brixbid

Moving into your first apartment is exciting. But, even if you got yourself a furnished place, chances are, you’ll need more items to make your life more comfortable. Here is a list of must-haves you need for your first apartment to make your living space as cozy as possible.

Essential Kitchen Items You Must Have

Properly equipping your kitchen is crucial when you first move in. Unless you plan on eating takeout for the rest of your life, you’ll need some reliable kitchen tools to help you cook well. Here are some kitchen essentials, tools, and other things you must have for your first apartment.

Furnishing Your Kitchen

Every apartment is different. You may rent a place that’s fully furnished, or you may need to find basic kitchen appliances for yourself. Traditionally, you’ll need these kitchen appliances and tools to have a fully functional home kitchen.

• Fridge and/or freezer
• Kettle
• Microwave
• Oven
• Stove
• Kitchen table and chairs
• Kitchen towel
• Toaster
• Dishwasher or drying rack
• Trashcan

Cooking Must-Haves for Your Apartment

There are a lot of special things you can have when you’re cooking. A lemon squeezer, garlic press, and ice trays are all nice. But, they’re not essential. Still, if you find that your life would be easier with these objects in your kitchen, by all means, get them.

But, if you’re only looking to stick to the absolute essentials when you first start out, these kitchen tools will surely make moving into your first apartment easier. These are the absolute must-haves in any first apartment.

• Pot 
• Pan
• Spatula
• Kitchen knife
• Cutting board
• Oven mitt
• Strainer
• Measuring cups
• Whisk

Tableware

Theoretically, you could eat straight from a pot. Or, you can use paper plates and plastic forks endlessly. But, if you want to protect the environment even a little bit, we encourage you to buy these things when you move in:

• Plates
• Spoons, knives, and forks
• Bowls
• Glasses
• Mugs

You Must Have Food in Your Apartment

You’ll never make food in an empty kitchen. To put the appliances and tools you just got to good use, you need to buy yourself some food.

Traditionally, these items are must-haves in every pantry (though watch out for any allergens, and read the nutrition labels carefully before buying):

• Milk
• Eggs
• Flour
• Sugar
• Coffee
• Tea
• Bread
• Pasta
• Salt
• Cans of tomato sauce, sauce, pickles
• Cereal
• Rice
• Potatoes
• Fruits and vegetables
• Herbs and spices

Essential Bedroom Items

Never underestimate the value of good night’s sleep. To make that happen, you need the right furniture in your new apartment. 

Firstly, you’ll need a very good mattress. This is the one thing in your new apartment that you shouldn’t spare money on. A good mattress is an investment in your health, mood, and productivity.

Technically, you can put your mattress on the floor. But, if you really didn’t spare any expense on it, you’ll likely want to keep it in the best condition. That’s why you should get a bed frame too. Not to mention hygiene.

What additional items you want in your bedroom depends on how furnished you received it. Even if your apartment comes completely unfurnished, bedroom furniture is relatively easy to come by.

Get these things for your new bedroom to make your apartment as comfortable as possible:

• Mattress
• Bed frame
• Pillows
• Duvet
• Sheets
• Wardrobe
• Dresser
• Bedside table
• Lamp
• Desk
• Chair
• Hangers

Essential Living Room Items

How you furnish your living room is completely up to you. Your living room represents your style. When you have guests over, they’re most likely going to hang out there. So, it’s best to make your living room as comfortable for you and for them as possible. 

Grab these items to get started:

• Sofa
• Coffee table
• TV
• Plants
• Decorative pillows
• Storage solutions

Essential Bathroom Items

Hopefully, your new apartment will come with a toilet and a shower. But even then, you need a couple of other things in your bathroom to make it usable:

• Shower curtain (with rings)
• Toilet brush
• Plunger
• Toilet paper
• Toothbrush
• Toiletries (soap, shampoo, shower gel)
• Towels
• Air freshener

Essential Cleaning Supplies for Your New Apartment

Every new apartment needs new cleaning supplies. You’ll use these regularly. So, it’s worth spending the extra money at first to build up your cleaning closet:

• Vacuum cleaner
• Mop and bucket
• Broom and dustpan
• Paper towels
• Sponge
• Dishwasher liquid
• Window cleaner spray
• Detergent
• Bleach

You Must Have Safety Essentials for Your Apartment

Safety first. That’s especially true when you’re moving to a new place. Although you hopefully won’t need these tools every day, you need to have them in your apartment:

• Carbon monoxide detectors
• Smoke detectors
• Fire extinguisher
• First aid kit

First Aid Kit Essentials

Just in case you cut your finger or you accidentally burn yourself, you need a first aid kit. You have the option to buy pre-assembled first aid kits that include everything you need. But, if you prefer to create your own, these items are essential:

• Band-aids
• Bandages
• Sterile wipes
• Anti-inflammatory
• Thermometer

Essential Maintenance Tools for Your Apartment

Even in the newest apartments, things break. Keep these maintenance tools in your place to do some DIY fixing if you needed:

• Screwdrivers (Phillips and flat head) 
• Hammer
• Silicone spray
• Nails and wall hooks
• Step stool
• Power strips and extension cords 
• Batteries
• Light bulbs
• Measuring tape
• Duct tape

Other Must-Haves Every First Apartment Needs

How comfortable you want to make your place depends on you. Furnishing, decorating, and equipping your new apartment is the most fun part of moving. While the decor is a matter of taste, these additional items are a must for every new renter:

• Sewing kit
• Iron and ironing board
• Clothes hanger (if you don’t have a dryer)
• Scissors
• Space heater
• Fan
• Umbrella

101 Apartment Must-Haves Ultimate Checklist

How to Furnish Your First Apartment for Cheap

Moving is always expensive. And it’s not just the price of moving. It’s the furnishing of a new apartment that really hits your wallet. Luckily, there are a couple of ways you can get apartment must-haves for cheap. You just need to know where to look.

Get them from friends or family 

Don’t be shy to ask your friends or family members if they have a spare set of furniture or living essentials. You never know what things they have in their garage, collecting dust. Or, if you have a birthday or Christmas coming up, you can always hint to your friends and family how much a new oven mitt would mean to you.

Browse Through Craigslist

Nobody said you need to get these things for your first apartment in their original packaging. If you can find a used item in good condition for cheaper on Craigslist or a similar site, why not? You can save serious bucks by getting something second hand.

Look For Deals

Furniture stores and shop selling essentials always have sales. Check if you can find a coupon or deal that could help you secure your first apartment essentials on this list for cheaper.

Find Your First Apartment on Brixbid

Before you can furnish your new place, first you need to find the perfect apartment. But that’s not always easy with all the options available to you. Plus, you can never be certain that you’re getting a fair market price. 

That’s why you need to check out Brixbid.

Brixbid is a rental negotiation site that helps you find the fairest price for rent.

Ready for your new home? Don’t wait any longer. And don’t settle for prices that don’t seem right to you. Visit Brixbid today and check out our listings.