New Apartment Checklist
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Everything my boyfriend and I bought in the first month
An apartment checklist is a must have when you are moving. Not only will it help relieve the stress of thinking you forgot something important, but it will also help you get an idea for what you absolutely need to buy before you move in and what can wait for a week or two while you are unpacking and settling in.
Below you’ll find an exhaustive list of everything my boyfriend and I purchased prior to moving in and everything we purchased shortly after move-in. I should mentioned that we did not have much between the two of us prior to moving in together, so we were essentially starting from scratch.
What we bought prior to moving:
- Keurig K-Duo Plus Coffee Maker
- Toaster
- Tupperware – The Rubbermaid tupperware are by far the best.
- Mixing bowls
- Pots & Pans
- Bed frame
- Mattress – If you haven’t decided on a mattress yet, I highly recommend Purple. I was skeptical because of the price, but it’s honestly worth it.
- Couch
- TV stand
- Storage shelving – This was essential in organizing our closet.
- Over-the-door shoe rack – I purchased this in college, and then purchased another for my apartment since my mom decided she couldn’t part with the original. I highly recommend this one.
- Flatware
- Serving utensils
- Pillows x 4
- Sheets x 2
- Duvet cover
- Comforter
- Hand towels, bath towels, and dish towels
- Knife set
- Cutting boards
- Pyrex baking dishes
- Shower curtain – Hookless is by far the way to go here.
- Dinner plates and bowls
- Tea kettle
- Hand mixer
- Blender
What we bought after moving:
- Throw pillows
- Throw blanket
- Decorative baskets
- Nespresso Essenza Mini (if you haven’t read my review, check it out here!)
- Milk frother – There are a lot out there, but I purchased this one and love it so far!
- Baking pans
- Springform pan
- Cake pans
- Cupcake pan
- Bread loaf pan
- Kitchen table – this was mainly because we didn’t know what would fit in our apartment)
- Paper towel holder
- Decorative bins
- Jars for flour and sugar – these took me forever to find, so I’m linking them here.
- Dry measuring cups and spoons
- Liquid measuring cups
- Hangers – The non-slip ones from Amazon work great, and they are a lot cheaper than alternatives.
- Welcome Mat
- Stand Mixer
- Wine Rack
- Spoon rest
- Salt and pepper shakers
- Full-length mirrors
- Pie dish
- Cleaning supplies
- Vacuum
- Trash can
- Flatware drawer organizer
- Bottle opener
- Area rug
If I could give any advice, I’d say you probably don’t need as much as you think you do your first week or so there. So whatever you can hold off on buying, do. That will give you less to move initially, and it will also free up some space in your apartment to organize what you do have. Keeping it clutter free was essential to keeping my sanity during the moving process.
Be prepared to roll with the punches too. I remember being so stressed because the couch delivery wasn’t happening on the first day and thinking it was the end of the world. It wasn’t. I promise whatever issue you are having on move in day, it’s not as bad as you think it is; you’re just stressed.
Finally, have fun! In my case, I was moving in with my boyfriend, and that’s a really exciting thing! Whether you’re moving in with your significant other, your friends, or into your own place, take a second to enjoy the day! It’s a big step.
I hope this apartment checklist takes a bit of stress off of you as you prepare for your move. Some of this stuff you may find you do not need (for example, cake pans if you never plan on baking a cake), but it should give you a good idea of where to start!
What were your “must-haves” on your apartment checklist when you moved?
