Essential household items for your new apartment
You’ve bought the house, signed the contracts, established your mortgage payments and now it’s time to move in. Before the move, take a look at your household inventory, and stock up on some household essentials for your new home.
With the environment in mind, try upcycling by making thrift stores, Gumtree and Facebook marketplace your first port of call when sourcing new furniture, appliances and decor.
Here is the Urban.com.au move-in checklist:
Keys & Locks
Firstly, you'll want to start by getting a spare key cut to leave with your neighbour or a family member in case of an emergency or if you lose your primary key. However, if the house is not brand new, it's always a good idea to change the locks in case the previous owner had keys cut for multiple people.
Tape measure
When buying furniture, you’re going to want to measure up each room before you go shopping.
A basic toolkit
The beauty of having your own home is that you aren’t reliant on anyone else to get things fixed. Invest in a good toolkit so you can make general repairs. You’ll need a screwdriver (flat head and Philips), a hammer, a power drill, screws/nails and pliers.
Paint test pots
Pick up a couple of test post of paint colours used throughout the house to touch up any marks made on the walls.
Dining table + chairs
When you first move in, you’ll need somewhere to eat dinner. Find a table which fits the space effectively.
House plants
Arguably essential, houseplants undeniably make any new apartment look and feel like a home.
BBQ
If you have a balcony or garden big enough for a BBQ, then you might like to invest in one for summer evenings and al fresco dining.
Outdoor lighting
Solar powered fairy lights can create a lovely atmosphere for evenings spent outdoors, and they’re also energy efficient and low maintenance.
Outdoor furniture
Measure up your balcony and head to your local thrift store to find some cool garden seats, picnic tables, etc.
Circuit protectors
Some new apartments aren’t fit with enough powerpoints, so if you’re using a multiword and running several electrical devices at once, it can be a good idea to use a circuit protector to prevent power overloading or device failure.
Appliances
You'll need a vacuum cleaner, toaster and fridge, and you might also consider purchasing a blender, sandwich press, sewing machine and steamer/iron.
For the bedroom
Linen, coathangers, mirror, art/photo frames, blankets, dresser, laundry hamper, pillows, lamp
For the bathroom/laundry
Toilet roll/brush/plunger, bath mat, towels, hand towels, facecloths, washing detergent, hand soap
For the kitchen
Cutlery organiser (if not built-in), cutlery, spice rack + spices, crockery + cups, rubbish bin, compost bin, recycling bin, pots and pans, drying rack, food storage containers, chopping board, can opener, cooking knives, table cloth, colander, teatowel, measuring spoons/cups, spatula/ladle/whisk, coffee percolator, teapot
