The Ultimate New Apartment Checklist | Everything You Need
If you are about to move or have recently moved into a new apartment and is looking for the ultimate apartment checklist to guide you, you’ve come into the right place. Here, I outlined most, if not all, of the things you need to get started. Plus, I made it into a free digital download printable which you can either print and scribble on or save in any pdf reader or applications like GoodNotes and Notability for your convenience.
Moving into your new home may bring you a mix of emotions. To most people, starting anew brings a sense of excitement, joy, satisfaction, and freedom. But at the same time, it can be overwhelming and stressful. There is usually a lot of work to be done, from packing your personal belongings to furnishing your apartment and ensuring you got everything you need daily.
I know how it feels as I’ve been there a few times myself. Back when I first moved into my new apartment, I must admit that I was lost and overwhelmed, I wasn’t sure what to bring in. As my move-in date drew closer, I was anxious about missing something.
I then started to make a checklist to lessen the stress a little bit. But of course, I still missed a few things here and there. As a result of this, I was motivated to create the ultimate new apartment checklist in the hope of helping people who may be a bit confused or unsure of what things they may need when moving in.
Table of Contents
Subcategories
Okay, let’s break it room by room and into the following subcategories:
- The Essentials – these are your bare minimum, things that every household must have
- Buy Later – these are things that may still be essential, but you can purchase later on and do not have to bring in the day you move in
- Nice to Have – pretty much self-explanatory, you don’t necessarily need these
I would also like to mention that what is essential for one person may not be the same for another. This grouping is a rough guide only, you must consider what is important to you based on your lifestyle and personal preferences.
1. Living Room
The living room can serve many different purposes. It is primarily a place to welcome and entertain family and friends, especially in a small home such as an apartment, a unit, or a condominium. If you have limited rooms, the living area can double as a guest bedroom or as your home exercise spot.
Whatever activities you do there, you’d want comfy seating as a priority. It is also a good idea to consider how much space you have left after placing your furniture.
The Essentials
- Seating – couch/sofa bed/chairs
- Coffee table
- Television
- TV stand
Nice to Have
- Extra Shelving
- TV player/recorder
- Throw pillows
- Throw blanket
- Rug
- Side table
- Lamp
- Other decorations
2. Bedroom
After a long day of moving and perhaps work or study, your bedroom is where you’d most likely rather be. Make sure you have the basics for a goodnight’s sleep so you can feel rested the next day.
Generally, you’ll hear advice such as making sure you invest in a good mattress. I don’t disagree with this, but new mattresses can be expensive. Thankfully, there are ways to save on furnishing your apartment and can get a good quality mattress even at a bargain.
I am not ashamed to say that my mattress at home is second-hand. It is however from a reputable brand and was in pristine condition when I bought it. The sellers merely used it to decorate an extra bedroom in their house when they put their property for sale.
The Essentials
- Mattress
- Pillows
- Pillowcases – at least 2 sets
- Quilt/comforter
- Bedsheets
- Quilt/duvet covers – at least 2 sets
- Bed frame
- Bedside tables
- Coat hangers
Buy Later
- Trash bin
- Dresser/wardrobe – if no built-in
- Full body mirror – if no built-in
- Alarm clock – otherwise, use your phone
Nice to Have
- Mattress protector
- Throw blanket
- Lamp
- Rug
3. Study
If you are lucky to have a separate study or home office in your apartment, then you also need to furnish it. This list is very individualised as we all have different jobs. Because of this, I listed the basic home office set-up requirements here.
Having a well-planned and organised working space can be quite motivating. So, depending on what work you do, add the other things you need to perform your daily work tasks in this apartment checklist.
The Essentials
- Desk
- Chair
- Laptop/computer
- Printer
- Internet router
- Stationery – pens, notepad / paper, marker, tape, stapler
Nice to Have
- Desk organiser
- Extra storage – drawers/shelves
4. Bathroom and Toilet
In my opinion, the bathroom and toilet are the most used areas in every house. You simply won’t survive a day without visiting these spaces, and I am sure you know why. In fact, there are quite a few things you need to think about so that you can have a functional bathroom.
The Essentials
- Shower curtain – if not glass enclosed
- Shower caddy – if no built-in shelves
- Soap/handwash
- Personal toiletries – shampoo, conditioner, body wash, razors/shavers, comb/brush etc.
- Tissues
- Toilet paper
- Toilet brush/cleaner
- Towel hooks/rack – if not built-in
- Towels
- Hand towels
- Bath towels
- Face washers
- Bathmat
- Trash bin
Buy Later
- Soap dish
- Soap dispenser
- Toothbrush holder
- Toilet roll holder
- Air freshener
5. Kitchen and Dining
Now we move to the heart of your apartment, the kitchen. I’ve combined dining and kitchen here, just because they often are shared spaces.
This list is longer than the other rooms in the house because there are so many tools you need to be able to prepare, cook and eat food.
You can buy some of these in groups, for example, a dinner set, utensil set and cutlery set. Generally, sets offer better value. However, don’t be tempted to buy them if you don’t have use for half of the tools in the pack.
The Essentials
- Table
- Chairs/bar stools
- Dinnerware
- Dinner plates
- Side plates
- Bowls
- Glasses
- Mugs
- Cutleries
- Spoons
- Forks
- Dinner knives
- Teaspoons
- Pots – large, medium / small
- Pans – medium-sized
- Spatula
- Ladle
- Tongs
- Knives
- Chopping board
- Can opener
- Food containers
- Aluminium foil
- Cling wrap
- Water filter – pitcher/faucet attachment
- Oven mitts/pot holder
- Kettle
- Toaster
- Microwave
- Refrigerator
- Tea/hand towels
- Paper towel
- Dish soap
- Sponges
- Drying rack
- Trash bin
- Food
Buy Later
- Fruit bowl
- Bottle opener
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Colander
- Peeler
- Mixing bowls
- Ice cube trays
- Paper towel holder
- Blender/Mixer
- Rice cooker – if you are Asian like me, you know this is actually essential!
Nice to Have
- Kitchen rug
- Tablecloth
- Coasters
- Placemat
- Food steamer
- Dishwasher – usually built-in so you may not need to get one
6. Laundry
Not all apartments have a dedicated laundry area. Often it is small and integrated into the bathroom. Nevertheless, this ultimate new apartment checklist would not be complete without a laundry room must-haves. You will still have to source some things to get your laundry done after all.
The Essentials
- Detergent
- Laundry basket
- Clothes pins/pegs
- Clothes rack/line
- Iron
- Ironing board
- Washer and dryer
Buy Later
- Fabric conditioner
- Lint roller
- Stain remover
- Laundry mesh bags
- Basin
Nice to Have
- Garment steamer
- Laundry trolley
- Moisture absorbers
7. Miscellaneous
Finally, I present to you the miscellaneous checklist. It contains items that you will most likely need in any and every room of your apartment. You can also store these things randomly in places you may see fit. For example, people usually keep cleaning materials in the laundry area but others prefer to stow them in a designated cleaning cabinet.
Additionally, I included cleaning supplies here that were not mentioned earlier. If you have a furry friend, I also put a little pet care list below.
General Household
The Essentials
- Curtains / blinds
- Clock
- Doormats
- Screwdrivers
- Allen keys
- Fans / portable aircon
- Heater
- Chargers
- Cables
- Scissors
- Flashlight
- Batteries
- Lighter/matchsticks
- Candle
- First aid kit
Buy Later
- Extension cords
- Step stool / ladder
- Weighing scale
- Coat rack
- Storage containers
Cleaning
The Essentials
- Garbage bags
- Broom
- Dustpan
- Vacuum cleaner
- All-purpose cleaner
- Glass cleaner
- Disinfectant
- Mop
- Bucket
- Rags
Pets
The Essentials
- Food
- Litter
- Bedding
- Grooming tools
Remember that you do not need to buy everything at once. You must prioritise the essentials or the basics. Worry about the extra stuff later when you have the budget to buy them. Sometimes, you will end up realising that you don’t need some things you thought you did.
The Ultimate New Apartment Checklist Printable
As promised, to make this ultimate new apartment checklist most accessible to you, you can download its PDF version.
You have access to two sizes. The first one is formatted in A4 (210 x 297 mm or 8.3 x 11.7 inches). The second pdf file is in US letter (215.9 by 279.4 mm or 8.5 x 11 inches). Both documents contain a classic neutral colour scheme, as well as, pretty pastel theme variations.
I also realised that the items in the populated checklist may not suit everyone’s needs. To solve this issue, there are two blank checklists in the files. One of the blank checklists is broken into categories as per above while the other is entirely empty, meaning you can pick and name each group as you wish.
Also, I want to let you know that this digital download printable set was made in collaboration with Sightly Prints, a soon-to-launch Etsy store where you can find simple and beautiful printables to keep your life organised.
Most importantly, this printable is free! Yes, that means you can print it as many times as you like and share it with your family and friends. However, please be mindful of copyright laws so make sure you credit my website and Sightly Prints for this work.
If you think there is something I missed and should add to this list, please let me know in the comments below! I am also excited to hear your feedback about the printable.
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