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First Apartment Checklist: 16 Things People Forget to Buy
16
items Moving into your first place, you remember the bed and the couch and then realize on night one that there is no can opener, no plunger and nothing to hang a picture with. This list covers the unglamorous basics that new renters most often forget: a f...
Sections
3
Kitchen Basics
Cleaning, Laundry & Bathroom
Tools, Safety & Fixes
Kitchen Basics
If you buy one pan, make it this one. It handles eggs, steaks, roasted vegetables and even cornbread, goes from stovetop to oven, and will outlast every nonstick pan you will ever own. It is heavy, and you need to dry it after washing so it does not ...
Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet 10.25"
Skip the big knife block set. One good chef's knife does nearly all the cutting in a home kitchen, and this one is a long-time budget favorite with a sharp blade and a grippy handle that does not slip when wet. It says dishwasher safe, but hand washi...
Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8 Inch Chef's Knife
Three sizes of plastic boards, so you can keep one for raw meat and another for vegetables and bread. The rubber edges stop them from sliding around the counter, the grooves catch juice, and they go in the dishwasher. Plastic boards wear over time, s...
GORILLA GRIP Cutting Board Set of 3 Almond
The classic thing you realize you do not have while holding a can of soup. This one cuts around the side of the lid instead of the top, so there are no sharp edges on the can or the lid. It takes a try or two to get used to the side-cutting style, th...
OXO Good Grips Smooth Edge Manual Can Opener
Leftovers, meal prep and lunches all need containers, and a mixed set of glass ones covers most needs. Glass does not stain from tomato sauce or hold onto smells like plastic does, and you can reheat food in the microwave right in the container (take...
Pyrex Simply Store 9-Pack Glass Food Set
Cleaning, Laundry & Bathroom
For quick daily cleanups on hard floors without hauling out a mop and bucket. Dry cloths pick up dust and hair, wet pads handle sticky spots in the kitchen. It is light and stores in a closet corner. The catch is ongoing cost: you keep buying refill ...
Swiffer Sweeper Mop Kit w/ 7 Dry & 3 Wet
Buy this before you need it, not during the emergency. A plunger and toilet brush that store together in one closed caddy, so it looks tidy next to the toilet and nothing drips on the floor. The plunger has the flange shape that works on toilets, whi...
MR.SIGA Toilet Plunger & Bowl Brush Combo
Many apartments come with a shower rod and nothing else, and the first shower floods the bathroom floor. A plastic liner keeps the water in the tub, and the magnets at the bottom stop it from billowing toward you. Hang a decorative curtain outside it...
AmazerBath 72x72 White PEVA Shower Liner
Not everything should go in the dryer: workout clothes, sweaters and anything with a 'lay flat to dry' tag. If you use a shared or coin laundry, air-drying some loads also saves money. This rack folds flat to slide behind a door or next to the fridge...
Amazon Basics Foldable Portable Clothes Drying Rack
Two fabric hampers, so you can sort darks and lights as you go instead of on laundry day. The handles make it easy to carry a full load down the hall or to the laundromat, and they fold flat when empty. Simple, cheap and better than a pile on the bed...
Internet's Best Collapsible Laundry Hamper Set
For a real weekly floor clean. A foot pedal spins the mop head in the bucket to wring it out, so your hands stay dry and the floor does not end up soaking wet. The microfiber head comes off and goes in the washing machine, which means no refills to k...
O-Cedar EasyWring Microfiber Spin Mop
Tools, Safety & Fixes
Plenty of rentals do not have one, and the kitchen is where small fires start. This ABC-rated unit covers ordinary combustibles, flammable liquids and electrical fires, and it comes with a wall bracket. Mount it near the exit of the kitchen rather th...
First Alert Fire Extinguisher, Standard Home Use
Older apartments never have outlets where you need them, especially behind the TV or next to the bed. A 6-outlet strip with surge protection and a 6-foot cord solves that and protects your electronics. Do not plug space heaters or microwaves into a p...
Amazon Basics 6-Outlet Surge Protector, 790J
For reaching top cabinets, changing light bulbs and testing the smoke detector without standing on a kitchen chair. This 2-step stool folds to a few inches thin and slides between the fridge and the wall. The wide steps and hand grip feel steadier th...
Delxo Portable 2 Step Mini Stool Stepladder
A lot of leases charge for nail holes, and some do not allow them at all. These adhesive strips hold framed pictures and mirrors without nails and peel off cleanly when you move out if you pull the tab straight down slowly. Follow the weight limit on...
Command 15 lb Large Picture Hanging Strips, 14 Pairs
Furniture assembly, loose cabinet handles, a wobbly chair: you will need a screwdriver within the first week. This compact kit has a hammer, screwdrivers, pliers, a tape measure, Allen keys and an assortment of bits in one case that fits under the si...
CARTMAN 39-Piece Household Tool Set with Case