Checklist for your New Home or Dorm

So it’s time to spread your wings and get your own place. There’s a ton of thought that goes into a new home and it can be very easy to forget essential things. The last thing you want is to get your own place and be all settled in and then realize you forgot to get wifi.. or silverware .. or toilet paper! So here is a complete list of the things you’ll need when you move in AND the recurring purchases you’ll need to start making :

Home buying pro tip

white and red wooden house with fence

Obviously you’ll need a place but hopefully you’re reading this before you signed the papers ! Because you have to think about this first, the more money you spend on mortgage or rent, the less money you have to spend on outfitting your new home. Another thing to think about is that a bigger home costs more money to furnish. So if you are on a budget then it would be unwise to go for a house with a ton of square footage. Be sure to click on the product links to check them out ! We spent lots of time researching them so we could confidently recommend them to you ! They are affiliate links and if you purchase through them we get a small commission at NO extra cost to you. Thank you for your support !

Bedroom Essentials

white bed next to white accent table

Bed

You’ll need a mattress, a bed frame, pillows, and sheets.

Closet

If your new bedroom doesn’t have a built in closet then you’ll need to get one. You’ll also need to get your own hangers, shoe rack, and any other closet organization things you might need to keep yourself sane.

Dresser set

A dresser or two will be needed, as well as a nightstand or two. It may be cheaper to just buy a bedroom set that has all these and possibly includes a bed frame too.

Mirror

Either a stand up mirror or one that hangs on a door or wall.

A Safe

An absolute MUST HAVE. You’ll need a safe that bolts either to your wall or to the floor. This will be for your sentimental valuables and for birth certificates, passports, cash, expensive jewelry, firearms etc. Anything that you do not want to ever be lost, stolen, or damaged in a fire, you will place in this safe. You do not want to regret not purchasing a safe !

Fan or Light

Sometimes bedrooms don’t come with a ceiling fan or lights. So a lamp possibly with USB ports would be very nice to have like this one right here. And a bedroom fan like this one to keep the air circulating is certainly necessary for me but you do you boo.

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Bathroom Essentials

comfort room area

Towels

Both hand towels and bath towels.

Shower Caddy

You probably didn’t know that was the official name of it. But a Shower Caddy is the shelf in your shower that holds your soaps and shampoos and razor etc.

First Aid Kit

It’s a great idea to keep a First Aid Kit in your bathroom ! If you ever need to clean up a cut, then there’s no better place to do it than your bathroom sink. So keep this under your sink just in case.

Recurring Bathroom Expenses

These change drastically from person to person but here’s a list of all the ones we could think of : Hand soap, body soap, shampoo, razors, shaving cream, conditioner, makeup, toilet paper, and skin care products. Check out our article on Stubble Beard Essentials if you’re interested !

Living Room Must-haves

flat screen tv

TV

You’ll need a tv and bonus points if it’s a Smart Tv. If it’s not, then you’ll need an Apple TV, Roku, Xbox, or PlayStation in order to stream Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ etc.

TV Stand

Now that you have a tv, you’ll need a tv stand to put it on. And make sure it has room for your video games or movies or whatever else you will use with your tv !

Couch

The couch should be big enough to seat all the people who will be living in the house. So if it’s just you or maybe you and a partner, then a small comfy couch will do just fine.

Ottoman

An ottoman so after those long days of work you can kick your feet up and relax.

Coffee Table

Just a little coffee table for you and your guests to set down their cups and other things. Its adds to the comfort of the space.

Blankets

Don’t forget you’ll need a few blankets !

Kitchen Necessities

stainless steel refrigerator beside white kitchen cabinet

Plates and Silverware

Essential for those home cooked meals. Remember you don’t need a ton. Just a small Silverware set and Plate set will do just fine.

Cups

Water cups, wine glasses, coffee mugs, reusable water bottles. It’d be very annoying to live in a household without these so make sure you don’t forget them.

Coffee maker

This one isn’t essential for everyone but it’s still nice to have a coffee maker for your guests who do drink coffee.

Cookware

Cookware includes pots, pans, spatulas etc.

Dining set

A Dining Set includes a table and chairs. Keep in mind you want a table with enough seating for anyone who lives in the house.

Recurring expenses:

Groceries will makeup the majority of your kitchen expenses. Napkins, Dish Soap, and paper towels are other miscellaneous expenses.

Other Necessities

Wifi

You’ll need this for your phone, tv, and possibly work

Laptop

These days it’s nearly impossible to live without a laptop. Whether it’s for school or work, you can be sure at some point you will need one.

Security System

You worked hard for your house ! Get a security system to protect it! And if you’re extra worried about your door being broken into, then take a look at these steel door security bars.

Cleaning Supplies

These are the Cleaning utensils you’ll need :

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