I have moved several times over the past few years, and I know that it can be challenging to keep track of everything you need when moving into a new house. From furniture to kitchen appliances, there is a lot to consider. That’s why I created a checklist of household essentials and other items that you may forget or not think about while planning for your big move.
This new house checklist is a free printable that you can use to make sure you have everything you need. Plus, we’ve included links to the top-rated Amazon Prime items in each category, which will save you time and effort in getting what you need.
The checklist includes over 250 house essentials, so you can be sure you’re not forgetting anything. Whether you’re moving into a new home for the first time or the tenth time, this checklist will help ensure that you have everything you need to make your new house feel like home.
So you might be panicked about moving day, and that’s normal. Make sure you have your boxes, and to help you with the day, we’ve included a moving day essentials checklist that you can get for free.
If you want to download the new house checklist, we offer it as a free printable. You can get it by clicking here and entering your email.
The day you move in, you’ll be getting the keys to the new home, and a bunch of little things will need to happen. None of them are overwhelming on their own, but when you stack them and add on moving, it can feel like a lot.
Here are your action items for when you walk in. Of course, some of these won’t be needed if you are moving into an apartment for the first time, but it’s still good to know.
Your kitchen is going to need a lot of stuff. Honestly, it’s the biggest thing you will get set up in your new house. Here is a list of kitchen essentials for a new home, some of these kitchen items we have broken down to give you a better idea of what you need now and what you may be able to go without for a while. If you want everything you need for your kitchen, make sure to get our kitchen essentials checklist, which has over 250 things to buy for your kitchen.
Whether you are new to cooking or a seasoned chef, there are essential pots and pans that you should have in your kitchen. Here is a list of pots and pans you must have, and others too. For details on this, you can see our full list of essential cookware. If you want to dive deep into pots and pans, you can see the best ones in our cookware review site LearningTheKitchen.com.
The type of cookware you need can vary depending on what type of stove you have. If you are on a budget, make sure to check out the best cookware sets. It has something for every budget.
If cooking isn’t your thing yet (because it wasn’t mine when we first moved in), it’s likely you don’t have the right tools for the job. So here are the must-have kitchen tools for any new kitchen (the rest you can get as you go along).
( Buying option: if this is your first set and you are ok with a starter set of utensils, this package is what we bought, and still use a good portion of these)
This 10 piece non stick bakeware set ,checks a lot of boxes for anyone just moving into their first home. You can get it here on Amazon and it has higher than 4 stars! See the details here.
There are some of these you will want right away, and some of them you will need. So take a look at the list and get what you need and go from there.
Now that you have a place to eat, you will need some cooking essentials for your new place. These are the items we use every. Single. Day. Make sure you have these on your moving-in list, or you will make several extra trips to the store.
Overwhelmed? Don’t be. 🙂 This cooking essentials set has many of the kitchen household items you need and is an Amazon Choice, plus if you have Amazon Prime you get two day free shipping. Check it out here.
You will need something to eat pretty soon when you move in (of course, some plastic plates for your friends on moving day will do just fine). But the rest of your days will need something more standard and durable. So, to make it easier, we have done a search on Amazon for each of these items and linked to the highest star rating (based on the time we did this). Having your house needs aligned before you start shopping is a great way to save money while getting everything you need for your new house.
This plate set is the perfect addition to your household items
I’ve been watching Masterclass, and the top chefs use the same basic ingredients. So I’ve included them here for you. The first 3 are the basis for many great-tasting foods. You can get a fully stocked pantry with our pantry staples list, it has everything you need to stock your pantry from scratch.
You can get all of these and more in a spice rack set, like this one here. It’s the one we got and had a bunch of different spices to try out. Plus we really liked the look of it on our kitchen counter.
These are the things you are going to find yourself needing on a daily or weekly basis. Therefore, it’s best to have them when you move in.
Your moving day will involve cleaning the kitchen. It’s empty, and it’s great for you to give it a blast to get a nice clean and fresh start. It’s a good idea to start with your basic cleaning supplies and add on as you go.
Depending on how many bedrooms you want, you may need to do these items several times. Here is the bedroom section of our furnishing a new home checklist. Make sure to note the size of bed you have in your master bedroom, so you have the right fitting sheets! See our bedroom essentials list for more details.
Depending on what your house looks like, you may need several things for your closet or just hangers. It all depends. When we moved in, there was just one bar in the closet, so we got some closet organizers to give us some space. Here are some household storage items you may need in your new house.
When we moved into our first home, we upgraded the lightbulbs from the thing ones to the thicker ones and swapped out the lightbulbs for LEDs. Now we have the option of making things more smart home based.
See if any of these smart changes are needed before you move in. For instance, if you are moving and it’s cold, you want to make sure the new smart thermostat is working. These aren’t likely necessities when moving into a new apartment. But an Alexa Dot is good for no matter where you live 😉
That spare bedroom is likely to become your home office for now. How far you take it is entirely up to you. As someone who has worked from home, these are all must-haves. Of course, it depends on what you need in your office. Office furniture is becoming more and more important in our furnishing a new home checklist. See our full home office essentials list for all the details.
When you are looking at your eating space, takes some time on this aspect of our furnishing a new home checklist. You will spend more time here than you realize so it’s worth thinking about how many people will be eating at the table and what type of space you will need. Knowing which home essentials products you need now can save you a lot of money.
This should have been at the start of your new house checklist; I mean, your entertainment setup is huge. Here are the basics (FYI, I had to hold back on this). For more details, check out our living room essentials checklist.
Our living room is a big part of our lives. Making sure you are furnishing it the right way can change the look and feel of your whole home. Here are the items you will need to think about when furnishing a new home, if you are looking to save here are some cheap living room sets under $500).
There are also a lot of cool things every house should have; funky art, tabletop decorations, knick-knacks, and trinkets all add to your personal style, so make sure you set aside some funds to decorate it the way you want. The accent pieces make all the difference.
Depending on how many bathrooms you have, you may need to get these items in multiple. Or you can just get them for the one and leave the other bathroom to be upgraded whenever. This bathroom essentials list will get you everything you need to furnish your bathroom.
You’re going to be cleaning right away when you walk in the door of your first home. Make sure you have these home essentials for cleaning your new place. You will be happy to have them. Get our full cleaning supplies list if you really want to level up your cleaning game!
A homeowners tool kit usually grows the longer you are a homeowner. I know when I moved in I thought “I’m not going to need anything.“ within the first minute my father-in-law asked me “Where is your screwdriver set?”
Of course, I gave him a blank stare, raced to Home Depot, and bought a set. Any good list of household items needed for a new home should have tools included because you need them right away.
Don’t get caught without essential homeowner tools on moving day. You will use all of these things, possibly the second you walk through the door.
Your entryway may get forgotten quickly which is why we include it in our household essentials list. Many of us come in through the back door or side door. But new people will come to the front so it’s nice to have a few household essentials to help give that warm and welcoming first impression.
We’ve all been doing more outdoor living these past years. Backyards have become an oasis for many new and established homeowners. Rather than opting for a vacation, we are all staying at home more and making the most of our outdoor living space. Here are some of the backyard essentials you will need for your next place.
While these new homeowners’ shopping list items may not be an immediate need, it’s likely that you will need them in your first summer and are worth shopping for when you can find them for a discount.
There you have it! The complete first house checklist (or next house) of things you need when moving into a new house . Our printable first-time home buyer checklist has a lot of different items on it, some you can get right away while others you can wait until you need them when you move in. We covered all of the things to buy for a new house checklist.
Most of all, your move-in date is full of excitement. Take photos of the day. Enjoy the process. Your new place will be where you make so many new memories and it’s a day that you will remember for the rest of your life.
Once you have settled in, go and introduce yourself to the neighbors and ask them any questions you may have about the neighborhood and the homes in the area, you likely asked the real estate agent a lot of questions when you bought but it’s a great way to meet people in the area. The next step will be to plan your housewarming party!
Click here to get your free printable new house essentials checklist.
