New Home Essentials Checklist: 50 Things You Need, Room by Room

An empty kitchen, a bed with no sheets, a bathroom with no towels. Moving into a new home starts with a long list of things you don't own yet, and it's hard to know where to begin.

This checklist has the 50 items people add most often when they set up a new home, sorted by room. Use it to plan your own shopping, to build a housewarming list, or to pick a useful gift for a friend who just moved.

Kitchen: tools and storage

The kitchen needs more items than any other room. Start with the tools you reach for every day.

1. Flatware set for at least four people
2. Chef's knife and paring knife, or a small knife block
3. Cutting boards, one wood and one plastic
4. Silicone utensil set with spatulas, a ladle, and tongs (they don't scratch nonstick pans)
5. Mixing bowls in three sizes
6. Colander for pasta and washing produce
7. Measuring cups and spoons
8. Can opener and bottle opener
9. Baking sheet and a glass baking dish with a lid, so leftovers go straight to the fridge
10. Airtight food storage containers that stack
11. Spice rack
12. Dish rack with a drip tray
13. Trash can with a lid

Stackable containers save a lot of cabinet space in a small kitchen. A dish rack and a trash can are easy to forget, and you need both on day one.

Kitchen: cookware and small appliances

14. Cookware set with a nonstick skillet, a saucepan, and a stockpot
15. Electric kettle
16. Coffee maker or a pour-over setup
17. Blender
18. Hand mixer
19. Immersion blender, great for soups and sauces
20. Toaster or a toaster oven
21. Air fryer
22. Water filter pitcher

A good cookware set covers most meals. After that, add the appliances that match how you actually cook. Someone who makes smoothies every morning needs a blender long before a stand mixer.

Dining and serving

23. Dinnerware set with dinner plates, salad plates, and bowls
24. Everyday drinking glasses
25. Wine glasses for when friends come over
26. Mugs
27. Water pitcher
28. Serving platter and salad bowl
29. Placemats or a tablecloth

Start with plain everyday glasses and plates that go with anything. Nicer pieces can come later, or from guests.

Bedroom

After a full day of moving boxes, you will want a made bed.

30. Two sheet sets, one on the bed and one in the wash
31. Two pillows
32. Comforter or duvet with a cover
33. Throw blanket
34. Curtains or blackout shades
35. Full-length mirror
36. Hangers, a lot more than you think
37. Bedside lamp

Two sheet sets is the minimum that works. A full-length mirror often gets left for later, then gets missed every morning.

Bathroom

38. Two or three towel sets (bath and hand towels)
39. Bath mat
40. Shower curtain and rings, if the shower needs one
41. Toilet brush and plunger
42. Bathroom organizer for the counter or under the sink

Living room

43. Throw pillows
44. Sofa cover or blanket, a big help with pets or kids
45. Floor or table lamp
46. Power strip and cable organizers

Cleaning and laundry

47. Vacuum
48. Mop and bucket, or a spin mop
49. Iron and ironing board, or a steamer
50. Laundry basket with a divider for lights and darks

What to buy first

You don't need all 50 items in the first week. Get these before move-in day:

• Sheets, pillows, and towels
• One pan, one pot, flatware, plates, and glasses
• Trash can, dish rack, and basic cleaning supplies
• Shower curtain, toilet brush, and toilet paper

Everything else can arrive over the following weeks, from your own shopping or from guests.

Turn the checklist into a housewarming list

A checklist helps you shop. A shared list helps your friends and family give you what's missing, without three people showing up with the same toaster.

1. Create a free housewarming list and give it a name.
2. Paste a product link from any store for each item. The list pulls in the name and photo.
3. Mix small and bigger items. Add plenty of small gifts, like utensils and towels, and a few bigger ones a group can buy together, like the vacuum.
4. Share one link by text, email, or social media.
5. Watch the reservations. When a guest reserves an item, it shows as taken for everyone else.

Guests open the list without creating an account. For a full walkthrough, see how to create a housewarming list. If you're setting up your very first place, the first apartment checklist focuses on the bare minimum.

Frequently asked questions

What are the essentials for a new home?

Start with what you use in the first week: sheets, pillows, towels, a pan and a pot, flatware, plates, glasses, a trash can, and cleaning supplies. Small appliances, storage, and decor come after.

What should I put on a housewarming list?

Kitchen tools, food storage containers, sheets, towels, and small appliances are the most common picks. Add gifts of different sizes so every guest finds something that fits their budget.

How many items should a housewarming list have?

Plan for more items than guests. A list with plenty of choices means the last guest to open it still finds good options.

Do guests need an account to use the list?

No. Anyone with the link can open the list and reserve a gift without signing up. Creating and sharing the list is free.

Start your list

A new home fills up one item at a time. With a clear list, the people who care about you can help with the parts that matter most.

Create your free housewarming list, add the items from this checklist that fit your home, and share it with one link.