The experience of moving into a new home is both stressful and exciting. On one hand, the task of starting from a blank slate can be overwhelming. On the other hand, you have the creative freedom to develop original ideas for decorating the place.
No matter how you look at it, this is a busy time. So there is a high chance of overlooking some of the essential items that you will be needing for the first few days in a new setting.
Preparing a comprehensive new home shopping list is a great way to start the process of converting the new house into your home.
Here is an extensive moving shopping list for every room that will help you while moving to another state.
Kitchen
The kitchen is one place in your home that will need the widest variety of items. From cooking and eating essentials to appliances and tools, there is a lot you need to cover. And to be honest, stocking an empty kitchen from scratch is a challenging task.
Depending on your preferences, some of the kitchen tools and appliances will be essentials while others may not be so. In this new homeowners’ shopping list, we have broken up the primary kitchen tools into three sections to make things easier.
Tableware and Servers
Start by buying the everyday dishware that you will need to use. Now, you may need a few days to pick the right tableware. If you do not want to survive on takeout for the first few days, use disposable plates, cups, and cutlery during that period.
The following are the essential items for a kitchen.
- Flatware settings (Dinner fork, salad fork, teaspoons, soup spoons, knife.)
- Dinner plates, salad plates, soup bowls.
- Fruit or dessert dishes.
- Small cereal bowls
- Teacups and coffee mugs
- Serving bowls
- Salt and pepper set
- Teapot
- Serving trays
- Cream and sugar bowls.
- Glassware assortment
- Small bowls, such as cereal bowls.
- Coffee mugs and tea cups.
- Salt and pepper set.
- Cream and sugar bowl.
- Glasses (both short and tall tumblers)
- Wine glasses
- Napkin holder
Major Gadgets and Accessories
These are some of the must-have gadgets in your new kitchen.
- Refrigerator
- Range or cooktop and oven
- Microwave oven
- Toaster or toaster oven.
- Blender (Standard or stick)
- Hand mixer
- Coffee maker
- Instant pot
- Waffle maker
Cooking Essentials
These are the items you will need to cook up the basic dishes.
- Cutting board
- Knives (including a butcher’s knife, a paring knife, and a serrated knife)
- Knife block
- Kitchen shears
- Cooking utensils (spatula, whisk, wooden spoon, tongs)
- Pots and pans
- Bakeware (9”x13” pan and a baking sheet, to get started)
- Mixing bowls and mugs
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Oven-safe cooking dish
Miscellaneous Items
While these items are not essentials, you will need them once you start spending more time in the kitchen.
- Cleaning supplies like dish soap and sponges
- Dish drying rack
- Oven mitts
- Dish towels
Living Room
With so many combinations based on individual preferences and aesthetics, furnishing your living room in the right way will need a lot of brainstorming. And that includes the primary furniture, accessories, and decor.
Furniture
Undoubtedly, furniture wil take up the maximum space in the living room. Here are the five essential pieces of furniture you will need.
Sofa
The sofa is the most important and largest seating option in the living room. It has to be cozy while matching the tone of the room. Most importantly, all other furniture in the room will be arranged around the sofa.
Coffee Table
This is the centerpiece of the room and the ideal place for holding not just coffee mugs, but other items like magazines, TV remotes, glasses, etc.
Media Stand
If you are not planning on hanging the television, this unit will be the focal point of the living room. Depending on the size of the TV and the storage space needed for accessories, you may choose a larger media console or a TV stand with a minimalist design.
Accent Chairs or Recliners
Accent chairs are needed to create extra sitting space for the guests and make sure to choose a design that matches the sofa. You can also use these chairs and recliners to fill up any negative space in the room.
Living Room Lighting
The right arrangement of lighting not only adds depth to the living room but also draws attention to the focal points. For example, adding an overhead chandelier is a great way to brighten up the room. In addition, you can use table lamps and floor lamps to create the right balance of light and shade.
Wall Decor
Using the empty walls of the living room to showcase wall decor or wall art is a great way to add character to the room. Either a single large piece or an arrangement of smaller pieces can be used. Choose a theme that matches the color scheme of the room.
Area Rugs
Area rugs can add a dash of color and texture to a living room and create visual contrast. Besides, they also serve other purposes like protecting wood flooring, trapping dust, or keeping your foot comfortable in winter.
Bedroom
The bedroom is the most personal space in your home and needs to be designed as per your design preferences. The choice of bedroom furniture will depend on the number of bedrooms in your new home.
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While preparing a shopping list for the new house, the first aspect of styling the bedroom is arranging the essential items. Next, you can add accents and layers to complement these items.
Listed below are the main items you need to consider.
- Bedframe
- Headboard for backless bed frames
- Mattress
- Blankets and quilts
- Sheets
- Pillows
- Pillowcases
- Bedside table and lamp
- Dresser
- A full-length mirror
- Alarm clock
It is best to start with the bed and choose top-grade bedding that ensures comfort. Following that, you can start adding the other pieces of furniture.
Apart from the main items, you can add storage baskets for storing extra items. They can also act as decorative pieces in the room. To liven up the space, use items like wall art, paintings, photos, or a green plant.
Bathroom
Quite often, the bathroom remains the most neglected part of the home. However, the bathroom needs to be functional and clean, apart from being well stocked in all aspects.
While preparing a new home shopping list, you should make sure to include the following bathroom essentials.
- Shower curtain and liner
- Bathmat
- Bath towels
- Toilet paper
- Soap dispenser
- Toothbrush holder
- Basic toiletries like soap, shampoo, and toothpaste.
- Hand soap
- Mirror
- Trash can
- Over-the-Door hooks
- Plunger and toilet bowl cleaner
Remember, organizing these items in the bathroom will also need storage spaces like under-sink drawers and shelving units. You can leave the bathroom decor and styling for the later stages of the move-in process.
Outdoor
For your home to create the perfect first impression, the outdoor space needs to be well organized. Since the limitations of selecting indoor decor do not apply to the outdoor space, you can experiment with different styles and designs.
Before you pick the essential furniture for the patio or the garden, make sure to consider its quality. Each piece of outdoor furniture has to endure the weather and outdoor temperatures. So, durability should be a prime concern when choosing these items. Other than that, you need to pick a few tools for maintenance work.
The selection of outdoor furniture and accessories will depend on how you want to use the space with your family and friends. Here are some outdoor items that can be included in a shopping list for a new home.
- Patio furniture like a chaise lounge and single-person chairs.
- Patio side table
- Overhead fan or misters
- Electric or charcoal grill
- Patio umbrella
- Garden tools (shovel, rake, pruning shears)
- Hoses for the front and back yards.
- Grilling tools (spatula, grill brush)
To add coziness to the space, you can use pillows, throw blankets, and outdoor rugs.
General
Last but not least, there are a few general items that you need to add in a new home shopping list. Keeping these items handy will help you to save money while moving.
Note, you will need to buy items like blinds and curtains for all the windows in every room. Make sure to add curtain rods, tie-backs, and other hardware as window accessories.
Cleaning Supplies
Do not forget that your new home will get dirty on a move-in day. So, make sure to keep the following cleaning supplies at hand.
- Cleaners (bleach, wood cleaner, glass cleaner, all-purpose cleaner)
- Sponges
- Trash bags
- Broom and dustpan
- Gloves
- Mop and bucket
- Vacuum cleaner
- Laundry detergent
- Duster
Tools
It is always a good idea to keep a set of tools that will help you to cut open boxes, put together furniture, and hang items. Here is a list of common tools that you should pick.
- Scissors
- Hammer
- Drills and drill bits
- Nails
- Level
- Screwdriver
- Adjustable crescent wrench
- Pliers
- Electrical extension cord
- Box cutter
- Pen or marker
- Notepad
- Tape measure
Accent Furnishing
The sleek accessories that you can use to decorate a room are the last items you need to buy. Such items can include vases, designer storage, plant stands, mirrors, and personal collections.
These are the items that are important to your family and add character to your home. However, make sure not to overdo it. Accent furnishings add subtle enhancements to a room and should not stand out as a stark contrast to the rest of the decor.
Final Thoughts
Once you are done with the essentials, make sure to focus on one room at a time. Many new house owners make the mistake of buying everything at once. That will not only stretch your budget but will also increase the chances of making poor choices.
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