What Essentials do you Need for Your First Home?

Buying and moving into a new home is both an exciting and stressful time. It requires plenty of organisation, planning and preparation to allow for your move to be as smooth as possible. And, of course, one of the most important parts of moving is shopping for all the essential pieces of furniture and decor.

While shopping for new decor can be a lot of fun as you pick and choose the styles and aesthetic of furniture you want for your new home, it’s important to ensure you have everything you need for when you move. You don’t want to be left without cutlery, appliances or bathroom towels for the first few days, or even weeks!

To help you get it just right, we’ve put together this checklist of all the first home essentials you’ll need to buy for every room before you move.

Essential Kitchen Homeware

When it comes to the kitchen, the first thing people often think about is the white goods such as the fridge, cooker, dishwasher and washing machine. Some homes, like modern new builds, may already have these items installed and ready to go. But in older homes, you’ll likely need to buy or upgrade them all. White goods aside, the following items are also considered essential for your kitchen:

1. Kettle
2. Microwave
3. Rubbish bin
4. Toaster
5. Cutlery
6. Plates and bowls
7. Glasses
8. Mugs
9. Sponges
10. Washing up liquid
11. Tea towels
12. Drying racks
13. Kitchen roll
14. Sharp kitchen knives
15. Pots and pans
16. Baking trays
17. Oven gloves
18. Salt and pepper shakers
19. Bottle opener
20. Scales
21. Measuring jugs
22. Mixing bowls

Living Room Home Essentials

Shopping for furniture for your living can be tricky - especially if you haven’t moved in yet. We’d suggest not buying too much until you’ve moved in so you can understand the size and layout and take your time to decide how you want to decorate a room you’ll be spending a lot of time in.

While we understand you want to order furniture as soon as possible to avoid waiting months for it to arrive, Swyft sofas will be delivered in 24 hours making it much more convenient for you. All you need to do is ensure the sofa dimensions and measurements are correct. Other essential items to buy for your living room include:

1. TV
2. Tv stand or media unit
3. Bookshelf
4. Coffee table
5. Corner tables
6. Lamps
7. Cushions
8. Throws
9. Area rug
10. Armchairs
11. Stools
12. Ottomans

Bathroom Decor Essentials

Bathrooms are generally the easiest room to buy essentials for as, more often than not, they’ll already be kitted out with a toilet, sink, shower and/or bath. So, all you need to think about is what bathroom items you’ll need during your first few days.

1. Bath towel
2. Hand towels
3. Bath mat
4. Toothbrush
5. Toothpaste
6. Toilet roll
7. Toilet roll holder
8. Toilet brush
9. Soap
10. Bathroom drawers/storage unit
11. Shower curtain
12. Shower caddy
13. Bleach
14. Limescale remover

Bedroom Decor Essentials

Your bedroom is your sanctuary, a place to relax and unwind, rest and recharge after a long day. Of course, the first thing you’ll want to buy and arrange is a bed, no one wants to spend weeks sleeping on the floor. But, aside from the bed here are some of the other essentials you’ll need to create a restful environment:

1. Duvet
2. Pillows
3. Duvet cover and pillowcases 
4. Sheets
5. Mattress topper
6. Bedside tables
7. Bedside lamps
8. Curtains or blinds
9. Wardrobe
10. Mirrors
11. Hangers 
12. Laundry basket

Dining Room Home Essentials

The dining room is a social space where you’ll serve breakfast, lunch and dinner for you and your partner or your family. It’s also a place where you’ll host friends over for dinner parties and catch up with each other. Here’s everything you’ll need for a fully functioning dining room:

1. Table
2. Chairs
3. Placemats
4. Coasters
5. Table cloth
6. Napkins
7. Table centrepiece
8. Light fixtures
9. Lamps
10. Artwork

Essential Home Cleaning Products and Tools

When moving into a new house, you’ll no doubt want to spend some time before moving all your furniture in giving every room a good clean so it’s all fresh and sparkly. Again, with a modern new build house you may not need to do this, but, still, investing in the right cleaning products and tools to have them there and ready for when you need them will be very useful.

1. Feather duster
2. Mop and bucket
3. Sponges and cloths
4. Dustpan and brush
5. Hoover
6. Floor cleaner
7. Carpet cleaner
8. Kitchen and bathroom spray
9. Washing powder/liquid
10. Stain remover
11. Rubber gloves
12. Iron and ironing board
13. Bin bags
14. Stove and oven cleaner
15. Polish

Here are a few other essential miscellaneous items and tools that will be very handy to have around the home straight away:

1. Pens
2. Paper
3. Scissors
4. Painkillers
5. Plasters
6. Thermometer
7. Sellotape
8. Smoke alarm
9. Carbon monoxide alarm
10. Torch
11. Ladder
12. Light bulbs
13. Batteries
14. Hammer
15. Measuring tape
16. Spirit levels
17. Screwdrivers
18. Screws
19. Extension leads
20. Pliers

For more help and advice follow our moving house checklist and tips for everything you need to do before the big day!

Buying a new sofa? Take a look at our fabric sofas buying guide to help you find the perfect piece for your home.