So, you’ve chosen to take the plunge and invest in your very own home. Congratulations, you’re now on the property ladder, and the only direction from this point is up! With your moving day looming, it could feel like your list of to-do’s is endless before you can finally set foot in your new pad. However, even once you’re finally inside of your new home, for most of us, this is merely the beginning… Within the first few days of moving into their new homes, many first time homeowners are caught without having the not-so-obvious, but essential, essentials. There are a lot of comforts we overlook and rarely think twice about in our day-to-day home life. Yet, without these comforts, we feel helpless and we struggle to function. It’s time to break down the not-so-obvious essentials for brand spanking new homeowners in order to avoid the horror of being caught without important items.
Essentials for the First-time Homeowner
Let’s start with the kitchen. After a day of moving and unpacking, you’re most likely to be tired and hungry on your first evening inside your new home. Prevent being without and make certain you pack the following essentials to keep your food cravings at bay.A Can and Bottle Opener
Food (and maybe a little alcohol) is required on the first evening in your new digs. Can and bottle openers tend to be overlooked when packing and/or purchasing kitchen items for a new home, but they’re a vital necessity. Be sure to put them on the essentials list so that you aren’t spending your first night frustrated and hungry!Cooking Utensils
The time will come when you’d like to cook, and you can’t do it without a spatula or wooden spoon. Don’t puit yourself in a position where you’re making something simple, adding all the ingredients in your pot or pan, only to realize mid-cook that you’ve got absolutely nothing to stir or flip with.
An Oven Mit
This is a hugely overlooked item that is extremely important. You could possibly spend the first night or two ordering takeout or eating cereal, avoiding the need to cook a large meal in the chaos. What happens when it is time for you to finally cook a meal in your home, and you do not have any oven mits? Ouch!
Soap
Moving into a new home without being able to wash up is a nightmare! Think it over. You have to break down and use utensils or bowls or plates in the first couple of days, but without dish soap (and a sponge), that’s going to stack up and cause a real stink in your kitchen. Plus, you have to be able to wash yourself up! Unpacking can get dirty, and dish (or hand soap) is the only way to keep yourself clean.
The Bedroom
After refueling from the long day of moving, nothing sounds greater than crawling into your bed, resting your aching muscles, and slipping off into a sweet slumber. In order to guarantee the best night’s rest in your new home, make sure you have the following essentials.
A Lamp
Once the sun goes down, you start to see your eyesight isn’t what it once was… and then you realize you forgot to unpack a lamp! If you don’t have built-in overhead lighting, be sure to unpack and plug in lamps in every room first in order to avoid injuring yourself in your new surroundings from a bump in the dark.
Clothing Hangers
You took great care transporting your dresses, shirts, and slacks, so just why allowed them to get creased now waiting to be put away in their proper place? Get some clothing hangers for your precious threads and show them exactly how much you cherish them.
A Laundry Hamper
Don’t let stinky laundry collect in the corner of your new room for too long. Keep your home looking neat with a laundry hamper. Because let’s face it, moving is messy enough without adding dirty laundry into the mix.
Bonus Tip: Make your bed as soon as all of your belongings have been unloaded from the moving truck. Nothing could possibly be worse than hitting your breaking point and having to muster up more energy to make the bed before you can sleep in it. What could be better at the end of the day than collapsing inside your already-made bed?
The Bathroom
After some much needed rest, the bathroom is the next place you’ll to pay attention to. Many of us forget bathroom essentials, and it is only when we are without these essentials that many of us realize just how much we need them in our lives.
Toilet Paper
This may seem obvious, but seriously, don’t forget to buy toilet paper prior to the move. New homes don’t come with it, and yes it isn’t pleasant to realize you don’t have any at the exact moment you really need it most.
A Shower Curtain
Don’t expose yourself to the elements of your new house while sprinkling excess shower water on your new bathroom floor! Purchase a shower curtain and liner to safeguard all concerned. Bonus: Buying a weighted curtain will make sure everything is kept in place securely.
A Plunger
We shall avoid delving into the nitty-gritty details and make this one brief… Just be sure a plunger is on the list to prevent a complete catastrophe!
Cosmetics and Toiletries
Make sure to keep everyday cosmetics and toiletries on hand. Shampoo, conditioner, bubble bath, body wash, toothpaste, and so on should all be easily accessible. Be sure to keep yourself squeaky clean throughout the first couple of days. Your house warming guests may not take too kindly to smelly hosts!
Towels and Bath Mat
Get creative and go to town! Get matching sets to show off your personality, or show just a little flair with a mis-matched chic look for your water closet. Whatever you decide to try and do, make sure sets of towels along with a bath mat are purchased and ready to be used so that you can clean off your moving day grime without getting water everywhere.