Moving home checklist for your first apartment

First apartment checklist for moving in

Before moving in

1. Change your address
   • Banks, employer, driver’s license, and any shares related mail
   • Forward mail to the new address if possible
2. Utilities Setup
   • Electricity and gas
   • Water and sewage
   • Internet
3. Home insurance
   • Home and content insurance and check with your strata what sort of insurances the apartment and complex has so you don’t double up on coverages
4. Apartment Inspection
   • Inspect the apartment for any damages or necessary repairs
   • Document and discuss any issues with the seller
   • Deep clean the apartment before moving items in. It’s much easier to deep clean when you don’t have to navigate around bulky items such as your sofa

Moving Day

1. Hiring movers
   • Schedule a reliable moving company or arrange help from friends and family. *Tip number your boxes so you know you have moved everything as sometimes things can go missing during the move and you may only notice after you have settled in or unpacking.
   • Ensure parking space for the moving truck and also make sure you
2. Essential packing
   • Pack a first-night box with essentials like toiletries, a change of clothes, and snacks.
3. Apartment preparation
   • Protect the walls, floors and corners during the move by using moving rugs or cardboard

Ongoing

1. Regular maintenance
   • General cleaning
   • Schedule periodic inspections for utilities.
2. Community Iinvolvement
   • You can volunteer and join the strata committee to have a stronger say in what happens in your capital works fund and administrative fund that you contribute via your strata fee
3. Financial management
   • Make sure you have enough money saved and planned for strata fees, council rates and water rates outside of your regular utility bills. .

Remember, moving into a new apartment is not just about physical preparation but also about adjusting to a new environment and lifestyle. Take your time to settle in and make your new apartment a comfortable and happy home.

Furniture and things to buy

The list below is a comprehensive list of items that can help you settle into your new apartment purchase. You don’t have to get everything on this list immediately, but it will help you consider what might be essential to your individual needs.

Kitchen

• Fridge
• Pots and pans: One medium or large fry pan; one small pot; one large pot. It may be cheaper (or not much more expensive) to purchase a small cookware set.
• Oven-safe dish: One medium or large size casserole dish
• Baking sheet: One large or medium cookie sheet
• Dishes: Plates and bowls (two of each, made of a durable material like ceramic)
• Flatware: Forks, knives and spoons (two of each); optional steak knife
• Drinking glasses: Water glasses for four (can double as wine/beer glasses)
• Mug: Just one will suffice to start
• Coffee maker or French press: If you’re a regular coffee drinker, it’s a lot cheaper to make it in your kitchen than get it to go from the coffee shop every day. If you prefer tea, heat water in your small pot instead of getting a kettle right away.
• Knives: One serrated; one chef’s knife; one paring knife
• Cooking utensils: Spatula; large spoon
• Mixing bowl: One large bowl to start
• Kitchen shears to help open plastic packages
• Napkins (paper napkins are fine)
• Strainer for draining pasta or vegetables
• Ice cube tray
• Bottle opener and corkscrew
• Cutting board: One silicon, plastic or wood board
• Measuring cups and spoons: One set of each
• Food containers for leftovers
• Oven mitts: One set
• Dish towels: Four to six
• Dishrag: Two or three
• Dish drying rack, if there’s no dishwasher
• Garbage can
• Ikea can be great choice for affordable kitchenware
• Things you can buy later: Toaster oven, microwave, food processor, blender, hand mixer, cake pans, serving dishes, slow cooker or Instant Pot. You might also consider purchasing a rug to place near the kitchen sink so you have something cushioned to stand on while washing dishes.
• General cleaning supplies
  • Garbage bags
  • Broom and dustpan
  • Sponges: Separate sets for dishes and cleaning
  • Soft rags and microfiber cloths
  • Anti-bacterial wipes
  • Paper towels
  • Bucket for mopping or cleaning
  • Mop, if you have hard-surface floors
  • Handheld vacuum: Sufficient until you can get something bigger
  • Bathroom cleaning spray
  • Multi-purpose spray
  • Wood cleaner, if you have wood surfaces
  • Laundry detergent
  • Dishwasher detergent, if you have a dishwasher
  • Liquid dish soap
  • Baking soda and white vinegar
  • Rubber gloves
  • Hand soap for kitchen and bathroom
  • Things you can buy later: Vacuum, furniture polish, microfibre sweeper.

Stock up on food

• Essentials:
  • Fruit
  • Vegetables
  • Condiments
  • Seasoning & spices: salt & pepper
  • Bread
  • Rice
  • Cereal / oats
  • Cooking oil (vegetable and/or olive oil)
• Lazy meals: Frozen meals, microwave ready meals
• All-purpose flour
• Yogurt
• Sugar, honey or sugar substitute
• Baking soda and baking powder, if you intend to bake anything
• Coffee and tea
• Vinegar (white, red, apple cider, balsamic)
• Soy sauce
• Pasta
• Snack food (chips, pretzels, nuts, etc.)
• Milk (cow, soy, almond, or whichever type you prefer)
• Butter
• Eggs or egg substitute
• Cheese
• Jam
• Frozen pizza or dinners
• Meat/poultry

Bedroom furniture checklist

• Bed: You spend about one third of your life sleeping, make sure you get a good mattress. You can go a little cheaper on the headrest and bedbase if you are on a tighter budget.
  • Sheets: One set to start is sufficient, as long as you can trust yourself to wash them regularly. If not, get two.
  • Pillows: One or two to start
  • Comforter or duvet and duvet cover
  • Lamp: At least one; preferably two, one for either side of the bed
  • Curtains, if your bedroom doesn’t have some sort of window coverings already
  • Storage: Dresser, plastic organizers, or under-the-bed containers
  • full-length mirror
  • Clothing hangers
  • Cedar balls or rings, if moths are an issue
  • Laundry hamper

Things you can buy later: Additional pillows, rug, bed frame and his/her bedside tables.

Bathroom necessities

In addition to your basic toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, body wash, etc.), you’ll also need a few things to keep your bathroom organized and functional.

• Bath towels
• Hand/face towels
• Shower curtain and liner, if necessary
• Wall hook
• Toothbrush holder or case: A simple plastic cup can get the job done – just wash it regularly
• Bathmat
• Toilet brush
• Plunger
• Toilet paper
• Small trash can

Things you can buy later: Fancy soap dispenser, water cup, extra storage, shower speaker.

Living room furniture essentials

Furniture is an important apartment essential, of course, but most of these items you can put off buying until you have the money/find a great deal.

• Sofa
• Coffee table (it doesn’t need to be big)
• Small dining room table and chairs
• Additional lighting: One or two lamps; floor lamp, if lighting is a major issue
• Desk and chair, if you are going to be working from home. You can even go real fancy and get a standing desk.

Things you can buy later: Artwork, side tables, throw blankets, cushions, plants, curtains, area rugs, sound system, TV and entertainment console stand

Things you can buy later: Spices (purchase as you need them instead of buying an expensive set).

First aid and wellness essentials

Accidents happen, and you will eventually get sick. Be prepared by having the basics on hand to treat yourself. (Follow up with emergency care or your physician, if necessary). You can purchase a simple first aid kit and supplement it with over-the-counter products or start from scratch.

• Bandages: One package of assorted sizes
• Butterfly bandage: One package for keeping deep lacerations closed
• Small scissors
• Tweezers
• Crepe bandage to reduce swelling
• Cold compress
• Cotton balls
• Isopropyl alcohol
• Neosporin for small wounds
• Aspirin
• Ibuprofen
• Antacids
• Aloe for minor burns, including sunburn
• Digital thermometer

Things you can buy later: Decongestant, allergy medication like Benadryl, cough medicine, cough drops, saline nasal spray, and hydrocortisone cream for skin irritations. You can purchase these on an as-needed basis, but you may want to stock the decongestant and allergy medication beforehand. No one wants to head to the store for medicine when they feel awful.

Other apartment essentials

The definition of essential is subjective, but you’ll want to pick up a few other items before moving into your first apartment.

• Fans: One for each room, if your apartment doesn’t have ceiling fans / aircon. Or if you simply want to be more cost effective when it comes to the energy bill
• Flashlight: One in your bedroom and one in the main living space
• Screwdriver: Philips and straight blade for assembling furniture and other tasks
• Adjustable wrench
• Hammer

Things you can buy later: Printer and paper shredder to dispose of important documents.

Where to find first apartment essentials

• Kmart / Target: can be a cheap option when shopping for the essentials for your first apartment.
• Thrift stores: Look for Salvation Army and Vinnies for potential bargain deals on homewares and furniture. Each store will differ widely in selection as they rely on donations.
• IKEA: Do we need an explanation for IKEA?
• Dollar stores: These stores are a great place to find what you need to stock your kitchen and bathroom. Look for glasses, silverware, dishes, mixing bowls and food storage containers. You may also find some inexpensive food items, like ketchup or cereal.
• Facebook Marketplace / Gumtree: Check Facebook Marketplace and other online marketplaces such as gum tree for cheap deals on furniture. If you are lucky, there are sometimes items going for free that are in great condition.

Remember that you don’t have to get everything at once. You can make multiple trips over a period of time to complete your settling in. Take your time on the non-essentials and congratulations on moving into your first apartment!