Carry on Beautiful!

If you’ve read any of my past posts, you’ll probably know that I’m moving house soon. This has of course, got me thinking about all of the kinds of things I’m going to need for my new home. With so much to think about it can be a little overwhelming, but for now I’m just going to concentrate on getting the main things in place. Hopefully I can gradually get the rest as and when I need it, and build it from there. If like me you’ll be moving soon and are wondering what kinds of things you’ll need, here are what I think are the essentials!

Living Room: A Sofa, TV and TV Stand

The bare minimum you need for a living room is a sofa and a tv with a stand, or a bracket to mount it on the wall. This means you have a place to sit and relax, with the tv for entertainment and general background noise. Luckily I already have a gorgeous sofa which I purchased from eBay, so that will save me some cash. Other things that I’ll need to add over time include a coffee table, and a sideboard for some storage. Soft furnishings such as a rug, throws and cushions will bring some warmth to the room. Finally decorative accessories to finish the look and make everything look homely. I plan on bringing my personality to the room by having some cool artwork commissioned by a talented artist friend of mine.  

Bedroom: A Bed, Bedding, A Bedside Table and A Lamp

Somewhere to sleep is of course very important! I plan on buying a king size bed with a super comfy king size mattress. This will be much nicer to sleep in than a standard double, but not so big it will overwhelm the room like a super king bed might. Plus it means maybe, just maybe, I won’t wake up in the night with my boyfriend taking up at least 98% of the bed. Pillows, a duvet and a bedding set are essentials that I’ll need right away so I’m comfy right from the first night in my new home. Finally a bedside table for a place to put my phone at night along with a water bottle and a lamp. That way I can relax in the evenings without sitting in darkness! Other things I’ll need to add over time are bedroom furniture for storage, such as drawers and a wardrobe.

Bathroom: Towels, A Shower Curtain and a Bath Mat

The essentials in the bathroom are bath and hand towels, a bath mat and shower curtain to stop water from getting everywhere! I’ll also need to go through all of my products and make sure I have everything I need. Shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, face wash, razors, etc. Things to add to the bathroom over time are a storage cupboard or drawers to keep products neat and tidy. A shower caddy for my most used products. And accessories such as a soap dispenser, bin and toothbrush holder.

Kitchen: Cutlery, Crockery and Saucepans

There are quite a few things needed in a kitchen when you first move into your home. If you don’t already have a cooker, buying a microwave and a slow cooker is handy for making meals in until you do so that you don’t have to order in every night for a week, which sounds fun at first but becomes super boring incredibly quickly. Other important things are crockery- plates, bowls, and cups to eat from. Cutlery, cooking utensils and pots and pans. Other handy essentials are tea towels, bin bags, cleaning products and some basic store cupboard ingredients. I plan on doing a food shop for all of my dry ingredients shortly after moving in to make sure everything is well stocked. Having staples like rice, pasta, jars of sauces and a variety of herbs and spices means you can make a variety of different dishes cheaply. Drinks like tea and coffee are also useful, especially if you’ll have friends and family coming over to help you move in or decorate. If your family is anything like mine, you need milk and tea bags or they may just disown you.

Miscellaneous: Curtains or Blinds, a Vacuum Cleaner, Iron/ Ironing Board

Along with essentials for each of the rooms, I’ve also been thinking about miscellaneous bits and pieces that I’ll need. I’ll need curtains or blinds putting up at the windows right away for privacy. I’ll need a vacuum cleaner, sweeping brush and other accessories like a dustpan and brush to be able to keep everywhere clean. Also things like an iron and ironing board. Other miscellaneous items I plan on stocking up with over time are light bulbs, batteries and a sewing kit because every home needs them. Some basic tools for any small DIY jobs will also come in useful, to put together flat pack furniture and hang pictures and things on the walls. Luckily enough for me I don’t have to worry too much about the tools since I’ll be moving really close to my family and my brother is a DIY whiz.
What would you say your ‘new home essentials’ were?

-Dana