Published: October 12, 2021 I APARTMENT LIVING
Thinking about what to buy for your new kitchen? We’ll show you how in this page so you won’t miss a thing.
Choosing the items in this list will entirely depend on your lifestyle. For example, if you are the busy, on-the-go type of person or like to buy food outside, most likely you’ll just need the basic kitchen stuff for minimal food preparation and cooking. If you have a large kitchen and have many family members who eat at home, you may need to buy more than a few items or buy in bulk. Moreover, if you spend more time in the kitchen or love baking, you’ll need to buy other kitchen utensils like mixing bowls, cookie sheets, a spatula, measuring cups and spoons, etc.
This list has 9 categories, which are also included in your free printable checklist to make it easier for you to swing into a department store and buy the items.
1. BASIC FOOD ITEMS
- Meat, poultry, seafood
- Vegetables, fruits
- Bread, pastries, wraps
- Rice, grains
- Vegan foods/ superfoods
- Condiments, seasoning, and spice tools (salt and pepper, spice racks, herb and spice mills)
- Dairy
- Canned or processed foods
- Frozen goods
- Snacks
- Water
- Juices
- Sugar, tea, coffee
- Soft drinks
- Wine and alcoholic beverages
2. EATING UTENSILS
- Plates, bowls (soup bowls, salad bowls)
- Glasses, mugs
- Wine glasses (white wine glass, red wine glass)
- Spoons (dessert spoon, soup spoon)
- Forks (salad fork, dinner fork)
- Chopsticks
- Knives (butter knife, dinner knife)
- Ladle
- Scooper
- Pepper shaker, salt shaker
3. FOOD AND DRINKS PREPARATION
- Cutlery (silverware, flatware, a knife set)
- Cutlery tray
- Cutting board
- Peelers
- Cheese grater
- Strainer, colander, sieve
- Kettle
- Manual juicers
- Serving dishes, trays
- Coasters
- Corkscrews, bottle openers, can openers
- Bar and wine tools
- Barbecue tools
- Meat thermometers
- Barbecue skewers
- Ice trays/ icepops
- Funnels
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4. COOKWARE AND COOKING UTENSILS
- Cookware sets
- Frying pan
- Skillet
- Grill pan
- Omelet pan
- Sauce pan
- Wok
- Vegetable steamer
- Pots
- Potholders, oven mitts
5. ESSENTIAL BAKING NEEDS OR PASTRY TOOLS
- Cookie sheets, cookie cutters
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Scale
- Wooden spoon
- Spatula
- Whisk
- Cooling rack
- Muffin tin
- Rolling pin
- Cake mold
- Flour sifter
- Baking ingredients like flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, milk, cream, sprinkles, food coloring, eggs, etc.; will really depend on what you’re going to bake
6. FOOD STORAGE AND PRESERVATION
- Plastic resealable bags (e.g., Ziplock)
- Food storage containers/ plastic food containers
- Countertop storage container
- Aluminum foil, plastic wrap, parchment paper, wax paper
7. APPLIANCES
- Toaster, toaster oven
- Coffee maker
- Blender
- Microwave oven
- Oven range
- Gas stove, electric stove
- Rice cooker
- Pressure cooker
- Range hood
- Dishwasher
- Refrigerator
- Electric kettle, hot pot
8. OTHER KITCHEN ACCESSORIES
- Refrigerator magnets
- Napkins
- Aprons
- Drying rack for dishes
9. SANITATION AND WASTE DISPOSAL
Hopefully, your new place is clean when you move in — even so, cleaning supplies should be included on your apartment move-in checklist. That way, you can start clean and keep it that way, as well as deal with any spills or hidden dirty spots as you unpack.
- Dish soap and sponges/ cleaning scrubs
- Spray bottle
- Cleaning supplies (dishwashing liquid, glass cleaner, disinfectant, white vinegar, toilet bowl cleaner, all-purpose cleaner, stain remover)
- Rags
- Dishtowels
- Paper towels
- Paper towel holder
- Broom and dustpan
- Mop
- Bucket
- Trash and recycling bins
- Garbage bags
- Vacuum cleaner (no, brooms don’t work on carpets!)
- Ladder or step stool
- Laundry basket
- Laundry detergent and fabric softener
Download your printable kitchen shopping checklist here.
