Now that you’ve moved in and are ready to live on your own, it’s time to make it your own. We’ll start off by furnishing the kitchen since you’ll need to eat, and eating out gets expensive very quickly. The things in the list are thing I consider a necessity because I cook quite often, but of course feel free to tailor this to your situation.
I’m going to start off with what you absolutely should have as soon as possible. Money can be tight, so these are the items I consider the “essentials”:
- Paper plates/bowls
- Plastic utensils
- A good knife – Target has this knife for $5
- Non-stick pan – I personally bought this pan from Target for about $18 and can say that I have never been happier with a purchase. Absolutely nothing will ever stick to this pan and you will be one happy cook.
- Trashcan and trash bags
- Dish soap
- Spatula – This spatula from Target is only $3 and is versatile enough for most anything you could cook
- Colander/Strainer for pasta – pasta is cheap, you’ll want to eat pasta while you recover financially from what you’ve just done.
Don’t do what I did and go crazy buying everything right after moving. Buy the absolute necessities first and then ease into buying the rest.
Also, use your best judgement on where to purchase these items – the dollar store may be a better place to get utensils, paper plates, trash bags, and soap. Maybe even spatulas if they have them in the kitchen section.
Once you’ve gotten your next adult paycheck, I would recommend ditching the paper plates and plastic spoons for the real deal. This is what I would start purchasing and also where I would buy them:
- Cups – IKEA $5 for a 6 pack
- Plates and bowls – IKEA $15 for a 12 pc set
- Utensils – knives, spoons, forks – Ross
- Knife set or just one really good knife – Ross
- Toaster – Craigslist
- Microwave – Craigslist
- Blender – Craigslist
- Toaster Oven (highly recommend this over a toaster) – Craigslist
- Silicone spatula or other utensils – Ross
- Tupperware – Target or local grocery store
- Paper towels – Dollar store
- Dish soap – Dollar store
- Trashcan and trash bags – Local grocery store or Dollar Store
- Mixing Bowls – Target or Ross
- Aluminum Foil – Dollar Store
- Cutting Boards – Ross
- Ice cube tray if it’s not included in the freezer – Grocery Store
- Can opener – Ross
- Colander – Target or Ross
- Pots and pans – worst-case scenario one great nonstick pan will work for now – Ross tends to have sets on sale for maybe $30 sometimes
- Tongs – Ross or Dollar Store
- Scissors – Dollar store
- Measuring cups/spoons – Dollar store or Ross
Fun fact: I actually used to work at Ross Dress for Less my freshman and sophomore year of college so I don’t particularly love going there. I will admit, however, that they have absolutely amazing deals on kitchen stuff. If you have one in the area, go and get your deals. Same with IKEA; if you have one close to you, go there. You won’t find sets of kitchen stuff that cheap anywhere else. I’ve looked.
I think this list is pretty solid and I feel like it will likely be everything you need. Right off the bat though, anyone will tell you this is going to run you quite a bit of money. Living on your own isn’t as glamorous now that you have to pay for stuff, huh?
Because all this can be so expensive, ask around and see if anyone doesn’t need some utensils. My roommate’s parents had a lot of leftover utensils from their home. They weren’t the nicest pans, but they got the job done and they were free.
Would love to hear from y’all! What kitchen equipment did you guys have in your first apartment? Is there anything you guys think I missed?
**As of right now, I am not being paid one penny by Target or other brands for the products I have included in this post. I just really like that pan and will recommend it to everyone. Seriously, spending those $18 will make your food come out so much better. Also can’t beat $5 for 6 glasses at IKEA. Don’t forget the hotdog or the meatballs while you’re there.**
