We've created this guide to explain everything you'll need to move into your new home. We've also created handy lists of household items for each room so you can print them out or use them on your phone at the home improvement store so you don't forget anything.
In this guide:
- How to arrange housing depending on its type?
- How to furnish secondary housing?
- What to do after moving to a new apartment?
- List of things for the kitchen after moving
- What do you need in the living room for a new apartment?
- Checklist for the bedroom
- Bathroom Essentials
- Other items needed in the apartment after moving
- How to save money when furnishing a new apartment?
- How to make a new apartment cozy?
Buying your first home (be it a house or an apartment) is a unique experience. You have found a suitable option, discussed all the issues with the seller, and - hurray! – the keys are in your hand! What now?
Now you need to start arranging your new home. But where to start? First of all, don't panic. We've created this guide to explain everything you'll need to move into your new home. We've also created handy lists of household items for each room so you can print them out and take them with you to the home improvement store so you don't forget anything.
And, if you find yourself short on money, we also have tips on how to cheaply settle down after moving to a new place and make the most of the items you already have.
How to furnish secondary housing?
If you bought a secondary home, then pay attention to what the previous owners left. White goods (particularly a washing machine, refrigerator and freezer, and even a dishwasher) are quite often included in the property being sold. And, if this is your case, you can save a pretty penny. However, you will become aware of this in advance, since the previous owner will have to indicate this fact in the documents for the sale of the home.
But this is one side of the coin. Sometimes you may have the opposite problem - the previous owners may have left you with a ton of unsightly furniture or used dishes that you don't need. In this case, the easiest way is to place an advertisement for the sale of unnecessary items on Avito or Yula, or call the nearest charity store and find out if they need the items you still have. They can pick them up for free. Alternatively, you can simply get rid of the furniture you don't want to keep.
Remember: if you do not use furniture and things from the home you purchased, you will need to completely furnish the purchased apartment with new items in order for it to “function” properly.
It is necessary to say a few words about those who purchase an already equipped private house. In this case, you need to mention the garden (if there is one) near the new house. It is worth remembering that the previous owners may take with them gardening tools, the main ones being a lawn mower (if applicable to your situation), a shovel, a rake, gardening gloves and gardening garbage bags. All of them can be purchased at the local market or at construction stores, Petrovich, etc. In addition, it is always useful to ask the previous owners what kind of garden maintenance is required and what tools you will need for this work.
But most often people buy apartments as secondary housing. Another important tip to remember when purchasing such a property. Be sure to check the home's maintenance. Although you will not be buying this in the literal sense of the word, it is still extremely important to obtain basic information about home maintenance (electrical equipment, central heating, boiler and plumbing). Remember that everything should be checked by a professional whom you trust for the safety of your family and your own. In addition, you will likely need the help of a professional to install a landline phone, get an Internet connection, and get satellite or cable television.
Where to begin?
Repairs from the developer rarely differ in quality, so most often buyers of residential space prefer to do everything themselves, sometimes even doing complete dismantling, including windows and doors, in order to install everything of higher quality and in a certain style. It is also worth considering that in some new buildings, heat and sound insulation are sometimes urgently needed, which is especially typical for panel buildings.
But let's not get ahead of ourselves, but let's start with the most important thing - finding a designer, contractors, a construction team and all the necessary specialists with whom the entire repair road will be covered from A to Z. The choice of qualified personnel is the key to the quality of the work performed, so by this point you need act as responsibly as possible.
What kind of work most often begins with renovations in a new building? The following work is most often performed:
- strengthening doorways and installing doors;
- floor screed;
- installation/dismantling of partitions;
- organization of the ventilation system;
- installation of all necessary communications;
- wiring for television, internet, telephony and security system;
- leveling walls;
- installation of windows (if necessary);
- installation and debugging of the air conditioning system;
- electrical wiring.
As you can see, the amount of work is quite large and, most importantly, it requires careful preliminary study of all necessary technical documentation, without which installation of engineering systems, redevelopment and other basic work will be impossible.
What to do after moving to a new apartment?
In terms of arrangement, moving into an empty apartment is much easier, since you can furnish it to your liking, and there are no unnecessary things in the house. However, the question arises: “How to furnish a new apartment from scratch?”
Often new apartments are sold with some interior items. This is agreed with the developer at the time of signing the contract, and therefore please note that your new apartment will need to look like what you were previously shown on the architectural plans.
The most common features include the shower, sink, bathtub and tiles in the bathroom, as well as lighting fixtures and flooring.
However, before you buy anything for your home, always check what comes standard with your new apartment. Then you can decide what you need to buy first and what you can wait on.
Whether you've purchased a huge luxury multi-bedroom apartment or a cozy one-bedroom studio, there are certain rules you need to follow when moving into a new apartment. These rules apply to both large interior items (for example, carpets, curtains, beds, sofas and tables) and smaller, but no less important (knives, forks, plates and glasses).
To move to a new apartment, we have compiled lists of necessary things for you and distributed the items “by room”. You can adjust them depending on what you need and what items you already have. Print these lists and take them with you to the home improvement store to ensure you don't miss anything important!
Important Preface
Before creating a design project for renovating an apartment in a new building, it is important to understand that, as a rule, a specialist, having come to personally assess the quality of the object and the amount of work to be done, is faced with two formats of housing: with and without finishing.
If finishing is present, this simplifies the process a little, since it comes down to adapting the design chosen by the customer in relation to the technical characteristics of the room. Most often processed:
- layout options;
- sketches and drawings with the selection of finishes and other interior elements;
- design color palette;
- lighting solutions;
- the entire package of necessary documentation.
If there is no finishing, then complete freedom of imagination is given, since the interior design will have to be created from scratch. Yes, this is time-consuming and financially expensive, but it allows you to develop an individual design project taking into account all, even the slightest, preferences of the customer.
List of things for the kitchen after moving
Imagine that you have organized a housewarming party. Everyone is admiring your new apartment, but then you're about to open a bottle of wine and discover that you don't have a corkscrew!
No need to worry! With the list of kitchen tools below, you'll have everything you need for any occasion in the kitchen.
If you close this page, your checklist marks will be saved.
Basic furniture
Cooking food
Dishes
Keeping the kitchen clean
Large amount of bed linen
Many housewives have a whole closet dedicated to bed linen. This is also no longer relevant. It’s better to buy 2 instead of 5-6 sets, but the highest quality and most expensive ones. After a few months, repeat and please yourself with a new thing.
There will be no extra bed linen - there will be no need for bulky furniture
See also Chocolate color in the interior: tips, photos
Other items needed in the apartment after moving
Every home should have a first aid kit, as well as equipment for safety, self-repair and laundry. Here are the main components of this property.
First aid
Safety
Tools for repair
Even if you're not a DIY-er, there are certain things that will make life easier if a little problem arises in your new apartment. Here is a list of the most common tools needed after moving to a new apartment:
Laundry and cleaning products
Walls
It may feel like we are solving any problem with an additional lamp. But the plague of modern interior design - the empty wall - cannot be overcome with one lamp. We can argue for a long time about what should hang on the wall, but we want to give you one example.
“Bare” walls are boring. Even beautiful wallpaper will not save the situation. Nowadays there is a wide variety of paintings, photographs, and posters in stores. Trust your taste and mood. After all, exposures can be changed at least every day. You can decorate the walls with your memories - expensive photographs that are associated with important moments in your life. Why not? Choose stylish photo frames and everyone will appreciate your mini-gallery.
How to save money when furnishing a new apartment?
Once you realize how many new items you need, the lists above may seem daunting. Despite the fact that you most likely spent all your money on buying an apartment. However, these items are necessary for the apartment to become a fully functioning home. But don't worry! Here are some tips on how to reduce costs while making the most of the space in your new apartment:
- consider purchasing copies of furniture that was presented in a showcase - such furniture will often be at a good price, and you will immediately see what it looks like;
- shop at online auctions. Auctions are a great place to purchase unusual furniture and other items that can become the centerpiece of your room. Try sites (for example, Avito, Yula) for unwanted or used goods. Sometimes they have bargain designer items, but always check with even a reputable seller;
- Look for sales at furniture stores, curtain stores, carpet stores, and home improvement stores (such as IKEA);
- Ask friends or family if they have extra items they don't need.
Life style
If your eyes wander when choosing interior solutions, we recommend following the style instructions. Each interior style requires a certain color scheme, materials and decor, which significantly narrows the range of choices. And any style is tailored to a certain human psychotype, so choose the one to which your heart lies.
What to do if you like everything at once? Combine! Clean interior styles are going out of style, giving way to eclectic, custom spaces. Properly mixing elements of different styles is not the easiest task, but it is a great way to express yourself through the objective world. Don’t be afraid to experiment, the phrase “I’m an artist - that’s how I see it!” no one has canceled yet.
Like in Paris: French style in the interior
What ingredients does a French interior consist of and can the bohemian atmosphere of Paris take root in a Russian apartment?
How to make a new apartment cozy?
If you've spent money on the essentials (like an iron and basic cookware) and your budget can't cover the cost of more fun items (art or designer homewares), here are some more simple tips to make the most of those items. which you already have:
- scented and colorful candles are an economical way to make a room more cozy and intimate;
- flowers can brighten up a room without putting a dent in your pocket. In particular, ficus, begonia, geranium, and Kalanchoe are inexpensive in flower shops, and sometimes you can get them for free by borrowing plants from friends or relatives;
- pillows can add color to an old or faded piece of furniture;
- Posters and prints can be a great alternative to expensive paintings or works of art. Posters of famous celebrities, musicians or bands and even stills from films are sold in most markets where you can go and choose the images to suit your taste;
- if you are interested in photography, you can enlarge your favorite photo to a much larger size and hang it as a decorative element;
- lamps with overhead lighting. If your room is small, then such lighting fixtures (either a floor lamp or a table lamp) will create the illusion of greater height. They are available and cheap at most home improvement stores;
- mirrors increase space, so place them on the walls of your apartment to increase the space of your property. Mirrors can also be purchased relatively cheaply from used furniture stores;
- New wall paint can be inexpensive and yet completely transform a boring room.
Summarize. Despite the endless lists of home essentials, a home can be filled relatively inexpensively. This will make moving to a new apartment as painless as possible. And although you may only need the bare necessities, you will agree that nothing can compare to the feeling of having your apartment “fully equipped.” And this is what makes it a real home.
What should you pay more attention to?
Each stage is important in its own way, but if we are talking about a new building, then the most important stage can be called the choice of finishing materials. New houses will sag in any case. Moreover, the degree of subsidence is difficult to predict and accurately calculate, so the cheaper the repairs are made, the more clearly traces of the building’s movement will be subsequently visible. The use of high-quality materials largely solves this issue, so it’s definitely not worth saving on this point.
Installation of communication systems
It is necessary to install water supply pipes and connect the sewerage system. If the partitions are load-bearing and of sufficient thickness, pipes can be mounted in grooves. If this is not possible, it is reasonable to install the bulk of the pipes in the bathroom. They can be closed with a box.
First, cold water is supplied, then hot water is supplied to the bathroom and kitchen.
Helpful advice!
To prevent the disgusting smell from the sewer in the room, install special plugs. They are important if the communication connection will be made later.
By the way, already at this stage you can equip the ventilation openings with special grilles.
