Are you searching for kitchen essentials for first apartment? Here is some tips. But firstly congratulations on your first apartment. However, when you open your kitchen cabinets and drawers and see how bare everything is, you may find little else to celebrate. Building up your kitchen utensils and ingredients doesn’t have to leave you exhausted and broke. Keep this ultimate starter checklist close instead, and you’ll shop with purpose instead of shopping impulsively. You’ll save money and put everything you need to cook, clean, and entertain in your apartment from day one.
Kitchen Utensils Every First Apartment Needs
If your kitchen drawers and cabinets aren’t overflowing with gadgets yet, that’s okay! The ideal kitchen for your first apartment has only a few multitasking tools you use regularly, rather than dozens of utensils you only use for one special meal each year. Stock your kitchen so you can cook breakfast, make simple dinners, and pack lunch without stress or missing a key tool.
- Chef’s knife to slice vegetables, fruit, and proteins
- Cutting board that won’t slip while you prep
- Skillet to make eggs, sauté vegetables, and more
- Medium saucepan for boiling pasta, rice, or heating soup
- Baking sheet for oven-roasted foods or reheating leftovers
- Measuring cups and spoons to help you cook the same dish with the same results every time
Once you know your basics, you can cook almost any recipe you try. You’ll quickly see which specialty tools are worth purchasing and which you can happily live without.
Cookware Essentials
You’ll want a few saucepans, frying pans, and baking sheets, but cookware is one kitchen category it’s easy to overspend on before you move into your first apartment. Don’t fall into the temptation to buy one of everything. Instead, purchase versatile cookware that fits into your kitchen and stocks you with just enough to prepare the meals you already make.
Pick cookware that has multiple uses and won’t take up all of your stovetop space. Small sets are ideal for beginners because you’ll have fewer pans to store. Look for even heating, durable materials, and lids that fit tightly so your food won’t cook unevenly and you can clean up quickly after hectic evenings.
- One small saucepan for making sauces, oatmeal, or heating up single servings
- One large pot for cooking pasta or batch recipes
- One nonstick skillet for eggs, fish, and other foods that could easily stick to the pan
- One oven-safe pan if you like to bake frequently or need one more skillet
- Lids that fit your pans perfectly to minimize splatter and heat loss
- Heat-safe utensils that won’t scratch nonstick surfaces
When you limit your purchases to only the cookware you need, it’s easier to see what else your kitchen is missing. Once you have a well-used skillet and saucepan, you can buy that second frying pan you’ve been contemplating rather than guessing at what you might need.
Kitchen Essentials for first Apartment: Easy Pantry Staples
You don’t have to go all-out and restock your entire pantry before your first trip to the grocery store. In fact, you’ll be better off only purchasing a few ingredients that offer maximum flexibility and will last until you can stock your shelves with your favorites. Build a mini pantry with these items that can act as staples for multiple recipes, so even if you don’t know what you want to cook, you always have something on hand.
- Salt and black pepper to season dishes
- Cooking oil, like olive oil
- Grain, such as rice, pasta, or oats
- Beans or tomatoes to make meals in a pinch
- Flour or breadcrumbs if you enjoy baking or breadcrumbing foods
- Garlic powder, paprika, and other spices you know you will use
There’s no need to clutter your pantry with ingredients that will only be used once. As you start cooking every day, you’ll learn exactly which spices, oils, and grains you go through the fastest and should restock sooner.
Kitchen Essentials for first Apartment: Storage
How you store everything you own is just as important as the items themselves. Finding clever ways to squeeze every inch of utility out of your small kitchen will save you space and regret. Avoid buying anything that won’t fit properly in your cabinets or Drawer dividers keep utensils tidy and easy to grab.
Buy storage options that suit your kitchen first, not kits that promise to simplify storage but don’t account for irregular drawers or oddly sized cabinets. Here are some organizational ideas to breathe more order into your kitchen:
- Clear containers let you know when you’re low on dry goods
- Drawer dividers to keep utensils from tangling
- Shelf risers to double your cabinet space
- Hooks or a towel rack to clear counter space near your stove
- Nesting bowls and bowls that stack inside each other
You’ll wonder how you ever cooked in your kitchen without these tricks. Once you create a storage system that works for your space, you’ll also know exactly what you own and when you’re running low before you need to go shopping again.
Kitchen Essentials for first Apartment: Cleaning Supplies
Sure, cleaning supplies won’t help you cook, but they’ll keep your kitchen in a state that actually encourages you to cook. You’ll want to purchase durable sponges and scrubs that can handle washing dishes day in and day out. Here are some of our favorite cleaning supplies for small kitchens:
- Dish soap to clean dishes and degrease kitchen surfaces
- One or two sponges or scrubbers with backups on hand
- Microfiber towels and cloths for wiping down counters and appliances
- Dish rack to store dishes while they air dry (if you let them air dry)
- Trash bags that fit your kitchen trashcan perfectly
You’ll never dread washing dishes if your supplies make short work of the task. When cleanup is easy, you’ll enjoy cooking more which leads to more cooking in your tiny kitchen.
Small Appliances You Can Wait on
Yes, those shiny new appliances at the store call your name. But ask yourself this: which small appliance will you actually use? While large appliances like refrigerators and ranges are pretty much necessities, smaller appliances are luxuries. And while small doesn’t have to mean useless, not every appliance will get a lot of use until you know your kitchen habits.
- Slow cooker if you do not meal plan.
- Toaster oven if your oven is otherwise accessible.
- Coffee maker if your landlord provides a communal coffee pot or machine.
- Food processor if you don’t find yourself chopping every day.
Yes, even some kitchen staples are appliances you can live without for now. Wait to buy small appliances until you’re sure you’ll use them to avoid wasting money on gadgets you’ll forget you own.
Hosting Basics When You’re Broke
If entertaining friends is your idea of the perfect kitchen, you don’t need to go out and buy all new dinnerware. Instead, consider what you’re missing from your own kitchen set. Can you borrow extra plates from a family member? Do you have any extra mugs at home? Buying a few key items can give you an entertaining set without spending hundreds of dollars on dinnerware.
- Buy two to three more plates than you think you need for everyday meals.
- Grab a few extra mugs for when you have coffee or tea with visitors.
- Invest in a set of stackable glasses that can be used for water or juice.
- Purchase one large serving bowl that can be used for salads, pastas, or other meals.
- Grab reusable napkins or towels for cleanups after entertaining.
Entertaining should be stress-free, not another chore. Once you have the basics to offer guests a meal or beverage in your home, you have everything you need to be a great host.
Phase Your Shopping
You can stretch your budget by spreading out purchases over time. First buy what you need to prepare breakfast, as well as one lunch and dinner recipe that you make frequently. From there, only buy what you need when you need it. Your kitchen doesn’t need to be perfect right away. Just start cooking and fill in your kitchen gadgets and ingredients along the way.
