First Apartment Checklist for your kitchen

Stock up your first apartment kitchen with all the essentials using this apartment checklist! With everything you are going to need all in one place, it could not get any easier than this!

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For a college apartment, you want easy and you want cheap. So, that’s exactly what this guide will give you. In this apartment kitchen checklist, I am not only sharing everything you need, but my favorite products as well!

If you buy everything from this list, you can have nearly a complete apartment kitchen for about $350. Of course, there are always extra little things that need to be bought, but this covers all the major kitchen essentials.

This post is all about a first apartment checklist!

Dish set

An apartment kitchen checklist wouldn’t be complete without a good set of dishes. With dishes, you want to buy a set that includes large plates, small plates, bowls, and mugs. For this, I would suggest investing some money here because you are going to be using these almost everyday. The better quality you get, the longer they will last you.

Silverware set

You will most likely have to buy two things here: a set of everyday silverware and a knife set. Again, you are going to be using this stuff a lot, so make sure you put in the money to get higher quality stuff.

Utensil set

These utensils aren’t forks, knives, and spoons. This would be spatulas, whisks, tongs, and other larger utensils. The easiest way to buy this and make sure you have it all is to buy it as a set.

You can find different size sets based on how often you cook and the difficulty of what you will be cooking. You’ll also have to decide if you want a wooden set or a plastic set.

Be sure not to forget a can opener. Some utensil sets don’t come with one, but it’s super important to have if you need!

Pots & pans

If you are planning on cooking regularly, you want to get yourself a few different sizes of pots and pans. A small and large size of each should be enough to be able to cook whatever you need. And that way, you only have 4 dishes that you need to store and deal with washing.

For an ultimate set, check out this 8-piece pot, pan, and lid combo! It is one of the more expensive items on the list, but will definitely last for a while.

Also remember to get lids that fit your pots and pans if the set doesn’t come with them!

Tupperware set

This wouldn’t be an apartment kitchen checklist without including a bunch of containers! This is another thing you can buy in a set to avoid buying a bunch of individual containers.

There are a million sizes of tupperware, so try to find a set that has a bunch of containers in a few different sizes. That way, you will be able to fit whatever you need and have enough for whatever you want to put in them.

Cooking trays

You don’t need to get fancy with your cooking trays because most likely your portion sizes aren’t going to be crazy in a college apartment. The disposable cookie sheets and roasting pans are perfect for an apartment. If you wash them in between uses, they will last you a while. Plus, they are easy to store!

Toaster oven

This will probably be one of the more pricey items on the list. Nonetheless, you want to spend money on a good toaster oven so it’ll last you a while.

There are a bunch of different sizes, but remember, you are most likely not making that much at a time. There’s also a lot of fancy toaster ovens these days with new features and all the bells and whistles. Don’t go crazy with this: just get a small, basic toaster oven!

Cutting board

You are definitely going to want to buy a few different sized cutting boards. I think a 3 pack with a small, medium, and large cutting board is the way to go here. That should be enough for whatever you are cooking and will give you some options with the sizes.

Measuring cups

Whether you think you are going to cook or not, you should buy some measuring cups. To measure liquids, you really only need one 1-cup measuring cup because all of the smaller increments are on there. For dry ingredients, you need to buy a few different ones to make sure you have all the sizes.

Paper goods

Stock up on some paper goods at the beginning of the semester. This would include paper plates, paper cups, and plastic silverware. There are a few different sizes for cups and plates so just get what you think you are going to need.

Obviously, you aren’t going to be using these at all times. For the most part, you want to use your real dishes when eating. But, occasionally you may just want to use paper, so many sure you have some on hand.

tin foil, parchment paper, ziploc bags

This stuff is usually all in a drawer together so I grouped it as one item on this list. You are definitely going to need tin foil and parchment paper for when you are cooking. Plus, ziploc bags are almost a must! I would even get a few different size bags so you always have what you need.

This is all the basic essentials for a first apartment kitchen checklist that will start off your kitchen on the right note! Of course, as you cook more and figure out what you use and like, you should adapt this list as you see fit.

Now that you have all the kitchen essentials, check out this list for all the food staples you should stock up on!

For a complete apartment checklist, check out this easy printable!

This post was all about an easy apartment checklist!

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