If you've only a few household possessions of your own, the idea of starting from scratch is the stuff of which relocation dreams are made. That said, dreams can become nightmares when the enormity of starting from scratch sets in. Relax. You can get everything you need without rubbing the numbers off your credit cards. Accept gently used discards offered by friends and family to winnow down your shopping list, and you'll enjoy one of life's sweetest experiences: holding the key to your new place.
Furnish Rooms
Assess your lifestyle and the amount of space you'll have before buying furniture. Choose a Murphy bed or pullout couch if you've rented a studio apartment that requires a few versatile but functional pieces to conserve space. Select a drop-leaf dining room table that fits against a wall and expands for company or one with removable leaves. Small chairs, side and coffee tables that do double duty as storage are invaluable. Trendy stores like Ikea and high-end resale shops might help you find furnishings that won't break your budget.
Provision Your Kitchen
Purchase four place settings of dishes, flatware for eight, half a dozen glasses and basic food prep tools like a pancake turner, whisk, slotted spoons, tongs and mixing bowls. Consider your lifestyle when you shop: If pizza is a favorite, buy a stone and wheel. Pick up a toaster oven to do everything from warming frozen dinners to baking potatoes and making toast without turning on the oven. Organize a box of staples for your move-in: coffee, coffee pot, energy bars, nuts and bottled water.
A Clean Sweep
Head for Wal-Mart, K-Mart or Target to stock up on cleaning tools and products. Buy dish soap, an all-purpose disinfectant for floors, counters and sinks, mop, broom, dustpan and sponges or cloths. Add a gallon each of vinegar and bleach for cleaning and laundry. Stow large packages of toilet tissue, Kleenex and paper towels in the bathroom vanity. Place decorative hand and shower soap dispensers at sinks and in shower stalls and tubs.
Establish a Linen Inventory
Buy at least two sets of sheets and pillowcases for each bed and assess your laundry habits to decide on the number of towels and other bath linens to buy. If visiting a coin laundry regularly is problematic because of your work schedule or social life, buy more bath towels than you would if your new place had a washer and dryer. Add dishtowels to your linen list --- preferably those made of microfiber since they dry fast.
Prepare for Emergencies
Buy renters insurance to protect the possessions in your new place against theft and natural disasters. Safeguard important documents like your birth certificate, Social Security card, legal papers and warranties by purchasing a fireproof safe. Add a first aid kit to your shopping basket and these indispensables: toilet plunger, smoke alarm unit, fire extinguisher, flashlight, matches and candles for power outages. Spend a few bucks on a safety mat for your shower while you're at it.
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