Maybe you’re moving into your very first apartment, or perhaps you just downsized and are starting over from scratch in a new flat. Either way, there’s a lot to think about in terms of gathering all the essentials. Must-have kitchen basics are important, but donβt forget that any ultimate first apartment checklist should also include bathroom essentials. It’s one of the most important areas of your home you want to get right.
Essential Checklist Items for Your First Apartment Bathroom
Stocking your bathroom usually takes a bit more than just a bath mat and a set of towels, so it’s a good idea to make a note of what you think you’ll need for your first apartment.
If you’re doing all of your shopping online, you could also set up a separate private wishlist on the likes of Amazon and use that as your essentials checklist to work through. Even if you purchase your items elsewhere, you can tick them off your Amazon list by deleting them.
Having everything from a toothbrush holder to cleaning supplies and laundry essentials when you move in will just make you feel more comfortable and put together – even when your place isn’t finished yet.
It’s not uncommon for it to take a few days (or even weeks) to unpack everything and get truly settled, and I always found it helpful doing my kitchen and bathroom first thing after moving in somewhere new. After a long day of running around, it was a relief to have everything in its place in those two key areas. Kind of made it feel like home a lot quicker.
How Many Towels for Your New Apartment?
First things first, when you step out of the shower, you’re going to need to dry yourself off with something. Cue fluffy towels.
When choosing towels, consider the material, size, and quantity. Cotton towels are highly absorbent and soft, with Egyptian or Turkish cotton towels being top choices for their luxurious feel and durability.
You’ll probably want a mixed set of bath towels, hand towels, and washcloths to cover all your needs. How many should you get of each? That depends.
I live alone and rarely have sleepovers. When I moved in, I bought four big bath towels, eight hand towels and four washcloths. That turned out to be all wrong! What I’ve found is that two big towels, four hand towels and seven washcloths would have been perfect. I just don’t need so many towels yet I’m always short on washcloths.
Bascially, think about how often you do laundry, whether or not you use each towel only once or multiple times before tossing it in the hamper, and if you tend to have a lot of visitors. All of these factors play a role in deciding how many towels to buy.
PRO TIP (FROM SOMEONE WHO’S LEARNT THIS THE HARD WAY)
White towels may seem like the epitome of luxury and minimalism, but bear in mind that they can stain easily. Also, if you live in a region with hard water, they might take on that infamous grey-ish colour after awhile. If that bothers you, you might want to opt for a light beige or grey from the get-go.
Get a Good Shower Curtain and Bath Mat
A shower curtain is decorative and it serves a functional purpose by keeping water inside the shower area. Win-win!
How do you find the perfect one? Look for waterproof and mildew-resistant materials for durability and ease of maintenance. Choose a design that complements your bathroom decor or, even better, stick with a light, neutral colour to make your bathroom look bigger.
Bath mats are practical (nobody likes cold tiles under their feet when they’re all wet) and they’re also important for your safety.
Trust me when I say that it’s seriously no fun slipping on a natural stone tiled floor and knocking out all of your front teeth. Just get a bath mat! One with a non-slip backing to prevent accidents, and one that’s absorbent enough to keep your bathroom floor dry.
Should it match the shower curtain or the towels? Everybody’s taste is different, but I like it best when the colour of the bath mat matches that of the towels.
Storage Solutions for Toiletries
Next up on our list of bathroom essentials for a first apartment: storage. There’s usually never enough in a small bathroom, and apartment living is often tight!
If your new space has a medicine cabinet or under-sink storage space, lucky you. You really only need to look into getting a couple of little bins to organise all the little stuff.
On the flip side, if you have a bathroom like mine with absolutely no storage whatsoever, you’re probably going to be scratching your head as to where you should put all those essential toiletries and personal care items like toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, extra toilet paper and skincare products that are fundamental to your daily routine.
I hear you, and that’s why I previously wrote an entire article devoted to the trials and tribulations of organising a tiny bathroom that lacks all storage space. Check that out if you missed it, because it has a tonne of tips and ideas.
In a nutshell, when you have no cabinetry or built in linen closet, you’re going to have to keep your items organised and accessible in storage solutions like baskets, bins, small shelving units, drawer units and the like.
What you ultimately pick is going to come down to how much space you have in the bath, so grab a tape measure, make your notes and then start browsing Pinterest and Amazon for inspo because there is no one-size-fits-all solution here, unfortunately.
Bathroom Essential: Toilet Bowl Cleaner & Co.
Keeping your bathroom clean makes it pleasant to spend time in there. When putting together your list of bathroom essentials for a first apartment, be sure to include basic cleaning supplies.
You’ll want some glass cleaner for mirrors and glass surfaces, toilet bowl cleaner to keep your toilet fresh and germ-free, and general cleaning supplies like all-purpose cleaner, sponges, and a toilet bowl scrub brush.
CLEANING TIPS
If you’ve already gotten settled in and just haven’t figured out yet when you’re supposed to keep everything clean in between school or work, check out my cleaning schedule for solo households to get some helpful tips!
If you have hard water like I do, you’ll want to add an anti-limescale solution to the mix. Or you can experiment by making your own DIY shower cleaner. You might be surprised how effective a few simple ingredients are, and the fewer cleaning solutions you have to buy, the less storage space you need, too!
Small Waste Basket: A Must-Have for Any Bathroom
Don’t forget to pick up a small waste bin or basket for trash. Again, you’ll want to measure how much room you have for one. If you literally have no space, you might want to consider a compact cosmetic bin that sits above your sink or on the perimeter of the tub if you have one. They’re very tiny, yet large enough to toss your used cotton swabs and other small trash bits into.
I keep mine lined with teeny-tiny bin liners to keep it clean.
Towel Rack for an Organised Space
Once you have the absolute essentials in your cart, think about where you can store those nice towels you just ordered.
Again, if your apartment comes with a linen closet, you’re good to go here. But if you don’t have a closet, towel racks are a practical solution, especially wall-mounted racks that save space and keep towels within easy reach.
Hooks are also great for hanging bathrobes or extra towels. They’re functional and they’re super affordable. You could also opt for an over-the-door storage solution or row of hooks.
What’s on Your List of Bathroom Essentials for a First Apartment?
Moving into your first apartment is an exciting adventure, and stocking your first bathroom can be fun. Your apartment doesn’t have to be perfect on day one, either. A living space is generally always evolving. You can start with this bathroom essentials checklist, work towards making it a functional space and then add other things you need as you go along.
Over time you might even discover there are some things you’ll prefer to get rid of entirely when you welcome in other new items.
How about you, what’s on your list of bathroom essentials for a first apartment? Drop a comment below.
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