If you’re moving from Toronto to Los Angeles into a rental apartment, it’s time to make a shopping list. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the first move for you, whether you’re moving from your own home or a rented one, how furnished and ready to move in the apartment is. In any case, the purchase of new things for the arrangement of everyday life is inevitable.
Furniture
Check to see if your new apartment in Los Angeles is furnished with the bare minimum you need. Here’s a rough list:
- sleeping space (bed, sofa, air mattress);
- a dining table and a couple of chairs;
- a kitchen set with a sink, a couple of cupboards and a work surface;
- furniture for storing things (clothes, dishes, home textiles, books)—a closet with a rod, shelves or racks, a chest of drawers;
- workplace—as a rule, it is a computer or desk plus a comfortable chair.
The above is the default base for a rental apartment. If something is missing, you should discuss it with the landlord. Perhaps he will buy the missing items himself, or you can buy furniture at a discount on the rent.
The rest depends on your lifestyle, habits and hobbies. What is important to you, how do you spend your time? Do you organize noisy feasts—buy a sliding table and spare chairs for your rented apartment? You’ll need a comfortable chair if you like to read in silence. You often have overnight guests—it is optional to buy a guest sofa with a comfortable sleeping place in a new apartment.
Household Appliances
The apartment should be equipped with the essentials:
- refrigerator,
- stove, oven or microwave,
- washing machine,
- television,
- small appliances—kettle, iron, hair dryer,
- vacuum cleaner.
Complete the list depending on your needs:
- kitchen gadgets like a mixer, meat grinder, waffle maker,
- coffee maker,
- steam cleaner,
- electronics: computer, laptop, sound system.
When buying large-sized and even more so built-in appliances—a dishwasher or a dryer, for example—in someone else’s apartment, it is better to agree with the landlord and share the costs. Such appliances are expensive, and it’s difficult to move from Toronto to Los Angeles after the end of the lease. And if you plan to continue renting, you’ll have to find a place for them in the next apartment, which can be inconvenient.
Lighting
Check whether there is enough lighting in your apartment. This is not just about the brightness of the light bulbs but also about additional light sources. The apartment may look bright at first glance, but different activities at different times of day will require different light intensities.
Dishes
What you’ll need:
- cooking utensils—a universal deep frying pan, a couple of pots;
- cutting boards, knives with a sharpener;
- bowls of various capacities;
- serving utensils—plates, cutlery, salad bowls, serving dishes;
- tea ware—cups, saucers, teapot or French press, sugar bowl;
- useful appliances like a can opener, garlic press, and corkscrew.
Textiles
It is impossible to imagine a comfortable life in an apartment without home textiles. Here are the things you need to buy in the first place:
- bedding (even if there are pillows and blankets in the apartment—check if they are comfortable and suitable for you),
- suitable size bed linen (at least 2 sets),
- if you don’t have a new mattress in the apartment by the time you move in, a mattress cover will help you,
- towels for hands, face, body—at least a pair for each family member and a spare set for guests,
- towels, napkins, and kitchen mitts get dirty quickly, so it’s better to buy them in stock,
- tablecloths, if you use them,
- the apartment will be cozier if you add a plaid,
- new mats for the bathroom and toilet, as well as a shower curtain, may not be superfluous.
Take a good look around your rental apartment before you move from Toronto to Los Angeles. You may need to update the curtains, bedroom bedspread, couch covers, pillow covers, and similar items.
Household Chemicals and Tools
Of course, everyone manages the household in his own way. But here is a rough list of what you may need to keep order in a rented apartment:
- laundry products—powder, gel, conditioner, stain remover, bleach, laundry soap,
- cleaning products—cleaning powder or cream, spray for windows, gel for cleaning surfaces and floors, for sanitary ware, acrylic bathtub,
- dishwasher detergent or dishwashing detergent,
- enough rags, wipes, sponges,
- a bucket and a mop,
- a broom and dustpan (an upright vacuum cleaner will do the trick),
- paper towels, napkins, disposable rags.
Household Essentials
If about a frying pan or your favourite pillow, you will surely remember without any list, these necessary items will not immediately come to your mind. And without them in a new, not yet settled rented apartment, perhaps, can not do without. Don’t forget to buy:
- first aid kit (painkillers, antipyretics, plasters, bandages, antiseptic),
- a set of tools (at least a couple of screwdrivers),
- duct tape,
- scissors,
- sewing kit—a couple of spools of thread, needle, pin, spare buttons,
- power strip (do not skimp on such things; choose a quality one),
- a splitter for the outlet—tee (if the apartment is large, take a couple of devices at once),
- chargers for gadgets,
- matches or a lighter,
- garbage bags.
Conclusion
Of course, this is not everything. Depending on your family composition, habits, and lifestyle, you must supplement the list with everything you need. Tourniquet, toy baskets, a cat cot, a large table for cutting and sewing… The main thing is not to forget about the essentials that will provide comfort in the new apartment in the very first days after the housewarming. And you can take care of the rest later.
We wish everyone a smooth packing, a hassle-free move and a quick adaptation to the new place! Let even the rented apartment will be warm, comfortable and cozy!
