Moving from a dorm to an apartment? Make sure you have these 5 essentials

If you plan to make any warm beverage, having a kettle is essential. Photo by HG Biggs.

Can opener: When I went to Walmart with my mom shortly before moving into my apartment, she asked me if I had a can opener. I did not and would not have thought to pick one up had she not mentioned it. You’re going to need a can opener eventually, no matter how little you cook, so make sure you have one in one of your kitchen drawers for when you inevitably get a cold or stomach bug and need to open a can of soup.
Drain snake and drain cleaner: Having a clogged sink or bathtub with no way to fix the problem is a frustrating experience. While most apartment complexes have a maintenance request portal, maintenance workers often take several days to complete the request. You don’t want to have to shower in a tub filled with scummy water or brush your teeth in a sink that won’t drain.
One pot, one pan, one bowl: I do almost all of my cooking with one pot, one pan and one bowl. These three items are the bare essentials for a kitchen that many people likely did not buy when living in campus dorms. Whether you have a campus meal plan or not, make no mistake, you will eventually want to use the kitchen in your new apartment.
Swiffer Wetjet or similar product: Unless you want to constantly be walking around on all the dirt you track onto your floor from Oxford, you’ll need some sort of mop.
Electric kettle or microwave safe kettle: Do you drink tea? Instant coffee? Live off of instant noodles like many college students? Then you’ll need to be able to boil water. Boiling water on a stovetop doesn’t take long, but having an electric kettle or one that you can heat up in the microwave further speeds up the process. I use my microwave kettle daily for tea and on nights that I don’t have the energy to make anything other than a cup of Maruchan instant ramen.

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