If social media trends have taught us anything over the past year or so, it’s that stocking up on a variety of household essentials is not only necessary but is also incredibly satisfying.
Whether you are moving into your very first home, renting out property for the first time, or simply looking to elevate your space and upgrade what you already have, we feel that the following list of household essentials are vital to seek out and procure to get started.
1. Basic Kitchen Utensils
When it comes to household essentials, the kitchen is usually the best place to start because it’s arguably the room that gets the most traffic in the house.
For this reason, basic kitchen utensils such as measuring spoons and cups, spatulas and mixing spoons, a decent can opener, peelers and graters, are some of the most important items to have at your disposal.
Always ensure that primary utensils are within easy reach and that you have a great pair of kitchen scissors too.
A kitchen stocked with even the most basic utensils can be incredibly helpful to those who use it mostly because it makes cooking easier, especially for those who are trying to eat out less and save money by cooking more wholesome meals at home.
2. Decent Kitchen Knives
Along with your basic kitchen utensils, kitchen knives are just as important because they are more often than not the foundation of your cooking preparation.
There are very few recipes that don’t require the use of a kitchen knife, which is why we would recommend that you get your hands on a good quality set.
As the old saying goes – buying cheap can be expensive – so spending money on even just one or two good quality knives (for instance, one plain edge knife and one serrated knife) can be an investment and last you many years.
Other essential kitchen knives, according to chef and cookbook author Ina Garten, include a chef’s knife, a paring knife, a slicing knife and a bread knife.
3. Pots, Pans & Bakeware
When it comes to pots and pans, it’s important to remember that you don’t need one in every size available.
Instead, your kitchen should at the bare minimum have the following: both a large and a medium-sized skillet, a decent non-stick pan, a medium to large saucepan, and a large stockpot.
Remember, when it comes to sizes – you can make something small in something big, but you can’t always make something big in something small.
Another great necessity to have in the kitchen is a casserole dish that can double as a cake or roasting pan.
Non-stick bakeware, pots and pans are also preferred as they’re easy to use and can last a good number of years. Just make sure that your utensils are non-stick friendly as well!
4. Dinnerware & Glassware
If you’re keen on entertaining guests at home, you are going to have to prepare the following household essentials, regardless of how much or how little cooking you do.
Dinnerware, glassware and silverware are must-haves in your household, and if you’re unsure of where to start, simple is always best.
Purchasing sets are great because they are budget-friendly (i.e. there’s no need to purchase each item individually) and with this, they also ensure that you have an equal amount of all the necessary items for each guest.
Pro tip: purchase a set that can be used at any meal, and have a good selection of glassware too.
We recommend that you start with mugs for hot drinks and tumblers for juice, and then you can look into getting yourself a beautiful set of wine glasses, champagne flutes, or both!
5. Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
Mixing bowls are essential because they can be used for a whole bunch of different things.
For instance, you can use a mixing bowl to assemble a salad, to mix cake or pancake batter, to marinade meat, or even to serve a packet of potato chips in – the possibilities are endless!
We prefer stainless steel mixing bowls because they are so versatile, but glass ones work too.
Either way, both are super easy to clean since they’re one color and you’ll quickly be able to spot which ones need a little extra TLC with the scrub brush.
When it comes to sizes, we would recommend picking up one large and one medium-sized mixing bowl; having at least two mixing bowls is a good place to start.
6. A Reliable Blender
Gone are the days when kitchen blenders were only used for the creation of milkshakes and smoothies.
Blenders have since become increasingly popular and there are more reliable ones now that are also multi-functional.
For instance, blenders can be used to make quick and easy soups, to crush almonds for homemade almond milk, and our personal favorite – to create quick, simple and tasty pesto right from your kitchen.
When it comes to wattage, anything above 500 should do the trick, but the higher the better (especially if you plan on using your blender for a wide variety of recipes).
Trust us, this is a household essential that you’re going to want to spend a little extra on!
7. Other Small Appliances
Of course, the list here could be quite lengthy, but the great thing about small appliances is that you can slowly add to them over time or once you have settled into your home.
And while narrowing this particular list down has been a task, there are three items that we feel you should have from the get-go: a kettle, a toaster, and a microwave.
You can either invest in these appliances right off the bat as they will be around for quite some time (and they are arguably the ones that will receive the most usage in the kitchen), but if you are on a tight budget, you can always find something inexpensive that can be used in the meantime.
8. A Dustpan & Broom
These are two essentials that absolutely every house needs, and before you panic about having to add more to your list, the good news here is that there’s no need to break the bank.
Purchasing a dustpan and broom that are more on the cheaper side of things shouldn’t be an issue because essentially, they all do the same thing.
However, if you have a preference like us, the price could vary.
We prefer an angled-bristle broom so that corners and other hard to reach places are easier to clean, and a dustpan that ideally clips to the broom itself.
As Donna Smallin, The One-Minute Cleaner, says: “That way, they’re always together when you need them!”
9. A Versatile Vacuum
Speaking of cleaning, if you have the budget for it, a versatile vacuum is also a must-have.
Floors get dirty – especially when there are kids and pets around – so a vacuum cleaner is a really good way to tidy up a mess in far less time.
A good vacuum is an investment so get one that should be able to last you a good couple of years.
A home with clean floors can do wonders for improving comfort levels and peace of mind, and if you are someone who struggles to focus or get things done amidst a mess, this truly is an essential that ought to be made a priority for your home.
10. Laundry Essentials
When it comes to laundry and keeping your clothing fresh, there are a handful of essentials that can make the job much easier to manage.
Purchasing a laundry basket is a great place to start, and from there you can pick out a washing detergent and fabric softener.
Choosing a fragrance that you love can be a great encouragement in getting through the masses; and if your wardrobe is mostly casual, you might also be able to get away without an ironing board.
Pro tip: an iron is likely to come in handy, but instead of purchasing both, you can always just use a towel-covered table as a makeshift ironing board in the meantime.
11. Storage Solutions
You know what they say – you can never have enough storage space! And while this can be a struggle for some (especially those living in apartments or smaller spaces), there are ways to be smart about utilising your space.
For example, in the kitchen fridge, you can use storage containers for leftover food and to avoid waste.
These are handy, along with a few basic organizers to keep your kitchen cupboards and drawers tidy so that items can be easier to retrieve.
In the bedroom, we would suggest getting yourself a few shelf organizers to help section and store your clothes and underwear.
12. A First Aid Kit
For the health and safety of your family, a first aid kit or medicine box is crucial to have in case of emergency.
We recommend having two: one for emergencies, and one for personal use.
The emergency kit can be used for minor traumatic injuries (such as burns, cuts, splinters, sprains and strains), and the personal use kit can be used for medical items to help ease common symptoms of viral respiratory infections, gastrointestinal issues and allergies.
There are too many items for us to list, but we recommend starting with adhesive tape and bandages, anaesthetic spray, an oral antihistamine for allergic reactions, pain medication for headaches, and tweezers for splinters.
13. A Basic Toolbox
Everybody needs a couple of tools around the house for when accidents happen.
And like a first aid kit, this can either be bought as a whole or curated for yourself.
Here are a couple of tools that we feel essential to any household toolbox, but you can always add a few more if and where necessary: a screwdriver set, a tape measure, a hammer, a set of pliers, and a utility knife.
There’s no need to call for maintenance assistance when you have tools to fix the smaller things yourself!
Stock up on the essentials, get yourself a manual and do it the old fashioned way – all by yourself.
14. Power Outage Essentials
Don’t get caught in the dark unprepared!
Gather up the essentials for when unexpected power outages occur and save yourself the added and unnecessary stress.
First thing’s first – you’re going to need a reliable flashlight.
Having a working flashlight on hand could play a vital role in the occurrence of short-term or long-term power outages.
Then, once you have the flashlight sorted, you can also stock up on things like bottled water, candles, batteries and perhaps some canned food too just in case.
15. Get Fresh With Hurley’s
Visit us at Hurley’s to stock up on your household essentials, or check out our online store to shop online and order the necessities for pickup or home delivery.
At Hurley’s, we also love to spoil our customers so be sure to pick up your very own Hurley’s Advantage Card to earn points while you shop!
We offer a number of limited-time rewards events throughout the year, exclusive to Hurley’s Advantage members, where you can redeem your points for free groceries and more.
We can’t wait to see you soon!
