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A minimalist lifestyle involves owning the things that only add value and meaning to your life, removing everything else that’s unnecessary and unessential. Living as a minimalist means striving only to own the things that truly serve a purpose in your life. Nonetheless, as you move into a new apartment, you will need furnishing and investing in essential items for your new home.
Whether or not you lead a minimalist lifestyle, furnishing and decorating a new apartment can still be financially, mentally, and physically draining. The good news is that as a minimalist, you can plan appropriately for your move and create a checklist for the essentials you need.
Doing so eliminates any financial and mental strain, helping you effortlessly get everything you need for that perfect minimalist apartment. So, we’ve curated a special minimalist apartment checklist to ensure you have everything you need when you move into your apartment this year.
Here’s a list of all the essentials you’ll need for your new apartment;
Entry Area Essentials
When exploring the principles of minimalism, it is essential to understand that minimalism isn’t only about your possessions. After all, it’s a lifestyle! Therefore, as you decorate your new apartment, the setting and ambiance you create have to reflect minimalism. This doesn’t mean your apartment shouldn’t feel like a home, either.
While creating a neat and open-style setting, you still need to add the right essentials for a functional entryway. Remember, these same essentials will help you maintain a clean, neat, and simplistic entryway. For example, hooks and hangers will help you organize outerwear, like jackets and coats, while an area rug gives life to the apartment.
Here are the essentials for an entryway:
Welcome mat
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Area rug
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Coat Rack Stand
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Kitchen Area Essentials
Your kitchen will probably be the only place in your home with many items. Setting up your kitchen, you have to think of essentials for eating, cooing & meal prep, and organization.
Eating Essentials
When planning for eating essentials, you have to consider your basic needs and other factors, like hosting friends, etc. For the perfect minimalist setup, don’t splurge on expensive intricately decorating fine china or gold plated utensils. Instead, simple is always better.
Opt for serve ware, dinnerware, and utensils that feature a simple design to blend in with any interior décor or occasion. To save space and expenses, go for options you can use daily and during a special event. You don’t need a dozen plates and glasses for separate occasions.
Here’s a list of eating and serving essentials to get;
Plates
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Bowls
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Mugs
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Drinking Glasses
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Wine Glasses
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Silverware
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Tip: You can always save more by investing in a set of serve ware and silverware.
Cooking & Food Prep Essentials
Minimalist apartment essentials shouldn’t necessarily include a commercial-style flat top or fancy ice cream maker. Go for the essential items that can transform your kitchen into a functional place. Furthermore, you don’t have to stock up on dozens of things you may not use after all.
For example, two pots, a single saucepan, and two skillets are enough to make a complete meal, even when hosting friends over. So, you don’t have to invest in a 24-piece pots and pans set the next time you go shopping. Plus, don’t forget essential appliances!
Here’s a list of essential cooking and food prep essentials;
Pots and pans (including a skillet)
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Baking set (optional)
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Prep bowls for dough or salad making
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Spatula
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Ladle
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Whisk
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Tongs
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Measuring Cups
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Measuring spoons
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Bottle Opener
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Corkscrew
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Dish Towel
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Cutting board
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Ice cube trays
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Can opener
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Sharp Knives
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Colander
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Trivets or hot pads
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Spices & herbs
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Kitchen Appliances
Refrigerator
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Electric Cooktop
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Oven
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Microwave
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Toaster
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Coffee maker
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Kettle
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Blender
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Kitchen Organization Essentials
Proper organization is a must-do for the perfect minimalist home. Therefore, you have to invest in essentials to help you do so. Don’t rely on just tossing your food and kitchen equipment anywhere in the cabinets or refrigerator. Instead, get appropriate organizational tools, like stands, contains, and zip bags for food to keep your kitchen neat and clutter-free at all times.
Here’s what to invest in for a neatly organized kitchen;
Trash Can
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DIsh Drying Rack
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Spice rack
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Food Storage Containers
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Silverware organizer
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Aluminum Foil
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Zip-top bags
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Eco Scrubbers
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Living Room Essentials
You will find yourself spending a lot of time in your living room, whether watching TV, reading a book, or lounging with friends. So, you want your living room to be as comfortable as possible. You can achieve this with the correct items while maintaining a minimalist setting.
As with other parts of your apartment, always go for the basics. Understandably, when shopping for your living room items, you will be tempted to invest in multiple decorative accessories. For example, when it comes to your living room décor, opt for one or two wall art and add a maximum of two decorative pieces to prevent clutter.
Here’s a list of essential items to get for a comfortable minimalist living room;
Couch and chairs
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Coffee table
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Bookshelves
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Television
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TV Console
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Area rug
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Accent or Throw pillows
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Throw blanket
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Artwork
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Lamps
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Bedroom Essentials
Your bedroom should be your haven, a place for you to relax and rest. Therefore, this is why your most certainly want to optimize the minimalist setup. You want to include a few items as possible, allowing you to furnish your room strategically.
Here are essential items to get for your room;
Bed or bed frame
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Pillows
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Mattress
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Sheets
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Comforter
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Nightstand
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Lamp
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Dresser
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Hangers
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Laundry Hamper
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Curtains
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Alarm clocks
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Bathroom Essentials
On your apartment checklist, you should also include essentials for your bathroom. Depending on the number of bathrooms you have, you may have to double basic items for your bathroom.
Here’s a list of essential items for your bathroom;
Shower curtains
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Shower curtain rings
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Bath mat
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Trash can
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Towels
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Hand soap
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Toothbrush
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Toothpaste
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Washcloths
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Hand towel
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Toilet paper
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Toilet brush
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Toilet plunger
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Other Essentials
In addition to room essentials for different parts of the apartment, you have to invest in overall essentials like cleaning items. Moreover, you must include functional essentials, such as extension cords, bulbs for your lamps, and even a WiFi router for your apartment internet connection.
Here’s a list of basic needs for maintaining a functional minimalist apartment;
Cleaning supplies
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Paper towels
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Rags
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Duster
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Laundry soap
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Fabric Softener
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Trash bags
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Robot Vacuum Cleaner
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Extension cords
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Internet router
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Light bulbs
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Lastly, get a basic toolbox you can neatly put away in the kitchen cabinet for when you need to fix or DIY items around the house. Doing so will save you quite for handyman services. The essential items to include;
Screwdrivers
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Hammer
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Duck tape
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Pliers
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Wrench
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Masking tape
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A Few Tips for Styling Your Home
Ultimately, moving into and furnishing an apartment for a minimalist should never be approached like furnishing a regular one. A minimalist apartment should still have life and bring the same joy you feel in any fulfilling home. However, you want to avoid going overboard when setting up your apartment.
While you can incorporate decorative, add-on items to give it life, you don’t necessarily have to get extra-large elaborative decorate pillows or the most delicate custom-made china. The three fundamental principles to live by should be to take up little space, get the necessary, and save money along the way.
With a complete checklist for your apartment, the next step should be doing the required tasks or getting the items needed. Before moving into this stage, you have to consider various factors before investing in the items required.
Here are a few tips to live by;
- When getting bigger items for your home, like appliances or furniture, make sure you go for options to match your apartment size. For example, you don’t want to get a 6-plate stovetop or a large L-shaped cushioned sofa for a compact kitchen or living room, respectively.
- Always think of quantity over quality during shopping. Doing so will help you prioritize and get little but good-quality items.
- The key to furnishing the perfect minimalist apartment is to know the right furnishing and decorating tips. Learn how to mix the different textures and colors. Get the idea that a true minimalist space must have traditional colors out of your mind. You don’t necessarily have to use the cliché gray and white colors to achieve a minimalist concept. You can use whichever color you want if strategically incorporated into your furnishing. For example, you can use varying tones of one or two particular colors and bring them to life by using different textures. Alternatively, to prevent your space from appearing “too busy,” you can use patterns with neutral colors or earth tones. Then, add bold colored pieces to bring out the textures and color tones. For example, you can use neutral or light color tones on huge items like sofas and add bold, dark colors, or dark color patterns through items like throws or curtains.
- While this is not an essential item, you can complement your minimalistic furnishing concept using a full-length mirror in your living room, bedroom, or bathroom, giving the illusion of a larger space than there is. This is an incredibly excellent add-on item for smaller apartments. But, to truly make use of this concept, you want to avoid cluttering the area you intend to set up the mirror
- Alternatively, add plants or other natural elements as part of your living room décor instead of thoughtless décor pieces. You can opt for succulents that thrive indoors or natural pieces, like woven baskets (double as storage for throws or pillows). As a plus, using these storage baskets also offer a stylish alternative for reducing clutter around your living room.
- Keep it simple, whether you choose a large furniture piece or a more miniature artwork as part of the décor. You don’t have to overdo it with intricate patterns or bright colors. Adding multiple patterns and brighter colors can vary easily, giving the illusion that your living space is cramped.
- Keeping your space neat is also an effective way to maintain a minimalistic concept. After filtering through things you need and don’t need, elevate the ones you choose to keep. For example, you can use neutral color-toned frames to hang up sentimental items like family photos or your niece’s drawings.
- Ultimately, don’t forget to give your home character and personality. In this case, you want to maintain your own unique style. Mix and match items that appeal to you during your furnishing and decorating process.
Final Verdict
Having the right functional checklist for a minimalist apartment is perhaps the best way to ensure you truly achieve the perfect living space for a minimalist. While having the correct checklist ensures you don’t forget everything you need, it is for sure a foolproof method for capping the purchase of items you certainly do not need!
Moreover, a good checklist helps with planning and visualizing your new apartment. Along with our editor’s recommended picks, our specially curated apartment checklist for a minimalist takes you a step closer to creating your idealistic haven!
