What are your must haves for setting up a home?

A means of cooking - microwave ?

Essential is bed (and bedding), chair, table, crockery, cutlery, pans, a casserole dish, a cooker, kitchen utensils such as knives, kettle, washing machine, storage (eg wardrobe, bookcase, linen cupboard).

Next level would include a fridge, curtains, rugs, a tv, a toaster, a freezer.

Then a microwave, a slow cooker and air fryer - not strictly essential but a microwave helps for heating leftovers and all save money on fuel.

I reserve the right to change my mind if someone more sensible has better ideas

Cooker, fridge, washing machine, kettle, pots and pans, sofa, bed, soft furnishings such as bedding and towels.

See! I forgot towels .

And something that makes her happy- a picture, a throw, a scented candle - so she doesn’t feel she’s just existing. I think that’s essential too.

For a treat, one of the new light soft washable electric blankets, to keep her cosy in and out of bed.
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174223880132
cheap for heating with no other source.

An electric blanket would be a must have for me

I also think a myst have, which can be something small depending on budget, is something she chooses for herself.

It's going to be second hand for a while by the sounds of it, possibly not her taste and I'm sure she will be so grateful...

But something she chooses might be a lively start to her new life that she can build on. Even if it's just a duvet set or a dinner service

Wishing you both well

Noone’s mentioned a small cheap vacuum cleaner . She will need to clean the apartment before she settles in. Duster and polish. A nice fresh smell for a fresh new start. I send my good wishes to your granddaughter - hope all goes well ! ☘️

A little hamper (tea bags/coffee/sugar/milk/biscuits)also kitchen & toilet rolls/light bulbs/hand wash. Bedside lamp and a throw for sofa. Lastly,bottle of fizz alcoholic or non to toast a new start 🥂
Lots of happiness

crazyH

Noone’s mentioned a small cheap vacuum cleaner . She will need to clean the apartment before she settles in. Duster and polish. A nice fresh smell for a fresh new start. I send my good wishes to your granddaughter - hope all goes well ! ☘️

We have a vacuum cleaner she can have but the place will be clean prior to her moving in. Duster and cleaning products are a good addition. Thank you crazyH for your good wishes. It's far from an ideal situation.

I should have mentioned we are in Australia so a fridge is an essential for when she moves in, particularly at this time of the year.

Cookers are always a part of the kitchen here so that is taken care of. Also window coverings are already in place as is heating and cooling.

What about basics for the pantry - flour, sugar, tea coffee, jams/spreads, dairy.

Doodledog I think your idea of something special is a good one.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions, I'm building a list.
So often it is the small things that are not only forgotten but also add up in price without really seeing much for your money.

Is she fussy about her appearance? An ironing board and iron helps.
And being very practical, bins!

When my daughter moved into her first place I took her supermarket shopping for a basic pantry. Salt, pepper, oxo, herbs, sauces etc the sort of thing always in the store cupboard but can be expensive to start from scratch.

Insurance, if appropriate.
Lampshades, if there are none, loo brush, hairdryer (if she uses one).
Tea towels, washing up liquid, washing powder.
I hope she settles in well.

Make sure she has a back up fund for emergencies she just may need it.
A good bed settee if she can find one and a cosy throw.

Have a good look around thrift & charity shops she will find many good items she can make use of ie... books & bookcase etc.

If you live near an IKEA they do complete starter sets for students setting up home. Not sure how much they are but you could check what they contain..

Joseanne

Is she fussy about her appearance? An ironing board and iron helps.
And being very practical, bins!

Ahh that made me smile. After my daughter left home I don’t think she ever used an iron again. Well she never did actually, because I ironed all her clothes until she went to university. But maybe Spice’s granddaughter does use an iron so I definitely think ironing board and iron are necessary.
I only listed essentials in my first post so I would say some little luxuries might be nice such as bathroom products like Molten Brown or L’Occitane, or scented candles, or a lovely fluffy dressing gown to snuggle down with in the evening. The box of essential groceries is a good idea too.

Can she cook? Or should you include a simple recipe book.

In the UK, go to auction sales, furniture sells for ludicrously low prices. We recently paid £20 for a six foot pine bookcase, of the kind pinseshops sell for £300.

I suspect it might be the same down under.

I don't think she uses an iron, she can cook and enjoys cooking but any recipes she may need she can look up on the www

She will look on various internet sites for things she may need in the way of furniture and there always seem to be someone putting good things on the nature strip for anyone that might want them.

Many of the suggested items I had thought of but there have been a few that I'd not so thank you to everyone who has contributed.

Very basic items: measuring jug, colander, kitchen scales, can opener, coffee mugs, spatula, cutlery, toilet rolls, a mirror, tv, echo dot. Sorry if any of these have been mentioned already. Hope she enjoys her new start.

Good knives, essential to cooking. Scissors.

It depends what's already in the unit.

You already mentioned a fridge so perhaps a small freezer too. Or fridge/freezer

There seem to be more laundrettes in Australia so perhaps a washing machine isn't essential.

It's surprising how little you can manage with and perhaps she can write a list as she goes and you can help her out when she sees what she does need.

Good luck

Yes Callistemon, I think other than a few absolute essentials that may be the best way. We can also just give her some $'s to use as she needs. It's going to be a huge learning curve for her but the biggest hurdle is to find something. The rental market is crazy at the moment. Many landlords sold their properties when the mortgage rates started going up and many house owners have sold for the same reason and now not being able to pay the mortgages so it means they are also looking for rentals.

She has been shortlisted for a few but missed out but fingers crossed has now reached the next stage of referees being contacted.

pascal30

If you live near an IKEA they do complete starter sets for students setting up home. Not sure how much they are but you could check what they contain..

Great idea. When we bought our first caravan about 25 years ago we got those. We got dinner and tea plates, cups and saucers, knives forks, spoons and teaspoons and glasses very reasonably.

Also, what about tea towels, a wooden spoon, spatula, kitchen scissors? Ikea probably sells packs of those, too.

I just helped a friend's son do this and he really didn't want lots of things that were offered to him.
The place he moved to had an oven and hob. He does cook quite well but said he really didn't feel inclined to do much "at the moment".

He said he wanted only the basics so he could choose things he liked as soon as he had some spare cash. Also, he didn't want to feel this place would be permanent. He felt it was important emotionally to be a bit "light" on stuff.

He didn't have a bed only a mattress so that was his no1 priority along with 2 lots of bedding so he didn't have to wash/dry the same day.

After that he wanted:
a table and chair(s) - so he could work from home at least some of the time
a kettle and very little in the way of crockery/cutlery/pans etc.
He already had a small fridge and said he could manage without a freezer.

He took an Anglepoise type lamp which he could use for work or reading.
He didn't want a TV as he has a computer with 2 huge screens.

He was, however, delighted to be offered a bath mat (!)