First-home furniture checklist

• Fridge freezer
• Cooker or hob and oven (check if they are included in the sale)
• Kettle, toaster, microwave
• Pans, a frying pan, a baking tray
• Plates, bowls, mugs, glasses, cutlery
• Sharp knife, chopping board, colander, wooden spoon, tin opener
• Bin and bin bags, washing-up bits, tea towels
• Washing machine

• Bed and mattress
• Two sets of bedding and pillows
• Curtains or blinds (measure before you move)
• Wardrobe or rail, chest of drawers
• Lamp, hangers, mirror

• Towels, toilet roll, shower curtain if needed
• Bath mat, bin, toilet brush, plunger
• Cleaning products

• Sofa (measure the doorways)
• TV and stand, or a wall mount
• Coffee table, lamp, rug
• Curtains or blinds

• Light bulbs (sellers often take them)
• Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
• Extension leads, batteries, a basic toolkit
• Vacuum cleaner, mop, bucket
• Ironing board and iron
• First aid kit, torch

Local buy-and-sell groups, charity furniture shops and end-of-line sales at the big retailers can furnish a flat for a few hundred pounds. Buy the mattress and sofa new; almost everything else can be second hand.