125 Essential Household Items You Should Have at Home Somewhere
Home is where the heart is — but it takes more than love to run a household. Whether you’re creating your very first home or you’re constantly reaching for supplies you never stocked in the first place, we’ve got you covered. Our list of 125 essential household items runs from essential cleaning supplies to must-have kitchen equipment to things that create a happier home.
This is all based on the collective wisdom of the Apartment Therapy editors, people who think about what makes a happy, healthy home all freakin’ day, every day. We’ve got some opinions! But we’re fairly confident our experience applies to a lot of you. And we’ve got it all divvied up by category to make stocking up easier.
Tools & Supplies
- A flathead screwdriver
- A Phillips head screwdriver
- Pliers
- An electric screwdriver or power drill
- A hammer
- A tape measure
- Level
- An assortment of nails (for different sized jobs)
- Extra screws, nuts, and bolts (in case you need to quickly replace any furniture hardware that goes missing)
- A toolbox
- A step ladder
- A box cutter
- Duct tape
- Transparent tape
- Electrical tape
- Oil and water-displacing spray (such as WD-40)
- Extension cords
Kitchen Equipment
- Dish cloths
- A dish scrub brush or sponge
- A drying rack (even if you have a dishwashing machine, it’s good to have a place to dry hand-washable items)
- Pot holders or oven mitts
- A skillet
- A measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Cutlery
- Paring knife
- Cutting board
- A baking pan (aluminum or glass)
- A nonstick saucepan and lid
- A pot (big enough to boil a pound of pasta)
- Drinking glasses
- Dinner plates
- Dinner bowls
- A mixing bowl
- A colander
- A can opener
- A bottle opener/corkscrew
- A whisk
- A cooking spoon
- Food storage containers, like Tupperware
- Ice cube trays
- A toaster
- A coffee maker (even if you don’t use it, you’ll be prepared for guests)
- Coffee mugs
- An electric kettle
- Hand mixer
- Baking sheet
- Meat thermometer
Cleaning Supplies
Be sure and check out the 40 tools that made our 2024 Cleaning Awards for more of our recommendations!
- All-purpose cleaner
- Disinfecting wipes
- Window cleaner
- A hand duster
- A detail brush
- A scrub brush
- A good cleaning cloth (microfiber or blue huck surgical towels)
- A utility belt or storage caddy (to carry your cleaning supplies around from room to room)
- A vacuum (handheld or larger variety)
- A broom and dustpan
- A mop
- Rubber gloves
- A plunger
- A toilet brush
- A bucket
Furniture
- A pouf
- A comfortable place to sit
- A coffee/side table (to set stuff on)
- A bed frame
- A mattress
- A good pillow
- A place to hang your clothes (if you don’t have a closet, consider a garment rack)
Decor
- Bath towels
- Hand towels
- Soft bed sheets
- A blanket or comforter
- A bath mat
- A flower vase (you never know when you’ll need it)
- Coasters
- Window treatments
- A clock
- A full-length mirror
- A lamp
- Area rug
- Wall art
Storage and Organizational Items
We love organizing things — so much so, that we created the Organization Awards to give our favorite organizers our heartiest recommendations!
- A place to hang your heavy coats (like a wall-mounted coat rack or wall hooks)
- A filing system (for important paperwork)
- Something to write on (pad of paper, notebook, etc.)
- A place to write on (desk, drop-leaf table, or lap desk)
- Bedside storage (even if it’s technically not a nightstand)
- A trash can (for every room)
- A laundry hamper
- Key hooks
- Desk organizer
- Storage cart
For Emergencies
- Smoke alarm
- Carbon monoxide detector
- Emergency candles (for power outages)
- Matches
- First-aid kit
- A finger splint
- Band-Aids
- Gauze and cloth tape (for deep cuts)
- A flashlight
- Ibuprofen/Aspirin (for unexpected headaches)
- A hand-crank or solar-powered phone charger
- A fire extinguisher
- An umbrella
- Bottled water (or a LifeStraw)
- Canned food
- Batteries
- Whistle
