New home essentials - the must haves for a new house

Buying your first home is exciting, but once you have the keys, it can be hard to know what to buy for a new house immediately and what can wait until you’re settled in. In this blog we go through the must haves that you need to set up straight away such as utilities and good cleaning products to kitchen essentials. We then go further into additional new home essentials such as basic furniture and important safety and security items.

The most important things to set up first are:

• Utilities (electricity, gas, broadband, home alarm)
• Safety items like smoke alarms
• Basic cleaning supplies
• Bed and essential furniture
• Kitchen basics
• Most important of all, you need to make sure you have at least a couple of tea bags and your favourite mug packed!

What to do immediately when moving into a new house

Utilities and set-up basics

When thinking about the must haves for a new house, your core services should come first:

• Electricity and gas
• Broadband and Wi-Fi
• Bins and waste collection
• Postal address update

It is particularly important to have these things in order for winter, when you may be spending more time at home. See our full winter home maintenance checklist to see how you can prepare.

Cleaning and hygiene essentials

A clean space can help you feel settled faster and is an important part of any new home. Start with:

• Toilet roll (Don’t get caught out!)
• Soap
• Towel
• Multi-purpose cleaning spray
• Mop
• Vacuum
• Cloths and sponges

Even if your home has been cleaned before you move in, having your own supplies ready from day one makes a difference. It can help to do a quick clean before you unpack.

New home must haves - What to buy when moving into a new house

Furniture: start with the basics

If you’re wondering what furniture to buy for a new house, you don’t need everything at once. Focus on the essentials you’ll use every day:

• Bed and mattress
• Sofa
• Dining table and chairs
• Storage

Choose practical and comfortable pieces first. You can build out each room over time as you get a better feel for your space, instead of buying everything before you know what you really need.

If you’re ready to start looking at your work from home set up, see our blog on home office design ideas.

Kitchen essentials for a new home

Your kitchen is one of the most important areas to set up early. As part of your must haves for a new house, focus on simple essentials that help you prepare basic meals:

• Glasses and mugs
• Plates, bowls and cutlery
• Pots and a pan
• Kettle
• Chopping board and knives

Keeping it simple at the start makes things easier while you settle in. You can always add extra appliances, serving dishes and cooking tools later, once you know what you use most.

Safety and security

Safety is a key part of any moving house checklist. From day one, make sure you have:

• Home alarm
• Smoke alarms (and check they work)
• Carbon monoxide alarm, especially if you have gas, oil or solid fuel appliances
• First aid kit
• Torch

You may also want to test alarms as soon as you move in and check locks and window security, especially in older homes.

Adding the final touch

Once the basics are in place, you can start adding items that help your house feel like home:

• Curtains
• Bedding and towels
• Cushions and throws
• Rugs

These small changes can have a big impact on comfort and help your space feel more settled. Don’t forget to consider the garden, see our blog on how to transform your garden on a budget. If you’re still working within a budget after moving in, there are plenty of great ideas in our guide to making your home look more expensive on a budget.

New home essentials checklist

What you must do first when you move in

1. Set up electricity, gas and broadband
2. Check smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
3. Clean all food areas, toilets, and high touch areas
4. Update your address

What to buy first when moving home

1. Bed and mattress
2. Basic furniture such as a sofa and dining table.
3. Basic kitchen essentials for easy meal preparation
4. Storage items to prevent a post move mess
5. Safety items such as an alarm or new locks

What you should do within first week

• Get cleaning supplies for a deeper clean
• Buy basic kitchen items
• Arrange waste collections

What can wait until you’re settled

• Buy decorative items
• Upgrade furniture

Focus on what matters most

Moving into your first home is an exciting step. While you might want to have everything ready straight away, most homes come together over time.

By following a clear moving house checklist and focusing on the essentials first, you can create a space that works for you from the start and build on it gradually.

Buying your first home comes with plenty of new costs. That’s why having clarity around your mortgage repayments can make a real difference. With Avant Money’s One Mortgage, you can fix your rate for the full mortgage term, giving you more certainty when planning your monthly budget.* Plus, with 1% back in cash, you’ll have a little extra support for some of those early home essentials.

*One Mortgage unique/only claim and claim of competitive follow-on variable rates based on comparison against competitor mortgage products as advertised on their websites at 1st August 2026. One Mortgage is designed to give a fixed rate for the full mortgage term (between 5 and 30 years), whereas competitor Fixed Rate Mortgage products are designed to provide a fixed rate for a set number of years (between 1 and 10), following which they revert to a managed variable rate or a new fixed rate.

** Cashback is available on a New or Top-Up Mortgage drawn down between 1 January 2026 and 31 December 2026. For phased drawdown mortgages, the cashback amount will be calculated based on the initial mortgage drawdown amount.

Lending criteria and terms and conditions apply. The monthly repayment on a 20-year mortgage with Loan to Value (LTV) greater than 80% with variable borrowing rate of 3.95% on a mortgage of €100,000 is €603.35 for 240 months. Total amount repayable is €145,028.74. If interest rates increase by 1% an additional €53.85 would be payable per month. For this example, Annual Percentage Rate of Charge (APRC) of 4.0% applies and consists of variable borrowing rate of 3.95%, valuation fee of €185, and security release fee of €40.

LTV is the amount borrowed as percentage of the value of your home. Information correct at 1st August 2026 and subject to change. You mortgage your home to secure the loan. Maximum loan is generally 3.5 times gross annual income (4.0 for first time buyers) and 90% of the property value (80% for switchers). Applications from residents of ROI over the age of 18 only, and subject to repayment capacity, financial status and property valuation. We require property and life insurance.

Bankinter S.A. trading as Avant Money, is authorised by the Banco de Espana in Spain and is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland for consumer protection rules.