Living Alone for the First Time? Start With This Checklist

When you live alone for the first time, start with a short list: the kitchen and bathroom basics, a few tools, some safety habits and somewhere comfortable to sit. Everything else can wait. You will soon find out how little you need, and the money you save can go on the things you come to love.

Below is the checklist I’d hand to anyone moving into their first home on their own, with a few things I learned along the way.

What surprised me most about living alone

The calm. I expected to feel the gaps where other people used to be, and instead I noticed how peaceful the house became. Nobody else’s noise, nobody else’s plans. The evenings were mine, and so was the quiet.

If you’re nervous about the silence, that’s completely normal. It can take a little while to feel like home, and keeping in touch helps. Here are a few ideas for calling family when you live alone.

What do you really need when you first live alone?

Much less than the shops suggest. For years I lived with someone who loved shopping, and I didn’t notice how much we had. When I started living on my own, I realised how few things I needed. You don’t need a huge stockpot or a set of twelve plates. Over time, you notice that a lot of what you thought you needed simply stays in the shop, and that feels good.

So buy the basics first, live with them for a month, then fill the gaps you notice. Use the checklists below as a starting point and cross off what you already have.

Kitchen checklist for one

☐  One small saucepan and one frying pan

☐  A kettle

☐  Two plates, two bowls and two mugs, so there is always a clean one and room for a guest

☐  Cutlery for two

☐  One sharp knife and a chopping board

☐  A wooden spoon, a spatula and a tin opener

☐  A baking tray

☐  A few food containers for leftovers and the freezer

☐  Two or three tea towels

☐  Washing-up liquid and a sponge

A small saucepan goes a long way. It’s all you need for porridge, soup or a cinnamon rice pudding for one.

Bathroom and cleaning checklist

☐  Two bath towels and a hand towel

☐  Toilet roll and a toilet brush

☐  A plunger, which you will be glad of exactly once

☐  An all-purpose cleaner and a few cloths

☐  A mop or a dustpan and brush

☐  Bin bags

☐  A small first aid kit with plasters and painkillers

Bedroom and living room checklist

☐  A comfortable bed or mattress, the one place worth spending a little more

☐  Two sets of bedding, so one can be in the wash

☐  Curtains or blinds for privacy from the first night

☐  One comfortable place to sit

☐  A lamp, because the big ceiling light is rarely cosy

☐  A phone charger that lives by the bed

Once the basics are in place, a corner with a chair, a lamp and a few books makes a home feel lived in. My cosy reading corner ideas work in even a very small space.

The small things people forget

These are the items you only think about when you suddenly need them.

☐  A torch and spare batteries

☐  A few spare light bulbs in the right fittings

☐  An extension lead

☐  A basic toolkit: screwdrivers, a hammer, a tape measure and picture hooks

☐  Scissors and strong tape

☐  A long, sturdy shoehorn

☐  A spare key, left with someone you trust

The shoehorn might seem like an odd choice, but I’d recommend a big, heavy one. It saves your shoes and your back every single day, and a solid one lasts for years.

For the stopcock, the fuse box and what to do in a power cut, read my guide to home basics to know when you live alone.

Safety checklist for living alone

Feeling safe is what lets you relax at home, so it’s worth setting up properly in the first week.

☐  Check every evening that the doors and windows are locked. It takes a minute and becomes a habit quickly.

☐  Fit at least one camera or video doorbell by the front door, so you can see who is there before you open it.

☐  Use a door chain or a door viewer if your door has room for one.

☐  Keep an outside light on a timer or sensor.

☐  Test the smoke alarm and the carbon monoxide alarm once a month.

☐  Make sure one person always knows roughly where you are, especially if you travel.

☐  Avoid posting online that you live alone or that you’re away from home.

In the UK, point a home camera at your own door and path rather than the street or a neighbour’s garden. The Information Commissioner’s Office has simple guidance on home CCTV if you’d like to check the rules.

What you can skip buying

Before you fill your basket, give these a month. Many people find they never miss them.

• Large pots and pans for cooking for a crowd
• Full dinner sets and matching glasses in sixes
• Kitchen gadgets that do one job, like egg slicers or avocado tools
• Lots of decor bought all at once, before you know how the room feels
• Duplicates of things you already own somewhere in a box

If you want to keep costs low while you settle in, my guide to slow living on a budget has 20 free ideas and a no-spend weekend plan.

A few questions

What should I buy first when I move out?

Start with somewhere to sleep, bedding, a kettle, one saucepan, a towel, toilet roll and a way to lock your door safely. Most other things can wait a week or two.

How can I feel safer living alone?

Build small habits: check the locks every evening, fit a camera by the front door, keep an outside light on and let someone know your plans. After a few weeks, they become automatic.

Is it normal to find living alone strange at first?

Yes. Most people need a few weeks to settle. Give yourself time and let the quiet slowly become yours.

If you’d like a simple way to settle into a slower routine in your new home, my free Slow Living Tracker is waiting in the Zeny Lane Freebie Library. Join the newsletter to get it, along with my other printable gifts.

Welcome to your own little place.

With warmth, Zeny