Need Help ... Setting up a new home!

[DMickey28]

Ok folks. I need some help. We just moved into our first house this weekend. We were living with family so a lot of the basic household items got tossed in Florida before we moved in June.

I am asking for help for my shopping list of basics to start the house with from Super Walmart. So far on my list are Trash can for kitchen, laundry basic, olive oil and flour!!

What should I get ASAP? What can wait a bit? Money is a little tight but not bad. I can't go out and get furniture or any big purchases but the basics I can handle.

I have dish detergent, laundry detergent, one bar of soap, shampoo and bathroom supplies. I have milk, juice, soda, water, butter and eggs. I have dishes and all that stuff. I have a broom and swiffer. I have basic cleaning supplies.

I do not have much in the way of lamps or lighting when it gets dark. I don't have basic kitchen cookings ingredients. I have all the pots and pans and stuff.

I need a list of basic kitchen food supplies to start with.

I am just so overwhelmed. I have a family room full of boxes, a two car garage full of boxes and a living room full of DS's toys! He is sleeping on a matress in the nursery with all his new bedroom furniture piled in his room which needs to be painted/decorated. Then I can move him in there and get to the nursery after the holidays. I need to paint the family room and the kitchen but nothing that is not liveable for now.

[DMickey28]

Please anyone? Thanks!!

[Handbag Lady]

First off, I would get a fire extinguisher for the kitchen. Having had one small kitchen fire, I now have two, one on each end of my galley-style kitchen.

Food staples: pasta, jarred sauce, cheese squares, bread, butter, flour, sugar. Meats that are freeze-able: chicken and ground beef.

Cleaning supplies: Ooops, saw you have a Swiffer already. Re-fills?

Look for a kitchen witch at Wall-Mart: these have all of the basic kitchen items in them and cost less than buying all at once.

Trash-can liners.

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Do it like you were packing for a trip. (visualize what is needed for each day)

visualize getting up in the morning, go for breakfast, what do you need to make breakfast? (food, spoons fork knives, pots or pans, etc) then write down what you dont have. then getting ready for the day. shower/bath (need towels, bath rugs, shower cap, soap dish etc) again write down what you dont have.

clothing (hangers needed?) and so on.

do that for a "day" and you will get a good idea.

[Frantasmic]

Depending on your likes/dislikes:

salt, pepper, tea, coffee, flour, sugar, cooking oil, box or two of cereal, bisquick, eggs, milk, peanut butter, jelly, butter, bread, potatoes, fruit you enjoy, baking soda, baking powder, other misc condiments (ketchup, mustard, mayo, pickles?), some canned vegetables (or frozen) you enjoy

That list would be a good start.

[barkley]

if you have children then get the emergency stuff you won't need till the middle of the night when everything's closed and the last thing you want to do is going to the store-cool mist humidifier, otc meds/ointments, nasal bulb...
child safety items should be installed as a high priority 'to do'.

as for household-fire extinguishers (multiple), batteries (for fire alarms and such), toilet plunger, toilet brush, mop, spot cleaner (if you have carpet).

kitchen basics-think of how much time you have to cook and try to pick things that use the least ingredients. pasta might seem good but remember you will need pasta, sauce AND oil (although you can get a can of pam type spray and do double duty with it for this purpose-just spray into the water). meatloaf takes too many separate spices-do salsbury steak instead (ground beef with salt and pepper and a package of brown gravy mix). soup starter only takes meat and water, 'brown bag chili mix' only takes ground beef, a can of tomato sauce and water...stuff like that till you stock up. any box mixes compare what they take for ingredients (some corn bread take oil and a egg, some only take water-less products to buy).


suggestion-for some household and kitchen items forget using walmart, hit the dollar store instead. you can get 4 times as many scrubbie sponges for 1/3 the price so even if they only last half as long you're still way ahead. they have kitchen untensils, brand name cleaning products and the stuff that adds up way to quick at even walmart. save money there for the bigger purchases.