📦 Moving and new homes

Dish towels

4 towels for the group

Amazon search: “kitchen towels”

Oven mitts

2 mitts for the group

Kitchen trash bags (13 gallon)

Hefty Strong 13-gallon kitchen bags, 90 count

A big box of drawstring kitchen bags.

Good for: Monthly restock

One of the most searched household items on Amazon.

Large trash bags (30 gallon or more)

20 bags for the group

Amazon search: “30 gallon trash bags”

Contractor bags

For heavy, wet or sharp debris.

20 bags for the group

Amazon search: “contractor trash bags”

Laundry pods

Keep pods up high and away from kids.

Bathroom cleaner

1 bottle for the group

Toilet bowl cleaner

1 bottle for the group

Mop and bucket

1 set for the group

Amazon search: “mop and bucket set”

Broom and dustpan

1 set for the group

Microfiber cloths

1 pack for the group

Heavy-duty work gloves

For cleanup after storms and floods.

1 pair per adult

Amazon search: “work gloves”

Shower caddy

1 caddy each

Amazon search: “shower caddy portable”

Shower shoes

1 pair each

Amazon search: “shower sandals”

Bath towels

2 towels each

Surge protector

2 protectors for the group

Carbon monoxide alarm

First Alert CO605 plug-in CO alarms, 3-pack

Plug-in CO alarms with battery backup, one for each level.

Good for: Every floor

2 alarms for the group

Put one on each floor and near sleeping areas. Ready.gov warns about CO from generators and heaters.

Fire blanket

A top-converting item in Amazon's emergency preparedness searches.

1 blanket for the group

Amazon search: “fire blanket for kitchen”

Furniture anchors

CPSC urges anchoring dressers and TVs.

1 kit for the group

Amazon search: “furniture anti tip kit”

Basic tool kit

CRAFTSMAN 57-piece home tool set

Hammer, pliers, screwdrivers, sockets and a tape in one case.

Good for: First apartment

1 kit for the group

Tape measure

STANLEY PowerLock 25-foot tape measure

The classic 25-foot tape.

Good for: Every toolbox

1 tape measure for the group

Screwdriver set

1 set for the group

Hammer

1 hammer for the group

Utility knife

1 knife for the group

Amazon search: “box cutter”

Command hooks and strips

1 pack for the group

Amazon search: “command strips”

Desk lamp

1 lamp each

Amazon search: “led desk lamp”

Moving boxes

Roughly 10 boxes per room is a common starting count; heavy rooms like kitchens need more.

Amount varies

Packing tape

4 rolls for the group

First-night box

Sheets, toiletries, chargers, medicine, snacks and a change of clothes.

1 box for the group

Amazon search: “storage bin with lid”

Twin XL sheets

Most dorm beds are twin XL; check with the school.

2 sets each

Tape gun

Scotch ST-181 tape gun

A padded-grip dispenser for 2-inch packing tape.

Good for: Moving day

1 tape gun for the group

Bed sheets

Two sets: one on the bed, one in the wash.

2 sets for the group

Amazon search: “queen sheet set”