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Moving Guides The Best First Purchase for Your New Home According to the MYMOVE Team

The Best First Purchase for Your New Home According to the MYMOVE Team

By Joe Supan
Updated August 11, 2022

No matter how many times you move, it’s always surprising how much stuff you need to get to fill out your new place. But even with all those boxes and bags piling up, some things stick out more than others. We asked the MYMOVE team to share their favorite purchases they made during a move. The results range from the delightfully unexpected to the can’t-believe-I-never thought-about-that. (Excuse us while we replace all our toilet seats.)

Our favorite first purchases

KitchenClouds Anti-Fatigue Kitchen Mat


KitchenClouds Anti-Fatigue Kitchen Mat
Image credit: amazon.com

Features

  • Made of thick PVC foam to relieve pressure when standing
  • Waterproof for easy cleaning
  • Available in three sizes and nine designs
  • Anti-slip bottom keeps mat from sliding
Buy it here

One of those purchases that will make you wonder how you ever lived without it, a kitchen mat is ideal for anyone who spends a lot of time standing in the kitchen. Anti-fatigue mats are one of the best methods for reducing joint pain and inflammation, and KitchenClouds has everything you need: a thick half-inch cushion, anti-skid base, and easy-to-clean surface.

Erik G. | Managing Editor

“I love my hardwood floors but hate how they hurt my feet and back. These soft mats are amazing. I do a lot of the dishwashing and cooking, so I spend a lot of time standing in front of the sink and kitchen island and this mat has made a huge difference. It matches our cabinet decor and is really durable. Can’t believe I waited so long to get it — total gamechanger!”

Samsung Smart Fridge


Samsung Smart Fridge
Image credit: samsung.com

Features

  • 28 cubic feet capacity
  • Four doors
  • Wi-Fi-enabled touchscreen with interior camera
  • FlexZone drawer with four temperature settings
Buy it here

The fridge is one of the most used items in the home, and it’s worth an upgrade if you don’t love the one that came with your new house. This Samsung Smart Fridge is one of the most loved refrigerators around, with nearly unanimous rave reviews. Customers love the four drawer design — especially the FlexZone drawer for things like bottled water and beverages — and Smart Hub touchscreen.

Meaghan P-P. | Marketing Director

“The kitchen is our favorite place to gather as a family. We love to cook, so why not have a fridge that not only holds food, but also shows cooking videos, plays music, keeps our family calendar and grocery list, and allows us to send notes from our phones to the fridge? The best part is when we’re at the grocery store, we can pull up the inside of the fridge to see what we need!”

KOHLER Quiet Close Toilet Seats


Slow-Close Toilet Seats
Image credit: amazon.com

Features

  • Available in seven colors and two sizes
  • Closes slowly without slamming
  • Quick removal for cleaning
  • Attaches easily to any toilet
Buy it here

We know — a toilet seat doesn’t exactly scream “exciting first purchase.” But if you’re anything like us, you love to start fresh in your new home. KOHLER’s Quiet Close toilet seat is everything you never knew you wanted in a toilet seat. It closes slowly and silently, can be removed in a few seconds for a thorough cleaning, and has heavy duty bumpers for maximum stability.

Erica D. | Editorial Director

“The first thing we did when we moved into our house was replace all the toilet seats with new slow-close lids. First, it’s nice to have a brand new, clean toilet seat, and second, the slow-close lids are AMAZING. I love that I can just barely tap the lid to put it down and it gently closes. But now I always end up accidentally slamming the toilet seat other places!”

LG Smart Dryer


LG Smart Dryer
Image credit: lg.com

Features

  • 7.4 cubic feet
  • Front loading
  • TurboSteam™ technology reduces wrinkles and odors
  • AI technology selects ideal settings
  • Duct clogging and filter indicators
Buy it here

Some chores are better than others, but we can all agree that ironing is the worst. Fortunately, LG has delivered us TurboSteam™ technology that generates steam to eliminate wrinkles in about 10 minutes. This dryer also takes the guesswork out of all the complicated settings — its AI technology automatically detects what your load needs and chooses the right option.

Michelle M-B. | Marketing Director

“We inherited the dryer and bought our washing machine. It was a hot mess. Finally invested in a washer/dryer set and it changed my husband’s life (he is the laundry man, to be fair I do all of the folding!)”

LEVOLOR Darkening Blinds


LEVOLOR Darkening Blinds
Image credit: lowes.com

Features

  • Can be sized to your exact specifications
  • Cordless lift and lowering
  • Light blocking design
  • Durable, faux wood finish
Buy it here

You’ll find out quickly if your new home needs the privacy of a good set of blinds. LEVOLOR makes attractive blinds to fit any window, and you can even have them trimmed to your exact needs at any Lowe’s and bring them home the same day. Instead of tugging on a set of cords, all it takes is a light touch to open or close these LEVOLOR blinds.

Brittany D-C. | Director

“This was an essential item as the house we purchased did not have any blinds so it was needed for privacy and comfort.”

Hill’s Science Diet Dog Food


Hill’s Science Diet Dog Food
Image credit: amazon.com

Features

  • Dry food recommended for weight management
  • Available in three different bag sizes
  • Medium kibble size
Buy it here

In all the chaos of moving, it’s easy to forget about some of the basics. Instead of making an emergency run to the pet store on Moving Day, plan ahead by ordering your pet’s kibble of choice directly to your new home.

Mari G. | Senior Associate

“This was an essential — had an out of state move (via airplane) so couldn’t bring food for my dog. Ensuring I had my dog’s food available for our first night in our new place was one of my BIGGEST priorities.”

The bottom line

You’re going to be making a lot of purchases before, during, and after your move. But even with all that spending, some things stick out as especially important or useful, and the more you can check off ahead of time, the easier your move will be. For more must-do items, check out our comprehensive post-move checklist for the first month in your new home.

Joe Supan is a senior writer for MYMOVE focusing on data-driven articles in the moving and broadband spaces. His work has been referenced by the Los Angeles Times, Forbes, National Geographic, Yahoo! Finance and more.

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