New Home? Your Cleaning and Hygiene Shopping List for Day One

Remember moving day? Boxes in the middle of the room, an empty fridge, and a home that doesn't smell like yours yet. In the middle of all that, a few things suddenly become urgent: a spray to wipe the kitchen counter, paper towels, trash bags and some hand soap. Everything else, most people end up buying in triple because of stress.

This is a buying guide that saves you from that: what to buy on day one, what by the end of the week, and what to skip for now. All the products are picked from GoShop's cleaning and household range.

The simple rule: buy in three groups, not a warehouse

• Right now (day one): things you can't spend the first night without.
• By the end of the week: things you'll realize you need once you live there.
• Later: the nice-to-haves, like special scents or specialist tools.

Day one: the 8 things you really need

1. Domestos Lemon toilet cleaner: so the toilet is sorted from night one.
2. Active glass cleaner: mirrors, glass and shiny surfaces.
3. Belux paper towels: from drying to wiping up spills.
4.  Disposable gloves: for the first clean without touching cleaner.
5. 30-liter trash bags: boxes and packaging make a lot of trash.
6. Active liquid hand soap: for the bathroom and kitchen.
7. Active laundry powder: for washing curtains, sheets and towels for the first time.

We did the math, too: at the time of writing, these 8 items add up to about 6,080 AMD. So you don't need a big budget for day one.

By the end of the week: what to add

• Active antibacterial cleaner for door handles, light switches and other high-touch surfaces.
• Domestos disinfectant block to keep the toilet fresh with no effort.
• Comfort air freshener to get rid of the previous home's smell and fresh paint.
• Freezer bags once you start filling the fridge.
• Liquid laundry detergent or capsules if you have a washing machine and like easy dosing.

Room by room: what goes where

Kitchen

A grease-cutting spray or cleaner, paper towels and trash bags. You don't need more than that for now.

Bathroom and toilet

A toilet cleaner, hand soap and a surface cleaner. If the bathroom is tiled, cleaning liquids will come in handy too.

Laundry

Buy laundry powder or liquid for one round only. After two or three washes you'll know which one you prefer.

5 common mistakes when shopping for a new home

1. Buying everything in big economy sizes on the very first day.
2. Using one product for every surface; each cleaner is made for a specific job.
3. Buying a different scent for each room before you know what you like.
4. Forgetting gloves and trash bags, which are the first things you actually need.
5. Mixing cleaners. Never mix bleach with other cleaners or vinegar.

The best order to clean a new home

If you want to clean before you unpack, work from top to bottom: ceiling and lights, then walls and shelves, then surfaces, and the floor last. Do dry cleaning (dust) first, then wet. That way you don't have to repeat anything.

Frequently asked questions

What's the first thing to buy for a new home?

An all-purpose cleaner, paper towels, gloves and trash bags. That's enough to get through day one.

Do I need all of this for a rented apartment too?

Yes, but less of it. Buy just the 8 day-one items and add more as you need them.

How do I get rid of the old smell?

First open the windows and clean the surfaces. Then use an air freshener, not instead of cleaning, but after it.

Get it all from GoShop

From cleaners and paper towels to trash bags and liquid soap, you can order everything in one place at GoShop. Check out the deals and available brands too.