First Home Kit
Setting up your first rental as a Jewish family. This checklist covers the kosher kitchen, Shabbos, mezuzos, and all the general household items you'll need. Items marked ★ are essentials for day one.
Before You Move In
- ★ Sign and read your lease carefully — note what the landlord covers vs. what you cover
- ★ Get renter's insurance — many landlords require it, and it's cheap protection
- ★ Set up utilities in your name (electric, gas, water) before move-in day
- ★ Schedule internet/cable installation — appointments can take weeks
- Document the apartment's existing condition with photos/video on move-in day (protects your security deposit)
- Forward your mail with USPS
- Update your address with bank, employer, DMV, and any subscriptions
Kosher Kitchen
Setting up a kosher kitchen means keeping meat (fleishig) and dairy (milchig) completely separate — separate dishes, utensils, cookware, and even sponges. Many families also have pareve (neither meat nor dairy) items.
Dishes & Utensils
- ★ Meat plates
- ★ Meat bowls
- ★ Meat cups
- ★ Dairy plates
- ★ Dairy bowls
- ★ Dairy cups
- Pareve plates (optional but useful — for fish, salads, neutral foods)
- Pareve bowls
- Pareve cups
- ★ Meat silverware
- ★ Dairy silverware
- ★ Meat serving spoons
- ★ Meat ladles
- ★ Meat tongs
- ★ Dairy serving spoons
- ★ Dairy ladles
- ★ Dairy tongs
- ★ Shabbos plates (nicer set for Shabbos and Yom Tov)
- ★ Shabbos bowls
- ★ Shabbos cups
- ★ Shabbos cutlery
- Disposable plates (useful for Shabbos and large meals)
- Disposable cutlery
- Disposable cups
Cookware
- ★ Meat pots (variety of sizes)
- ★ Dairy pots
- ★ Meat frying pans
- ★ Dairy frying pans
- ★ Meat baking sheets
- ★ Meat roasting pans
- Dairy baking pans (cakes, lasagna, etc.)
- Pareve pots (very useful — used for foods that go with either meal)
- Pareve pans
- Meat Pyrex / oven-safe glass dishes
- Dairy Pyrex / oven-safe glass dishes
- Soup pot (large — for Shabbos chicken soup and cholent)
Kitchen Tools
- ★ Meat cutting boards
- ★ Dairy cutting boards
- ★ Meat chef's knife
- ★ Meat paring knife
- ★ Dairy chef's knife
- ★ Dairy paring knife
- ★ Meat mixing bowls (color-coded or labeled helps)
- ★ Dairy mixing bowls
- Meat measuring cups and spoons
- Dairy measuring cups and spoons
- Meat colander
- Dairy colander
- Meat can opener
- Dairy can opener
- Meat peeler
- Dairy peeler
- Meat grater
- Dairy grater
- Meat whisk
- Dairy whisk
- Meat spatulas
- Dairy spatulas
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Food processor
- Extra food processor blades (optional)
- Blender
Sink, Counter & Cleanup
- ★ Meat sink insert/rack
- ★ Dairy sink insert/rack
- ★ Meat sponges (color-coded — red is common)
- ★ Dairy sponges (color-coded — blue is common)
- ★ Meat dish drying rack
- ★ Dairy dish drying rack
- ★ Meat dish towels
- ★ Dairy dish towels
Pantry & Storage
- Airtight containers (for flour, sugar, rice, etc.)
- Spice rack
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic powder
- Cinnamon
- Paprika
- Aluminum foil
- Plastic wrap
- Parchment paper
- Ziploc bags
- Trash bags
- Kitchen garbage can with lid
Shabbos
Friday Night & Shabbos Meals
- ★ Shabbos candlesticks
- ★ Shabbos candles (buy in bulk)
- ★ Kiddush cup (for the husband — silver or any non-disposable cup)
- ★ Challah board
- ★ Challah knife
- ★ Challah cover
- ★ Shabbos tablecloth (nicer than weekday)
- Bentchers
- Netilas yadayim cup / washing cup (used both for washing before bread and for negel vaser in the morning)
Shabbos Practical Setup
Mezuzos
You'll need one mezuzah per doorway that needs one. Count yours before buying.
- ★ Kosher mezuzah scrolls (one per doorway) — buy from a reputable sofer or Judaica store, not Amazon
- ★ Mezuzah cases (one per scroll)
- Mezuzah installation kit (small nails, hammer, double-sided tape for backup)
Sefarim & Tefillah
- ★ Siddur (prayer book — match your nusach: Ashkenaz, Sefard, Edot HaMizrach)
- ★ Chumash
- Tehillim (Psalms)
- Tzedakah box (pushka)
- Bookshelf for sefarim (sefarim shouldn't go on low shelves or under non-sefarim books)
Bedroom
- ★ Bed frame
- ★ Mattress
- ★ Mattress protector
- ★ Pillows
- ★ Sheets (2 sets minimum so you can wash one)
- ★ Comforter or duvet
- Extra blankets (for winter)
- Dresser
- Closet organizers
- Nightstand
- Bedside lamp
- Alarm clock
- Hangers
- Hamper
- Curtains or blinds (for privacy)
Bathroom
- ★ Bath towels
- ★ Hand towels
- ★ Washcloths
- ★ Shower curtain
- ★ Shower curtain liner
- ★ Bath mat
- ★ Toilet paper (stock up)
- ★ Soap
- ★ Shampoo
- ★ Toothpaste
- ★ Toothbrushes
- ★ Deodorant
- Plunger
- Toilet brush
- Bathroom trash can
- Cup for netilas yadayim (kept by the bed or bathroom, for negel vaser)
- Band-aids
- Antiseptic
- Pain relievers
- Thermometer
- Bathroom cleaning supplies
Living Room & General Furniture
- ★ Couch or seating
- ★ Dining table
- ★ Dining chairs
- Coffee table
- Side tables
- Floor lamp
- Table lamp
- Bookshelf (especially for sefarim)
- Rug (warmth, sound, looks)
- Wall art
- Mizrach indicator
Cleaning & Maintenance
Tools & Safety
- ★ Hammer
- ★ Screwdriver set
- ★ Pliers
- ★ Measuring tape
- ★ Level
- Cordless drill
- Flashlight
- Extra batteries
- ★ Smoke detectors
- ★ Carbon monoxide detector
- Fire extinguisher (kitchen-rated)
- Extension cords
- Power strips
- Lightbulbs (note what bases your fixtures take)
- Step stool or small ladder
A Few Final Thoughts
You don't need to buy everything on this list before you move in. The essentials (marked ★) are what you need day one. The rest can fill in over weeks and months. Borrow from family, buy used, or accept hand-me-downs — building a home doesn't have to be a single Amazon order.