I Moved Across the Country Solo — Then Immediately Bought These 12 Items for My New Kitchen (2024)

Just over a year ago, I moved from the East Coast to the West Coast. With that big change came a life-changing cross-country road trip with just a few suitcases of my favorite items. As an avid cook and longtime food journalist, it hurt to say goodbye to some of my favorite kitchen products and tools, but I couldn’t stuff everything into my compact car. As a result, I had to purchase a whole new kitchen for the first time.

When stocking a kitchen from scratch, you’ll likely forget some essentials until you reach for one mid-pasta boil, which happened to me. Though it took some trial, error, and creativity to get my kitchen up and running, I eventually stocked up with budget-friendly culinary necessities. Whether you’re planning a big move or overhauling your current kitchen, I compiled a list of 12 purchases that will set you up for success. Read on for my cooking must-haves from KitchenAid, All-Clad, Henckels, and more, starting at just $9.

Best Purchases for Stocking Your Kitchen

• KitchenAid All-Purpose Kitchen Shears, $9, originally $12, at amazon.com
• Henckels Solution Razor-Sharp 3-Piece Kitchen Knife Set, $35, originally $50 at amazon.com
• Made In Sheet Pan, $25 at madeincookware.com
• Rubbermaid Brilliance Food Storage Containers with Lids, $40 at amazon.com
• OXO Good Grips Everyday Cutting Board, $19 at amazon.com
• All-Clad HA1 Hard Anodized Nonstick Fry Pan Set, $70, originally $105 at williams-sonoma.com
• Acnusik Silverware Set for 8, $40, originally $50 at amazon.com
• OXO Good Grips 4-Piece Nylon Tool Set, $25 at amazon.com
• Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Stainless Steel Saucepan, $37, originally $50 at williams-sonoma.com
• All-Clad Stainless-Steel Measuring Cups & Spoons, $60 at williams-sonoma.com
• Williams Sonoma All-Purpose Towels, $23 at williams-sonoma.com
• Ziploc Storage Slider Gallon Bags, $11 at target.com

KitchenAid All-Purpose Kitchen Shears

A pair of all-purpose kitchen shears are not a want, but a need. You can use them for slicing through poultry or opening incoming packages (although germ-wise, it’s probably safer to have one pair for culinary tasks and one for household tasks). These KitchenAid stainless steel scissors were a winner in our editors’ tests for their impressive value and comfortable handles, and they’re Amazon’s bestselling kitchen shears to boot. And now, they’re even more affordable — grab them while they’re on sale for just $9.

Henckels Solution Razor-Sharp 3-Piece Kitchen Knife Set

One of the most obvious purchases to make in the kitchen is a few good knives. You don’t need an entire knife block to start out: In my opinion, the real essentials are just a chef knife, paring knife, and utility knife. If you find yourself needing more options later on, then you can collect them as you settle in. These stainless steel knives are lightweight, dishwasher-safe, and provide long-lasting sharpness.

Made In Sheet Pan

The weeks that I didn’t have a sheet pan were bleak. I love roasting vegetables, chicken, and potatoes for easy meals throughout the workweek, so a good, standard sheet pan was at the top of my kitchen must-have list. Affordable and easy to clean, this $25 Made In Sheet Pan is oven-safe up to 500°F and fully rimmed to prevent food leakage.

Rubbermaid Brilliance Food Storage Containers with Lids, Set of 7

Even if you don’t cook often, you’re bound to have leftovers and groceries that you’ll want to store in airtight containers to keep them fresh. These microwave- and dishwasher-safe plastic Rubbermaid food storage containers have over 72,300 five-star ratings at Amazon, with customers reporting that they’re “worth every penny,” and “stack well together.” These come in multiple sets, from a two-count set to a 24-count set, but if you’re living alone, then a set of seven containers with matching lids should meet your needs.

OXO Good Grips Everyday Cutting Board

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly cutting board, this OXO Plastic Everyday Cutting Board should do the trick. I love that the double-sided board has tapered edges and non-slip feet because few things are more frustrating than a cutting board that moves on you. Since my move, I’ve expanded my cutting board collection to increase my options (for example, using a wooden block for meats and a plastic board for vegetables) and added this reversible wooden Boos Block.

All-Clad HA1 Hard Anodized Nonstick Fry Pan Set

As someone who makes fried eggs nearly every day, a nonstick frying pan was the very first purchase I made for my brand-new kitchen. Unless you're cooking big meals, an 8-inch and 10-inch pan are all that recent movers need. These pans have a stainless steel base to prevent scratches, a three-layer nonstick coating for easy cleanup, and are compatible with all types of stovetops. I use my frying pans for searing vegetables, browning meats, and everything else in between.

Acnusik Silverware Set for 8

I’ll admit that I used plastic silverware for the better part of my move-in process. However, I soon realized I’d need a heavy-duty steel flatware set for myself, my guests, and the environment. As a first-time mover, avoid purchasing a giant set you’ll never end up using(dishwashers exist for a reason!) and instead, opt for a set designed for however many people you can fit around your dining table. Currently 29% off, this 40-piece set includes knives, dinner forks, salad forks, dinner spoons, and teaspoons for up to eight place settings. It’s all you’ll ever need.

OXO Good Grips 4-Piece Nylon Tool Set

I have good news and bad news. The bad news? You’re going to need a lot of kitchen utensils that you likely forgot even existed. But the good news is that you can snag some affordable sets on Amazon. This OXO Nylon Tool Set includes a spoon, slotted spoon, square turner spatula, and spaghetti server. The tools resist high heat, have soft non-slip handles, and are safe to use on non-stick cookware. With nearly 2,000 five-star ratings on Amazon, these four kitchen utensils should set you up for quite a while. If you prefer silicone utensils, though, you can check out the five best silicone spatulas our editors tested.

Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Stainless-Steel Saucepan, 3-Quart

Everyone needs a basic saucepan in their kitchen, even if you’re just boiling water for tea because you don’t have a teapot yet, like me. Williams Sonoma sells a 3-quart stainless steel saucepan from Cuisinart that comes with a matching lid. Now just $37, the saucepan is dishwasher- and oven-safe up to 500°F.

“Excellent pot, very even heat distribution, [and] easy to clean,” one reviewer wrote. Personally, I always prefer a larger saucepan because I cook enough pasta and rice to have leftovers, but you can opt for the smaller, 2-quart saucepan for $30.

All-Clad Stainless Steel Measuring Cups & Spoons

As a person who loves to bake on the fly, measuring cups and spoons were one of the first kitchen products I purchased for my new home. Aside from baking, you can use them for virtually any recipe to measure out dry and liquid ingredients or even seasonings. Williams Sonoma offers an All-Clad stainless steel set with long handles to reach into jars, bags, and canisters without getting messy. These measuring cups and spoons have standard measurements: cups, teaspoons, and tablespoons.

Williams Sonoma All-Purpose Towels, Set of 4

From drying dishes to cleaning up spilled ingredients, kitchen towels are essential. This all-purpose four-pack from Williams Sonoma is 100% cotton and comes in nine fun colors to match your interior decor preferences. They’re machine-washable and highly absorbent — since I tend to splash water everywhere each time I refill my Brita, towels were a necessary purchase.

Ziploc Storage Slider Gallon Bags

I never realized how much adults go through gallon-sized bags until I moved in by myself. As far as the kitchen goes, I use slider plastic bags to store leftovers, produce, fresh herbs, and ingredients like basil, garlic, and onion properly. Plus, regular storage containers can get clunky for travel, so you can use the Ziploc bags beyond meal prep — you never know when you’ll have to pack some snacks for camping or a last-minute road trip.