15 Cheap Things To Buy When You Move In
Settling into a dorm room or apartment in Germany for the first time can be a little daunting. Here are 15 things to buy when you move in that you might not have thought of:
A broom or dustpanset
Especially if you have just moved into a dorm room and are only staying in Germany for a semester, you likely won’t have access to a vacuum cleaner. To keep your floor relatively clean without having to invest in a vacuum, a broom and/or dustpan set will do the job. Of course that’s not quite as convenient but they only cost a few euro and you’ll be thankful when you spill some rice.
Dish soap
Dish soap is useful for cleaning pretty much anything. Depending on what you are trying to clean, you can add a lot to your very greasy pan or just a tiny bit to clean the floor.
Window screens
Finding screens on your windows in Germany is a rare exception. Pick up a couple of these to keep your room from being infiltrated by mosquitoes and other bugs! They are quite simple to install and easy to remove one you leave. And they also only cost a couple of bucks - a worthwhile investment to save yourself from becoming mosquito feeding ground.
Household baking soda
This is a simple but multi-use product. You can use it to soak a stained shirt or add it directly to your laundry. Mix with a dash of hot water to make a super effective cleaning scrub or store a cup of it in the fridge to keeps food smells at bay. The possibilities are pretty much endless (just ask uncle Google), but don't add it to your baking!
Magic sponges
Need to get a stain off any type of surface? Try these white "magic" sponges. Wether you need to clean your sneakers or get rid of a skid mark on the floor, these sponges will come in useful.
All-purpose cleaner
To avoid having to invest in a multitude of situation-specific cleaners, buy an all-purpose cleaner, preferably one that is anti-bacterial too. You can use it to clean your toilet or bathroom or floors or...pretty much anywhere. Just be mindful not to use it in food-prep areas.
Air freshener
Particularly if you'll be living in a dorm room, you may find an air freshener useful. You could purchase a scented candle, room spray, or a reed diffuser. They are quite cheap, last for a while and will keep your space smelling fresh, even if you have a bag of dirty laundry in the corner.
Trash bags
This one is a little obvious but definitely a product you'll need. I recommend splurging on some high quality bin bags so that they don't rip when you're trying to dispose of them.
Paper towels
To wipe up spills.
Dish towels
Dish towels - because using paper towels for everything gets expensive - and is wasteful! Dish towels like this one are surprisingly inexpensive and reusable. Use it to dry your dishes, or veggies or really whatever else you want. If you only use it to dry clean things, you can use it for a week before putting it into the laundry.
Toilet paper
Obviously you'll need this one. German toilet paper is a lot thicker and softer compared to the classic American type so you'll need less pieces of it to do your business.
Scrub brush or sponge
Really an essential: Many different of uses for little money.
Frosch
This brand of cleaner is what I use to wipe down my kitchen surfaces, tables, mirrors etc. etc... It is organic, super versatile and doesn't leave any residue.
Laundry detergent
If you don't have a personal laundry machine to use, I recommend these laundry detergent pods. They are easy to use and easy to transport because they are so compact.
Toilet brush
New place, new toilet brush!
You can purchase all of these items at the common drug stores in Germany. Look for a store called "dm", "Rossmann" or "Müller" and you can get them all in one trip. I spent around 30€ to get one of each.