The bathroom essentials checklist
Everything a first rental bathroom needs, in buying order, with a pick and a live price on every line — and nothing that puts a hole in a wall.
A bathroom is the cheapest room to set up and the easiest to under-equip, because most of what it needs costs under twenty dollars and is therefore invisible until the moment you need it. The plunger is the classic example: nobody buys one until 11pm on a Sunday.
Everything below links to the roundup it came from, so you can see the alternatives rather than taking a single pick on trust.
Day one: before you sleep there
| What you need | Our pick | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bath towelsTwo per person. One 6-piece set covers one person completely | Amazon Basics 6-Piece Cotton Towel SetSee all our picks | $18.39 | Buy on Amazon |
| Shower curtain and linerMeasure the rail first. Oeko-Tex certified means no chemical smell | Barossa Design Oeko-Tex Shower Curtain LinerSee all our picks | $8.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| Shower curtain ringsMetal hooks, about $8. Plastic ones snap | Whatever you already own works | — | |
| Bath matThe backing must grip wet tile. Measure your door gap first | Gorilla Grip Absorbent Chenille Bath Rug, 24 × 17See all our picks | $11.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| Plunger and toilet brushFlange type. Buy it before you need it — this is the one that becomes urgent | MR.SIGA Toilet Plunger and Bowl Brush ComboSee all our picks | $23.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| Toilet paper, hand soap, a small binGrocery store, under $20 together. The bin should be 2–4 gallons | Whatever you already own works | — | |
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Week one: storage and the upgrades
| What you need | Our pick | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Over-toilet storageFreestanding, no drilling. Measure your tank height first | GloTika 3-Tier Over-Toilet Storage, No DrillingSee all our picks | $29.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| Under-sink organizerMeasure either side of the drain pipe — the two sides are never equal | Vtopmart 4-Pack Pull-Out Under-Sink OrganizersSee all our picks | $30.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| Shower headThe best $30 you can spend on a rental bathroom. Keep the original | AquaCare 8-Mode Handheld Shower HeadSee all our picks | $29.94 | Buy on Amazon |
| Clothes drying rackEssential if the building has no dryer. Six-tier for a full load | Honey-Can-Do 6-Tier Collapsible Drying Rack, 24 ftSee all our picks | $25.55 | Buy on Amazon |
| Laundry hampersTwo, so sorting happens automatically. With handles, for the laundromat | Lifewit 80 L Laundry Hamper Bags, 2-PackSee all our picks | $12.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| #ad — Amazon links in this table are affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How this site is funded. | |||
The cheap things that make the room work
- Over-door hooks (~$12). Two towels off the floor with no drilling, and a hook dries a towel better than a rail does.
- A shower caddy or tension corner shelf (~$15–$30). Most rental showers have nowhere to put a bottle.
- A squeegee (~$8). Thirty seconds after a shower prevents most of the limescale and mold you would otherwise be scrubbing.
- A toilet brush holder with ventilation — if it did not come with the brush.
- Bath mat for inside the tub (~$12). A genuine safety item in a slippery enamel tub.
- Cleaning supplies (~$20). Bathroom cleaner, toilet cleaner, a cloth, rubber gloves.
- A nightlight (~$8). Trivial and genuinely useful in an unfamiliar apartment.
What to skip, and what not to do
- Do not drill anything. Towel rails, shelves, mirrors and curtain rods that need anchors are the most common deposit dispute in a bathroom. See renter-safe upgrades.
- Do not buy a matching accessory set. A soap dish, toothbrush holder and tumbler in matching ceramic looks good and clutters a small vanity.
- Do not buy a towel warmer. Lovely, needs an outlet near the shower, and most rental bathrooms do not have one.
- Do not use adhesive hooks on tile grout or textured paint. They fail, and when they fail they take paint with them.
Four things to check on day one
- Put paper under the sink’s drain pipe and check it in a week. Damp means tell the landlord now.
- Test the extractor fan — hold a square of toilet paper to the grille. If it does not stick, the fan is not working, which is a landlord repair and matters for mold.
- Photograph existing damage, especially grout, sealant and any discolouration. This is your deposit evidence.
- Find the water shut-off valve. Usually behind or beside the toilet. Knowing where it is before an emergency is free.
The short version
- Day one is six items, and the plunger is the one people regret skipping.
- Week one: storage and the shower head. Freestanding and screw-on only.
- Photograph the grout and sealant before you unpack. That is your deposit evidence.
- Test the extractor fan with a square of toilet paper. A dead fan is a landlord repair.
Common questions
What do I need for a first apartment bathroom?
Day one: towels, a shower curtain and liner with metal rings, a bath mat, a flange plunger and toilet brush, toilet paper, hand soap and a small bin. That is roughly $90 to $110 and enough to live there. Storage and a better shower head can wait a week.
How much does it cost to set up a bathroom?
The day-one list on this page is roughly $90 to $110 at current prices, and the week-one additions bring it to about $230 to $270. Only the drying rack and over-toilet storage are over $25.
What bathroom items do people forget?
A plunger — consistently, and it is the one that becomes urgent at the worst moment. Also a bin, a squeegee, over-door hooks and rubber gloves. None of these costs much, they are just invisible until needed.
Can I put up a towel rail in a rental?
Usually not without permission, because it needs wall anchors in tile or drywall. Over-door hooks cost about $12, need no fixings, and dry towels better than a rail because air reaches both sides.