Apartment rental - packing list?

I just looked at our pre-trip check list. Other than what we always travel with, the only thing we now take to apartment or house rentals are cloth shopping bags, a knife sharpener, and a pound of our own coffee. We once or twice packed our own knives (we do cook when we rent), but finally settled on a small sharpener instead.

Just as a side note, it may be a function of the kind of places we rent these days, but I have found all of our rentals over the past three or four years to be very well equipped on arrival. We look for an initial supply of dish washing fluid, paper towel, clothes washing powder, hand soap, etc, and have rarely been disappointed. In those few cases where something was missing, we simply picked it up at the local grocery store.

Anselm

Hi Anselm, how do you pack your pound of ground coffee? Doesn't your entire suitcase smell like coffee after the trip (not necessarily a bad thing, I guess )?

I always like to take my own chopping board / bread board. I have a couple of plastic mats which are light to pack and work really well as an alternative.

We've stayed in well-equipped apartments as well. They've had toilet paper, paper towels, detergent (for dishes and laundry), napkins, and basic condiments. I have brought a bag of coffee just to start out with, but often there is coffee there already (put bag in larger plastic baggie to protect it). I do bring along some of our favorite tea as well.

I replace supplies that we use as the week goes by. My strategy is to just buy things when I get there.

Along with Anselm I've brought a couple of cloth shopping bags. I also bring a lot of quart and gallon size baggies. I find them convenient whenever I travel for organizing different things, but in an apartment they are also useful to store leftover crackers, cheese, etc.

Detergents, coffee filters, etc. are available in any supermarket and since you have to go grocery shopping on your first day anyway, there is absolutely no need to shlep these things in your luggage. If you are lucky your precedessors have even left their half-empty packs in the apartment for the next tenants to use.

Check if sheets and towels are provided. In the meantime this has become standard in most places but not long ago it wasn't, so better check, and if it isn't stated clearly, ask again.

I usually buy whatever I need when I get there, but normally the apartment is already furnished so they already have most things I need. The only thing that I did buy was a hot plate and a small pot; I bought these in Germany. Oh, and I didn't bring any of the stuff I bought back to the States, I just left them with friends since I know I've got to go back anyway.

yk, like cw, we put the coffee in a large baggie and zip it closed.

There have been a few places where we discovered that we were missing something that struck us as fundamental (who equips a kitchen without a measuring cup, for example?), so we simply bought one at LeClerc or Monoprix and left it behind as a small contribution to kitchen happiness.

Having been renting for a decade now, my sense is that owners are much more thorough and attentive to those kind of details. We're a fry cry from a rental we did in October 2001 where we discovered there were no lids for the saucepans. (It's amazing what you can do with tin foil when you put your mind to it.)

AA

I seldom take anything -- except maybe some teabags so I can have a cuppa before going out the first time. Everything else is either supplied by the owner, or can be easily found in local markets. Owners provide lots of different levels of supplies - some nothing except cleaning supplies and toilet tissue, othere an almost full kitchen of staples and food things.

One thing I've purchased maybe 4 or 5 times (and usually leave behind) are inexpensive ice cube trays.

The place we're renting soon is managed by an agency, not a private owner. I emailed about cleaning supplies and they replied that they do not provide dishwashing liquid or laundry detergent or soap. So, I'm expecting minimal supplies.

In my limited experience, it seems like private owners tend to stock the apartments better than rental companies.

Hi yk,

I'm not a veteran, but so far my experience has been that apartment kitchens come pretty well equipped.

I don't think bringing laundry detergent or dishwasher soap is a good idea because sometimes you need to use a particular type of soap with the appliances. The places I've rented with washing machines and dishwashers all provided the soap and a couple of times there was a note saying to only use the detergent provided. In one apartment you even had to use a particular type of toilet paper.

3 out 4 apartments I've rented were well stocked with things like coffee filters, coffee, tea, sugar, salt, olive oil, and vinegar left by previous renters. One place had even more than that, it was stocked like a kitchen at home and the owner left a welcome basket with fresh milk, cheese, and fruit.

3 out 4 had stuff like shampoo, conditioner, body wash and/or soap (and not the exact same 3 that had stocked kitchens)

So to answer your question, I would never take kitchen stuff with me (besides, my suitcase usually weighs about 5000 lbs already ). I think it's easier to buy whatever you need there.

a couple of things we typically bring

- thin flexible cutting boards - great for picnics on the go too - fit in the outside pocket of luggage & take up no room
- bunches of zip loc bags - great for snacks, leftovers, whatever. Can never have enough and they take no room
- 25' roll Al foil
- 10pack cheapo wash cloths. bathroom and/or kitchen use (not both)
- tea bags, snack bars, nuts etc, esp for 1st few days till we get local supplies
- some aromatics/spices. A tsp or 2 folded up on Al foil.
- 1-2c powdered laundry soap - for hand washing.
- a few small blue-ice packs to keep lunch bucket cool

Oh, I didn't see this:

>>>they replied that they do not provide dishwashing liquid or laundry detergent or soap. So, I'm expecting minimal supplies<<<

It's possible that while they don't specifically promise to supply it, other guests have left what they bought. I think I'd wait to see what's what when you get there and then buy anything you might need.

I do like my own stuff sometimes and I hate to have to spend money on it if I only need a little. I pack all of this in one large gallon baggie, so it's not much, it doesn't weigh much or take up much room and it saves me some euros.

I pack a small bag with a few of my favorite spices that I always cook with, even if I am only going to cook one or two meals. I put them in those little tiny zip-locks, just enough for a few dishes.

I buy a cheap package of henckels steak knives at Target, $10 for 4, I usually bring two with me, I hate dull knives and these are really good...at first. I too leave them for the next people. I also buy the BIG package of my favorite sponges at Costco and bring one. I hate to use someone else's sponge.

I bring one pound of my favorite coffee for mornings, put inside two zip-locks to minimize the smell.

For laundry I bring a couple of dryer sheets, in case there is a dryer, a tiny little spray bottle of oxy for stains. I
buy detergent there

I bring a little zip-lock of a couple of pens/markers and a pad of post-its.a few rubber-bands, a few paper clips and maybe 2-3 clothes pins and a very small roll of duct tape.. All this has come in handy and not for what it was intended for .

I also bring a shopping list of the things that I need when I first get there, I look around to see what is on the list and just cross it off and then I am off to the store, which is my favorite part of renting. I can spend hours in the grocery store the first day. I do not bring bags, instead, I buy the ones they have for 20cents and just reuse them the whole week. Things that I need the first day include: tp, paper towels, garbage bags, Kleenex, kitchen and laundry soaps, oil, vinegar, butter, jam, water, diet coke,WINE, good salt which I bring home, and a few foods we alway have, yogarts, milk ect.

I also bring one bar of my deoderant soap, I haven't seen Irish Spring in Europe, and a couple of little bottles of lotion, a small bar of soap for hand washing, and even the sewing kit and shoe cleaner from past hotel stays, they are the perfect size.

I love renting apartment, hope you do too!

Hi YK,
My short list includes: rubber gloves for washing dishes,
Vacuvin & a few rubber stoppers so no wine goes to waste, and a keychain flashlight (for fall/winter travel) to navigate dark hallways during early morning boulangerie runs. When our destination is Paris (as it often is), I can't wait to shop for coffee, spices, mustards, etc. Of course, it all depends on where you're headed. EJ

Pepper grinder and pepper.
Cheese grater
Knives and sharpener
Toaster – that can be used on a gas stove.
Heat deflector – apartment saucepans can be very thin, and so burn food easily.
Blu-tack – for pinning a map to the wall.
Ipod and the device to allow music to be played through an FM radio.
Small torch.
Corkscrew.

If you arrive late on a Saturday, you may find that the local grocery store is closed and will remain closed until Monday. I always find it helpful to bring a few items, just in case:

- coffee filters / coffee (small pack, vacuum sealed, that makes 1-2 pots only)
- ziplock baggies (quart and gallon)
- one roll toilet paper
- mustard in those little packs you get from take-out places. I just keep them in my daypack to use on sandwiches. I know everyone sells mustard, but I don't like carrying a tube or jar around with me.
- ice cube trays, little ones

In my experience, the supplies vary so much that I never know what to expect. Anything I get is welcome. The rest I just buy when the stores open.

So, yk, where are you planning to go now?

If you arrive late on a Saturday, you may find that the local grocery store is closed and will remain closed until Monday.

We had a similar experience a few months ago in Budapest. We arrived in the evening and stores were closed. The following day was a national holiday, so stores were closed that day as well. And our apartment had almost nothing - except for toilet paper and 3 drops of dishwashing liquid.

In any case, these are all great tips, and it's interesting to see the range of items people bring (or not)! I especially like the small packet of spices idea.

swisshiker, I'm heading to Barcelona next month.

I just get whatever I need upon arrival. I can't think of a time where it has been a problem but I have only ever rented in big cities in Western Europe. One time I thought I was getting a hotel in Liguria and it turned out to be an apartment--it wasn't a big deal.

EJ, no wine goes to waste when I'm around.

I think I need to start traveling with those of you who are so well-organized!

I bring one silicone ice cube tray, as usually there is only one small one provided. Then, I empty it into a bowl bowl placed in the freezer and refill it every time I think of it.

I also bring dried herbs (in those tiny zip locks for pills) to start out with. Collecting fresh herbs may require visiting more than one market and the bunches are usually enormous (sometimes they'll split them). I pack white peppercorns, too. I buy fleur de sel once there (and extra to bring home). Collecting basic herbs and spices in Paris can really add up! So, unless you plan to collect them in pretty bottles or tins (with those lovely labels in French) to bring home with you (great for refilling at home), bring your own herbs and spices.

I also bring an assortment of zip locks (pint, quart, gallon) which come in handy for all sorts of things - these are pricey in Paris, and you have to know how to read the boxes (and have a basic knowledge of metric versus inches). But, I also carry a tape measure, which also comes in handy.

I bring enough coffee to get started (vacuum sealed).

If I plan to do any serious cooking, I pack a good saute pan (one with just "helper" handles, rather than a long handle), unless I'm in the mood to add to my collection that particular trip. And, I've never had a suitable knife provided, so I bring one of those (medium, all purpose) as well.

I wouldn't bother with things like coffee filters, dish soap, paper products. There will likely be enough left over by previous guests to get you started.

When shopping for things like vinegar, oil, resist the urge to buy a lot more than you'll use up. It's nice to leave things behind for others, but, again, those things really add up.

The problem with getting everything you need after arrival is that it takes more time and effort than you would presume (and will cost much more).

>> The problem with getting everything you need after arrival is that it takes more time and effort than you would presume (and will cost much more).

It costs less for me to buy things after arrival because I usually rent for 3+ months at a time...so it makes much more sense for me to buy things when I move in.

So this would really depend on how long your trip is...

<< they replied that they do not provide dishwashing liquid or laundry detergent or soap. >>

I've rented apartments in Rome, Venice, Florence, Barcelona, Budapest, Dubrovnik, and quite a few other places in France, England and Bulgaria. Some have been really well equipped with food and cleaning products, others less well so, and some have had nothing at all, not even salt and pepper! I've never arrived and found absolutely no toilet paper though.

If I read this about an apartment I was going to rent, I'd put a couple of dishwasher /soap powder tablets in my suitcase. Maybe a small bottle with a squeeze of washing up liquid, but usually I buy stuff there - though it is annoying if you are only there for a few days to have to buy the basics.

I think that with privately rented apartments there tends to be more left in the cupboards. With agency apts the cleaner often takes anything left behind, regarding it as a perk of the job. (Once I left wine, beer, cheese and olives with a thankyou note in the fridge of a friend's villa on a Greek island - she was arriving the next day, so I thought it would be nice for her. She arrived to an empty fridge, the cleaning lady had cleared everything out! But she was used to the villa being empty for weeks at a time and that was her routine.)

Oh, and I always take a few teabags with me, and a small jar of Marmite!

The only item I bring is powder (and fabric softener) for the washing machine. I've found that in many european supermarkets washing powder / tablets are very expensive and usually the smallest box you can buy is 15/20 washes. I usually just need enough for one or two washes so I would bring that with me in a "clip closed" tupperware box.

Of course whoever rents after me gets all my leftovers

We always pack a bottle opener/corkscrew. And a torch.
If I am planning on doing any washing I will take a small amount of detergent with me, rather than buy it when I get to my destination. Tea bags go too, as I like my Dutch tea, and maybe a brick of coffee, but I usually get that on my first foray to the shops.
I take the same things whether we are staying in a self-catering place or in a hotel.

>so we simply bought one and left it behind as a small contribution to kitchen happiness.

LOL! I have already equipped several rental apartments with plastic colanders for salad and pasta. This is an item that is usually missing.

Taking coffee to Europe is like taking snowballs to Alaska.

I would take some Ziploc bags.

It's quite amazing to read about the things that people bring...all of this stuff is available in Europe, I don't understand why one would need to bring it...

nancicita, I think there's a difference between staying in an apartment for a long time (3 months like you) vs for a short time (5-7 days for most of us).

Speaking for myself only, while I don't mind going to the supermarket to buy food, sometimes it's not easy to find the supplies that I need; nor do I want to waste my time in stores searching for this and that (I'd rather be out sightseeing; but that's just me). Other times, it's impossible to just buy a small quantity (like laundry detergent for one load only). Since I rent an apartment to save money, it defeats this purpose if I end up spending $$$ on buying supplies, of which I use once or twice or a small amount - and not bringing the rest back home with me.

So, things like a couple of coffee filters, a small packet of dried herbs, small bottle of detergent, a few teabags etc - they hardly weigh anything nor take up any space.

OTOH, while I like the idea having my own knives in an apartment rental, I won't bring those because I like to have carry-on only.

In any case, I really enjoy reading everyone's lists & responses. It goes to show that different strokes for different folks! If someone doesn't mind carrying lots of supplies, I don't see what's wrong with that. The same goes for people who don't mind spending the time and $ to buy everything they need when they arrive.

The only time we ever bought anything equipmentwise we needed that was missing from a house was said bottleopener/corkscrew. Far too useful to donate to the house I'm afraid! It is a good travelling companion.

good points yk

Yeah, if one doesn't mind carrying lots of supplies...people do what they want to do. It can make traveling really exhausting though. I learned 'the hard way' during my first couple of trips to Europe a decade ago...brought a whole bunch of supplies and really regretted it as I lugged it from Amsterdam to Brussels to Paris to Frankfurt to Prague to Berlin to Hamburg and back to Amsterdam!!
(oh those were the days...)

Our favorite wine opener, wine bottle corks, a few baggies and a cake of bath soap. One time we arrived from our international flight, no soap and stores were closed.

TTT

Any more input?

I carry a short (6') US extension cord with multiple outlets for those times I need to charge multiple items at once - cell phone, laptop, camera batteries.

I bring a flashlight. Came in handy when we were renting an apartment in Italy last week and blew the fuse trying to use the dishwasher and washing machine at the same time! Everything else you can get there.

I don't pack anything specific for apartment rentals. I usually just buy what we need while there.

The thing is, you never know what will be there and what won't.

Sometimes this can be a problem. Our apartment in Rome a few weeks ago had no oil or vinegar (NOTHING buy salt and sugar in the cabinet) and I really didn't want to buy it in the big containers at the local store for my Caprese Salad, so we just went without.
Coffee filters would not have helped as there was no coffee machine, only a tiny moka pot!
I can see the advantage to bringing a few loads worth of laundry detergent. We had to buy some while we were there.

When we rented in Rome last year there were no dish towels for drying dishes and those were a bit hard to find to buy.

J62 - I love your suggestion: "I carry a short (6') US extension cord with multiple outlets for those times I need to charge multiple items at once - cell phone, laptop, camera batteries."

I usually only rent for a week at a time so I take a quart-sized ziplock of powder laundry detergent and coffee with me. I don't want to buy a large container of either item once I'm at my destination because I'll never use it all.

I take several ziplock bags so I can store cheese, meat,and veggies for several days.

When I stayed at Habitat last March, they only provided a minimum of toilet paper and nothing else except towels..
On a previous stay , there was much more in the apt ( maybe from another renter?)
My friend and I went to the nearest super market and both what we needed. I never carry things from home, but a small soap or some washing powder may save you a few bucks.

I never bring any sort of household items, but stay in cities where some sort of market is usually available. I actually enjoy an outing to the local grocery to pick up what I think we'll need but is not in the apartment.

sorry...bought not both

I just checked in to the apartment in Barcelona. There was no toilet paper at all - but the lady from the agency felt so embarrassed about it that she went to the closest supermarket to buy some for the apt. An hour later, the cleaning lady stopped by to drop off some cleaning supplies, including a 12-pack TP.

The kitchen is completely empty except for coffee filters - no sugar/salt/oil. But there is dish detergent though. No laundry detergent either.

We almost always rent apartments and yes you can purchase just about anything on arrival. However, there are lots of times when arrival times or dates do not allow it. Or, we simply don't feel like shopping the instant we arrive. Here is our survival kit, and this all goes in checked baggage...

1- Several bags of those individual coffee bags and hot chocolate packs in a baggie.
2 - Baggie with some sugar packets
3- Cheap corkscrew/can opener
4- Baggie with those little Burger King Mayo/Ketchup/Mustard packs
5- Baggie with several of those flavored coffee creamers
6- A decent knife (the only thing we bring back)
7- Picnic pack of salt/pepper shakers
8- 2 sponges with scrubbers (one for kitchen, one for bath)
9- We transfer a few ounces of dishwashing liquid into a small, sealable bottle (like the hotel shampoo bottles)
10-Roll of TP
11-Maybe 20/30 paper napkins
12-Usually a small can of tuna, small can of chicken, small can of deviled ham (all for sandwiches) We almost never use these, but have in the past.
13-Trash bags
14- I carry this small tool kit that has come in handy on a ton of occasions. It has a lighted screwdriver set, pliers, crescent wrench and small volt/ohm meter.
15- This great rechargable LED combo light that is about the size of a mid-sized flashlight. It has a flashlight on the end, but it has 90 led lights on the side, it will light up a room like crazy if the power goes out.
16-A box or two of some kind of flavored rice, like rice-a-roni. Remember this is just in case we are in a situation where we don't have the time or desire to shop immediately.

We got stuck one year in Monte Casino on New Years eve. Our really nice hotel was not serving any food, the restaurant across the street was closed for a private party, and pretty much the rest of the town was shut down. We finally found a little shop that was closing. All we could find there was a couple of beers, a bag of potato chips, some day old sweet rolls and some cookies. While it was an interesting NYE dinner, it wasn't exactly what we had in mind.

AnselmAdorne's suggestion of a knife sharpener is brilliant for people who travel with only carry-on luggage.

Thought of another thing- a sink stopper.

December will be my first time with an apartment rental instead of a hotel. The only extras I'm planning on packing is a few individual sized laundry detergent packets, dryer sheets and more ziplocks than usual for groceries. I always pack things like duct tape, a sewing kit and a tiny flashlight. Everything else I'm likely to need is fresh grocery items or is most likely provided (like TP). For food prep, I wouldn't know a good knife from a cheap one so I'll get one there if needed. Most likely I'll just do simple things like rice, pasta and sandwiches. It makes sense for coffee/tea drinkers to take their favorite with instead of buying a tub for 50+ cups for a week.


I love the lists everyone has provided, there are some great ideas for future reference if I'm staying longer in an apartment and/or spending the entire vacation in one.

Does anyone have any experience specifically with "Sleep in Italy" apartments - what is provided? I've been jotting down ideas from the above posts - awesome ideas.

CDNTraveler - it is difficult to generalize. Most of the apartments are individually owned. SleepInItaly sends their agent to meet/greet you; however, the amenities in each apartment are provided by the owner. You may get lucky with some items being left by previous tenants.

As an example, I rented from them twice, two different owners. One place had plenty of toilet paper, dishwashing soap, hand soap, and coffee filters. The next one had one roll of toilet paper and none of the other items.

Happy travels!

yk - I've had that experience of checking in and not having any toilet paper or ANYTHING. It's irritating and feels cheap. Speaking of cheap, going out to buy necessaries is going to cost $30 for olive oil, bath, dish, and laundry soap, paper towels, tp and whatever. It's annoying because you know the previous renter didn't use EVERYTHING up. It's annoying but we'll keep doing it because it's way cheaper in the long run.

Another issue regarding buying everything upon arrival - like the apt we have now in Barcelona, the only supermarkets we could find on our arrival day are the not real "supermarket" in my definition. (I'm not expecting superKmart, just a Manhattan-sized supermarket.) The neighborhood supermarkets are smaller than a 7-Eleven, and so the options are very very limited. They are fine if one's buying a carton of milk, but they aren't ideal places to shop to fill up the pantry on arrival day, and we certainly didn't have the energy to go hunt down a bigger one.

TTT

Great thread!

We ALWAYS take a corkscrew!!!!

I also take a small flashlight, a portable clothesline for hanging laundry, and I usually take a good paring knife.

Love the idea of the plastic mats for cutting, and I have some of those great natural sponges that come totally flat and expand when you add water. Never thought of taking some but that's a great idea.

Happy New Year!