If you were starting over from scratch...

[motzie]

Wine glasses.

[countthestars]

Set of Ikea or Corelle dishes
Non-stick pans (8 and 13 inch or whatever the typical size is) and 1-2 pots
Slow cooker
Rubber spatula, pasta strainer, bamboo spoons, pancake flipper, baking sheets, pyrex 2 pack of glassware
Set of tupperware - preferably something that has lids that connect to the pieces or another easily organized set

[georgie]

If she drinks coffee definitely a coffee maker. Maybe a crock pot too? I'm guessing pots and pans are included in the obvious stuff but if not then pots and pans.

[cuccaro]

A nice stand up clothing steamer
maybe an Instant Pot

[genet313]

Kitchen I'd get:  1 quality knife set, 2-3 decent cutting boards, set of every day dishes and glasses and utensils, a colander, some tupperwear/storage containers and a high quality set of pots/pans. 

I'd get a laundry basket too and an iron and ironing board

[genet313]

May 19, 2016 9:13:05 GMT -5 motzie said:

Wine glasses.

pppssshhh...in a pinch you can slug it straight out of the bottle.  

[hainesherway]

The most important purchases for me after my divorce were a new mattress and a new sheet/comforter set. It bothered me to sleep in the same bed that my cheating ex-H slept in.

[thebreakfastclub]

I think I'd get a nice toaster oven if I had room. I used to have one in my apartment, and it was so versatile. The ovens in apartments can be crappy as well, so the toaster oven would likely do a better job.

For dishes I really like Fiestaware.

[pinkdutchtulips]

Kitchen basics
Towels, sheets
Some fun stuff like mani ped GC or massage GC
GC to Target

When I left xh I had all the housewares I needed but had like zero furniture ... I put an SOS out to my local nest board that had migrated to FB and w/in a week had my bed, mattress and tv stand. My sister gave me her old loveseat a month later and I found my dining set on CL for less than $75.

[miamigirl]

coffee maker, nice coffee cups
wine glasses
new sheets
nice towels

[kershnic]

A set of dishes (probably Corelle), a set of silverware, a set of cups or glasses, a basic cooking utensils set, at least a fry pan, dutch oven, and large sauce pan, a cutting board and at least one decent knife, something to drain pasta (colander or one of those that sticks with holes), a set of measuring cups and spoons, a glass 9x13 pan. I would also want pretty quickly a toaster oven, a mixer, some cookie sheets, a wok, a rice maker.

[panicked]

The best things I ever got when I first moved out on my own was a large laundry basket filled with a small toolkit, cleaning supplies, trash bags, light bulbs, batteries, dish towels, and other miscellaneous household stuff. That stuff adds up quickly and it was nice to have it on hand.

[hocus2]

If you google kitchen in a box you'll see that there are all-in one sets that might make it easier to up and running without picking out specific small things.

This set seems OK.

www.kohls.com/product/prd-2299105/kitchen-in-a-box-14-pc-cookware-set.jsp?ci_mcc=ci&utm_campaign=EC%20COOKWARE&utm_medium=CSE&utm_source=google&utm_product=46447062&CID=shopping15&gclid=CLXPk8ux5swCFQFahgodOrsP7w&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CLSOncux5swCFY5IDAodBmYDVg

[nessness]

Kitchen stuff:
Set of knives
Set of pots and pans
Dishes
Silverware
Set of kitchen utensils
Crock pot
Blender
Tupperware
Mixing bowls
Cutting board
Colander
Baking sheet
Coffee maker

Bathroom:
Towels
Bath mat
Shower curtain and hooks if needed
Toilet brush and plunger

Bedroom:
Sheets
Comforter
Hangers
Hamper

I would get all these things at Target. I've been happy with most of the housewares I've gotten there, and not running around to a million stores would be a huge plus.

[Deleted]

May 19, 2016 9:13:05 GMT -5 motzie said:

Wine glasses.

[Deleted]

Really super plush towels.
Good Sheets
a set of pots and pans
a nice throw blanket
bathmats
spatulas and measuring cups
eating utensils
cutting board
baking sheets
oven mitts
cleaning supplies
set of dishes from Corelle
clothes hamper
blender ( because margaritas duh)
coffee maker
tea kettle


A few years ago right before XMAS I saw a woman with 2 HUGE carts of decorations at Big Lots that totalled to like 500.00. She told the cashier that her ex got everything in the divorce so this year she was decorating her new place HER way. She was so happy with her matching ornaments and decor. I wanted to hug her.

[Marmee]

Minimal quantity, maximum quality...as a general rule.

[Deleted]

Nice sheets
Nice towels
That thing that hard boils eggs for me

[dragon's breath]

Kitchen:
Probably a Correlle set of plates and bowls, I never use their mugs/glasses
A large coffee mug and a couple drinking glasses
Some means of brewing coffee (a small coffee pot or a french press)
Cast iron skillet
Cookie Sheet(s)
Measuring spoons/cups
Glass measuring cup
Mixing bowl
~3 quart pot
8x8 and 9x13 glass baking dish
Spatula/wooden spoon/pancake turner
Knives: Chef's, steak, paring, boning, serated

Household:
Towels
Sheets
light blanket and comforter/quilt
pillows
Can find a lot of used furniture on local classifieds-- small apartment maybe a loveseat and recliner (I don't have a recliner, I want one). I also love bean bag chairs even if they aren't "grown up".

I have way too much stuff...!

[pinkdutchtulips]

May 19, 2016 9:47:39 GMT -5 panicked said:

The best things I ever got when I first moved out on my own was a large laundry basket filled with a small toolkit, cleaning supplies, trash bags, light bulbs, batteries, dish towels, and other miscellaneous household stuff. That stuff adds up quickly and it was nice to have it on hand.

ditto on the tool kit ... That was one of my first purchases when I moved out - a pink basic tools kit so I could hang stuff and fix stuff !

[sierramist03]

If you have a SAMs club membership they have a nice hard anodized pan set that's around $100 and super nice. We have it as extra set and love it more than our crusinart set actually

[mandapanda18]

May 19, 2016 9:14:18 GMT -5 countthestars said:

Set of Ikea or Corelle dishes
Non-stick pans (8 and 13 inch or whatever the typical size is) and 1-2 pots
Slow cooker
Rubber spatula, pasta strainer, bamboo spoons, pancake flipper, baking sheets, pyrex 2 pack of glassware
Set of tupperware - preferably something that has lids that connect to the pieces or another easily organized set

this +
Ikea set of glassware
Keurig
new pretty bedding (that H would never agree on)
fun picture frames
a pet

[auntie]

This is one of those, what's the one thing you'd grab in a fire kind of questions.

Once the kid and the cat were out, I might grab my copper pots, my nice sheets, my chef's knife, first aid kit.

[auntie]

Basic tool kit.

[gerberdaisy]

Why is everyone recommending Corelle? Is there something I don't know about?

People have covered most everything, my favorite things to buy were a duvet cover that I liked, artwork (cheap ikea stuff) that was my taste, toolkit, and plants.

[sent]

Ikea has good stuff but I've always liked the stuff I see at Target better. I think it's "prettier." I remember buying a set of Oneida silverware at Walmart and I really liked it during my single days. I gave it to my then-finance to use temporarily until I moved in after the wedding, and he gave away some of the pieces to the randoms who sublet his apartment. I still miss those pieces, sigh.

As far as appliances, my food processor has always gotten good use. And my coffee maker. I used to own a single serve coffee machine (not a Keurig) that I got on Amazon because I wanted to be able to put my own coffee in there. That thing was also great.

[emoflamingo]

The Ikea 89 cent plates aren't bad at all, we have a set because my C&B plates were all breaking and I didn't want to spend $3 a plate on new ones with toddlers. And their silverware isn't terrible, I bought a set of the smaller scaled ones for my kids and they hold up as nice as my set from BB&B.

I would try and find a good set of stainless pots and pans, definitely a crock pot with a timer if there's kids so she can set it in the morning and not have to worry about meals in the evening after working, and the small tool kit. Ikea has a nice set of screws and wall anchors we bought on a whim that has come in handy and I'd get a Craftsman screwdriver with an interchangeable bit system and a smallish hammer. I hoard those two tools in my craft space because my H always runs off with things and never puts them back.

[holly116]

When I went through my broken engagement, I symbolically bought all new bedding.

[emoflamingo]

And as weird as it sounds, don't discount thrift stores. If she has no kids, she can get a set of 4 plates to get her by until she can buy new stuff. One of our local stores sometimes has full sets available.

[icedcoffee]

May 19, 2016 10:58:58 GMT -5 gerberdaisy said:

Why is everyone recommending Corelle? Is there something I don't know about?

Corelle in general is great because it doesn't break easily and the pieces are lightweight.  Specifically, I am obsessed with their large serving bowls (i think they are the 2qt size, but they might just be 1qt) which I use not only for serving, but also for eating big bowls of soup and big salad.  I'm obsessed with them.