The Ultimate Checklist: What Every House Needs

Linen Closet

Sallie Kramer, owner of Sallie Home, considers terry-cloth fingertip towels in the bathroom a must: “No more of the three tiny towels syndrome!”

• Featherbed
• Two featherbed covers
• Fitted sheet to cover the featherbed
• Mattress cover
• Fitted sheet to cover mattress
• Petticoat in three panels or one box-spring cover
• Three fitted sheets: one extra for rotation, one for the bed, one to wash—“Thread count is only one part of the equation. The quality of those threads—how they are woven, how they feel to you—is what is most important.”
• Three flat sheets: one extra for rotation, one for the bed, one to wash
• Two to three European pillows—“Two for a queen-sized bed, three for a king-sized bed.”
• Two to three European shams
• Two standard or king-size pillows
• Four standard or king-size pillowcases
• Two boudoir pillows
• Four boudoir shams
• Two neck rolls
• Four neck-roll shams
• One blanket
• One blanket cover
• One duvet
• One duvet cover
• Four bath towels
• Four bath sheets
• Four hand towels
• Six washcloths
• Six fingertip towels—“Roll them up on a tray or in a basket and place it on the toilet tank or on the side of the basin.”
• Two bathmats

Laundry Room

Ryan Gallemore and Ben Eastman co-own Pleats Dry Cleaners. Here Mr. Gallemore shares their list of essentials and “nice-to-haves.”

• Washer and dryer—“If you are in the market, front-loading washers and dryers use less water and provide more efficient agitation.”
• Basic detergent—“For home, I like Tide Free.”
• Woolite
• Spray ’n Wash stain stick
• Bleach
• Plastic milk crate to hold cleaning supplies
• Utility sink—or if that’s unavailable, a 5-gallon bucket for soaking stained items in water-detergent solutions.”
• Raised buggy on casters—“They make unloading hampers and moving dirty clothes easier.”
• Hand-held steam press
• Drying rack
• Steam iron—“with adjustable temperature settings.”
• Sturdy ironing board
• Pressing cloth or large piece of cotton muslin
• Rolling clothes rack—“great for storing and moving hanging items until they go to the closet.”
• Lint roller
• Sweater comb
• FlipFOLD laundry folder
• Small sewing kit
• Trash can
• Cup or bowl—“for change, candy, gum, pens, and marbles—pocket stuff.”
• Cushioned rug or mat—“cushions feet and absorbs splashes.”
• iPod, CD player, or stereo

Closet

The “fantasy closet” of Jeigh Singleton, associate professor of fashion design at Washington University, looks something like this:

• Cedar paneling throughout, cedar liners or cedar blocks for drawers
• Quality, nonfluorescent lighting
• Ottoman “for the center of the room.”
• Mothballs for drawers
• Wood skirt hangers, slacks hangers, and shirt hangers
• Cedar suit hangers
• Garment bags “for long-term storage or for delicate fabrics, like my white dinner jacket.”
• Shoe trees
• Shoe bags—“Ask your shoe salesperson for them.”
• Plastic shoe-storage bins with casters
• Drawer tray with inserts for jewelry and cuff links
• Hand-held steam press
• Iron and ironing board
• Masking tape—“Wrap a piece around your hand and pat only the areas of your clothes that have lint on them.”   
• Hanging belt-and-tie rack
• Diamond drawer organizer for socks

Bathroom

From the staff at Salon St. Louis

• Hairbrushes and combs
• Bobby pins, headbands, and hair clips
• Blow-dryer
• Makeup
• Makeup mirror—“Target has a Zadro brand for under $50, or you can go really elegant with the Chatham table mirror from Restoration Hardware for $125,” says Salon St. Louis owner Marie McMahon.
• Chair or stool
• Skin cleanser
• Moisturizer with SPF for day
• Overnight moisturizer—“We are confirmed fans of Dermalogica.”
• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Styling product
• Body cleanser
• Body lotion
• Hand soap
• Feminine hygiene products
• Bubble bath or bath salts
• Toilet paper
• Cotton balls
• Cotton swabs
• Razors
• Shaving cream
• Towel warmer or towel hook hung above heat vent or radiator
• Nail clippers
• Tweezers
• Manicure scissors
• Shower cap
• Shower caddy
• Fluffy body and hand towels
• Loofah or washcloths
• Pretty container to store loofah or washcloths—“Use something vintage or the square glass vases that flowers come in.”
• Fluffy rug
• Aromatherapy candle near the tub
• Hooks for hanging up makeup bags
• Band-Aids
• Neosporin
• Aspirin or Tylenol

Guest Room

From Andrew Roberts, executive assistant manager, rooms, The Ritz-Carlton

• Feather mattress
• 100 percent Egyptian cotton sheets
• Music or iPod dock
• Natural light
• Dimmable bedside lamps
• Flowers
• Pillows—his rule of thumb: “the more, the better.”
• Bathrobe and slippers
• Room diffuser

Kitchen

After holding nearly 30 years’ worth of cooking classes and peddling more than 6,000 cooking tools and accessories, Anne Schlafly Cori, owner of Kitchen Conservatory, knows her way around a kitchen.

• Set of cookware, including saucepan, stock pot, regular skillet, and nonstick skillet
• Roasting pan and rack
• Set of knives. At least one of each: chef’s, paring, boning, carving, and bread knives
• Kitchen shears
• Cutting board
• Basic cookbook—“such as Fannie Farmer or Joy of Cooking.”
• Set of stainless-steel bowls
• Ceramic baking dish or lasagna pan
• Square brownie pan
• Pie plate
• Food processor
• Set of canisters
• Pepper grinder
• Sheet pan or cookie sheet
• 8- or 9-inch cake pans
• Rolling pin
• Colander
• Teakettle
• Coffee maker; a French press is recommended
• Two potholders
• Kitchen towels
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Can opener
• Kitchen scale
• Electric hand mixer
• Tongs
• Whisk
• Thermometer
• Wooden spoon
• Rubber spatula
• Metal spatula
• Garlic press
• Vegetable peeler
• Lemon juicer
• Zester
• Box grater

Pantry

Ann Sheehan Lipton, owner of Winslow’s Home, believes in keeping a minimally stocked yet tightly run pantry. “I learned that a long time ago. If storage spaces are organized, we’re less tempted to purchase something we already own but can’t find.”

• 10- by 24-inch-wide shelves—“Things like cereal and pasta are kept on the center shelves, while large containers of oil and items used less often are kept higher. Use the lower shelves for baskets of potatoes and onions, which prefer dark and cool storage. Cleaning products can be kept on more shallow shelving.”
• Recycling center—“Our recycling is stored in a 36-inch-wide cabinet that has four removable wire bins inside.”
• Glass jars with bale closures for dry storage of grains, flours, sugars, chocolate, etc.
• Small corked bottles for oils, vinegars, salts, and dried fresh herbs.
• Mortar and pestle
• Rock salt
• Pepper grinder
• Countertop compost pail with carbon filter
• Broom
• Mop           
• Bucket on wheels
• Wool dusters—“I think Missouri Wool Dusters are the best.”
• Dustpan       
• Vacuum
• Pegboard for hanging broom, mop, dustpan, and other cleaning tools
• Citra-Solv and Better Life cleaning products
• Dishwasher soap—“I love Seventh Generation’s.”
• Paper towels

Bar

Mixologist Ted Kilgore of Taste by Niche blind-tastes liquors in order to stock his bar on the basis of quality, rather than marketing. His go-to utensils are a mix of new and vintage.

• Boston shaker (pint glass, tin, and Hawthorne strainer)
• Cobbler shaker (three-piece tin with built-in strainer)
• Bar spoon
• Double-hinged waiter’s wine key. “Pulltex Pulltap’s—that’s a brand—are the best.”
• Ice bucket
• Ice tongs
• Cocktail glasses—“These are often mistakenly referred to as martini glasses.”
• 8-ounce highball glasses
• 12-ounce Collins glasses
• Champagne flutes
• Wine glasses
• 2-ounce measuring cups or jiggers—Mr. Kilgore personally loves OXO’s.
• Bourbon (Buffalo Trace)
• Rye whiskey (Rittenhouse Rye)
• Silver rum (Flor de Caña four-year silver)
• Aged rum (Flor de Caña four-year gold)
• Silver tequila (Lunazul Blanco)
• Aged tequila (Lunazul Reposado)
• London dry gin (Broker’s)
• Plymouth gin
• Blended scotch whiskey (Famous Grouse)
• Single-malt scotch (Balvenie 12-year Doublewood)
• Vodka (Pearl)
• Sweet and dry vermouths (Dolin or Noilly Prat)
• Cognac (Camus VS)
• Triple Sec (Cointreau)
• Grand Marnier
• Champagne
• Red wine
• White wine
• Angostura bitters
• Regans’ Orange Bitters No. 6
• Peychaud’s bitters
• Tonic
• Club soda
• Sprite
• Coke
• Fresh juices
• Simple syrup (refrigerated)
• Fresh fruit (lemons, limes, and oranges)
• Juicers
• The Essential Bartender’s Guide by Robert Hess
• Mr. Boston’s Official Bartender’s Guide by Jim Meehan and Anthony Giglio

Dining Room

Antiques collector and design consultant James Afflixio’s Lafayette Square dining room is a template for hosting perfection.

• Six to 12 place settings of china—“Invest in a quality pattern you really like. Even if you can only afford six settings, you can always add to it over time.”
• Six to 12 drinking glasses
• Six to 12 stemware—“The look of William Yeoward is wonderful.”
• Six to 12 flatware settings
• Candles
• Antique linens—“Don’t be afraid to mix and match, and also don’t be afraid to use monograms that aren’t your own.”
• Flowers
• Vintage silver—“to mix in with your new flatware.”
• Place cards
• Decanters—“for wine and water.”
• Salt and pepper cellars
• Dimmable lighting
• Mirrors

Coffee Table

Interior designer Paige Gilbertson honed her display muscle designing windows for Williams-Sonoma and Baker Furniture.

• Coasters
• Candles
• Art and design books
• Trays to contain all of the above, plus small divided trays for candies or nuts. Ms. Gilbertson layers trays to create cool vignettes.
• Decorative boxes (to stow remotes)—“I love Martha Sturdy’s brass boxes, Williams-Sonoma’s marquetry boxes, and Robert Kuo’s lacquer boxes.”

Home Office

From the staff at The Container Store

• Chair
• Desk
• Shelving—modular/component shelving can be customized according to the available space and your storage needs.
• Computer
• Printer with copier, scanner, and fax
• Telephone   
• Printer paper   
• Letter tray
• Magazine files
• Bulletin board
• Pencil cup
• Letter sorter
• Document boxes
• Desk pad
• Mouse pad
• Stapler
• Tape dispenser
• Shredding scissors or shredding machine
• Calendar—desk or wall, depending on your desk space
• Dictionary
• Atlas
• Notebook
• Notepads
• Bookends
• Paper clips
• Cable organizers—for corralling and identifying messy wiring. The Container Store sells color-coded         cables called Cable IDs.
• Tray drawer organizer
• Label maker
• Interior file folders
• Letter-size hanging file folders
• Newspaper bin
• Wastebasket       
• Recycling bin
• File cabinet

Home Safety Kit

The City of St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department recommends having all of the following items in one accessible spot—or at least knowing where each item is located

in the house.

• Fire-escape ladder
• All-in-one pocket tool
• First-aid kit   
• Plastic whistle on a lanyard
• AM/FM radio (either battery powered or hand-cranked)
• Flashlight
• Extra batteries
• Solar blanket
• Work gloves
• Can opener
• Slow-burning candles
• Waterproof matches
• Biohazard bags
• Wall-plug phone or cordless phone
• Emergency food with a shelf life of three to five years
• Emergency bottled water with a shelf life of five years
• Fire extinguisher
• Light stick
• Duct tape
• Respirator mask
• Gas and smoke detectors

First-Aid Kit

From Susan Bowles, RN, pediatric first-aid basics instructor at St. Louis Children’s Hospital

• Two pairs of latex-free gloves
• Four 2-inch-square gauze strips
• Four 4-inch-square gauze strips
• Roll of 2-inch gauze
• 3-inch Ace wrap
• Roll of latex-free tape
• Latex-free Band-Aids (three of each: small, medium, large, extra-large)
• Tube of triple-antibiotic ointment
• Tweezers
• Scissors