My niece and her boyfriend have just put a deposit down on their first rented flat. I remember my first rental all those years ago. Unlike mine, their place is completely unfurnished – they have absolutely nothing!

The main essentials the pair of them are going to need – pronto – are a bed, sofa and fridge-freezer. Those are big budget items, but there are also some not so expensive ones that I bet they’ve not even thought about. Glassware, crockery, cutlery and utensils can be bought in sets for not a lot of money, but that doesn’t mean you should go out and buy the first or the cheapest ones you come across. Think about the kinds of things you like to cook, eat and drink and that will point you in the right direction.

For instance, don’t purchase a set of 6 soup bowls if you don’t like or never eat soup. If you like cereal for breakfast, then cereal bowls are the right choice. Similarly, a set of fish knives & forks probably won’t see much action. However, you can never have too many teaspoons in your home if you drink tea and/or coffee… ditto mugs!

The same applies to kitchen utensil sets; there’s no sense buying a set where you won’t use half of the tools. Again, think about what you eat. Pizza? A pizza wheel is useful. Mashed potatoes? A masher or – in my opinion – the best tool for that job, a ricer.

Get a utensil bundle that includes a tin opener, a peeler, a couple of different spatulas, at least three spoons (one slotted) and a wine/bottle opener. From experience, I know that a melon baller and those 2-pronged meat fork things never see the light of day.

1. Grey silicone kitchen utensils – set of 11: £15.79, Roov
2. 28-piece stainless steel kitchen utensil set: £59.25, eBay
3. Kitchenaid universal tool and gadget set: £74.99, Wayfair

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