It’s often said that moving house is one of the most stressful life events the average person experiences. Whether you’re moving into your first place away from home, or simply moving on to your next home, there’s heaps to keep track of.
Packing alone can be bad enough but organising the purchase of essential home appliances can be yet another source of stress on the pile. Especially when moving out of home, or leaving a furnished apartment, it’s likely you’ll need a lot of appliances all at once.
To make things a little bit easier for you, we’ve listed the home appliances you’ll need when moving house.
1. Fridge & Freezer
Undoubtedly the most important white goods purchase for your new home will be a fridge. Even if you’re prone to ordering takeout, having a fridge will be crucial for keeping food when takeout isn’t available, or even just storing milk for your morning coffee.
A freezer is another important purchase, though not as essential as a fridge. Most often, people will purchase a combined fridge freezer.
A full-sized fridge freezer will usually have its capacity split, with two-thirds for refrigeration and one-third for freezer space. This way, you don’t have to buy a separate freezer, nor do you need the space for a whole extra appliance.
While a fridge will be the most important appliance for your new home, it might also be the most expensive. A good quality fridge will usually cost in the range of $700-$2,500 to buy outright.
Buying a fridge with R4K means you don’t need to pay up front, but you will have the latest model which is better on your power bill! Newer models are significantly more energy efficient than older fridges and freezers.
Buying a fridge from R4K on sale of instalment or finance plan can make it more affordable week to week and keeps your expenses manageable.
See available fridges and freezers
2. Washing machine
A washing machine is perhaps the second most important home appliance. However, it’s not essential if you live within reasonable distance to a laundromat.
That said, you probably don’t want to be travelling to the laundromat and waiting for your laundry every time you need to wash some clothes, sheets or towels. That’s why we really recommend having a washing machine at home if possible. A washing machine bought on instalment will pay for itself in convenience. Plus, the energy savings on a new washing machine means less cost on your electricity bill.
3. Clothes dryer
If you’re going to have a washing machine, you might also consider a dryer. Clothes dryers are particularly convenient if you live somewhere with high winds or rainfall, as it can be hard to dry your clothes reliably without one. You can of course dry clothes on a rack indoors, however this is often not approved by landlords, as it can put moisture into the house.
Dryers can be vented, meaning the moisture is pumped outside, or you can buy a condensing dryer that will collect the moisture into a tank to be emptied between loads.
If you’re low on space or can’t afford another appliance, consider buying a brand new washer-dryer combo on instalment. A washer-dryer is a hybrid machine that can be used independently to wash or dry laundry or used for a complete wash and dry cycle. This also saves you time handling your laundry, as you don’t have to worry about forgetting to move it from the washer to the dryer.
That said, washer-dryers often have a smaller capacity than standalone machines. So, if you’re washing sheets often or don’t like to do laundry frequently, you might prefer a separate washing machine and clothes dryer.
4. Dishwasher
The worst part about a home-cooked meal is always the clean-up afterwards. Spare yourself a lifetime of hand washing dishes by investing in a dishwasher.
That said, not all homes have space for a built-in dishwasher and if you’re renting your place, you might be best to buy a portable washing machine on instalment. This can be particularly frustrating if you’re in an apartment, as renovations are not so easily achieved. In these instances, you might consider a benchtop dishwasher. Such dishwashers simply need to be plugged in, placed on your kitchen bench and topped up with water before each wash.
If you can make minor renovations to your home, but don’t have a lot of floorspace, consider a half-sized dishwasher or a single dish drawer. These options are narrower vertically or horizontally, meaning you can still keep a portion of under-counter storage space.
5. Small kitchen appliances
Small kitchen appliances are often overlooked, but they contribute to a lot of small pleasures we can easily take for granted. Think of your morning coffee or tea — it would be a bit of a faff to make each morning without an electric kettle.
You ultimately don’t need most small appliances, as they perform functions that can be carried out on a stovetop or oven, but they make life so much easier.
Here are a few small kitchen appliances you might consider for your new home:
● Microwave: Heat food or even cook meals in next to no time.
● Electric kettle: Boil water for tea, coffee or a cheeky milo in minutes.
● Toaster: Perfect for easy hot breakfasts.
● Slow cooker: Ideal for cooking on busy workdays. You can put your ingredients in the slow cooker and return 8 hours later to a ready-to-eat dinner.
● Rice cooker: Even if you don’t eat a lot of rice, a rice cooker is a great investment because it makes cooking rice impossible to fail.
● Mixer: If you bake a lot, a hand mixer or standing mixer can be a worthwhile investment.
● Coffee machine: For the coffee fiend, an espresso, capsule coffee, or percolator machine could be a great appliance to own.
● Air fryer – the new kid in town, it is a healthy way to cook and you can put nearly anything in it. We love them.
See available kitchen appliances
6. Vacuum cleaner
A vacuum cleaner is a must-have, especially if your new home is carpeted. You may be able to make do with a broom if your floors are all hard, however a vacuum is the best and most convenient way to remove loose dirt from your floors.
Buying vacuum cleaners on instalment can be relatively inexpensive as there is no big upfront cost, but you tend to get what you pay for in terms of quality. Consider a bagless vacuum cleaner to cut down on costs and reduce waste.
A stick vacuum or handheld vacuum can be a great lighter weight option if you hate lugging a vacuum cleaner around, or a robot vacuum can even take the task off your hands completely.
7. Iron
An iron is one of those appliances that you can usually live without until you really need it. Even if you don’t tend to iron your clothing, there’s usually an occasion that comes up once a year or so that will make you wish your clothes were pressed.
For job searchers, an iron can be especially important. You want to make the best impression possible at a job interview, and clean, pressed clothes are a big part of that.
8. Television
A television is essential, it can be important to most people to keep track of news, entertainment and importantly, movies at home. For many people, television is a way to connect with the world. TV news and documentaries can help to keep you informed of events around you, and of course there’s the entertainment benefit. Of course, all R4K TVs on instalment are Smart TV’s so you can stream all day long.
If you’re strapped for cash, a television might be low on your list of priorities. However, you might like to have one if you can’t leave the house for any reason or like to watch movies or play games.
Fortunately, you can get TVs at a lot of different price points today, so it’s easier than ever to fit a TV into your budget. Smart TV’s connect to the internet and are like a giant computer, streaming Netflix, YouTube, Stan and more right into your home. Ultra High Definition thin slick TV’s are more than just smart, they are an essential piece of furniture & entertainment.
See available TV and audio systems
Why pay for appliances upfront when you can finance and pay weekly?
It’s clear that there’s a lot that needs to be purchased when moving into a new home. Even if you already have some of these home appliances, you might not have the cash to pick up new appliances in the midst of a busy, stressful move. You might also be considering renting appliances instead of buying, if you need to upgrade to a newer model.
That’s why buying appliances on instalment can be a really great option. With no upfront payments, you don’t have the pressure of a large lump sum, meaning more of your cash stays with you during the move. You can split your payments over the agreed term.
● No upfront costs
● Hassle-free approval
● Flexible terms from 24 to 36 months (shorter terms on request)
● 1,000s of products
● Best brands
● Great customer service
If you’re ready to buy appliances on finance for your new home, call R4K now on 1300 1300 77 or apply online today.
