Your first place and the clothes that come with you

Short answer: Take the basic wardrobe, two sets of bedding and four towels. The rest can come gradually, but those three have to be in place from day one.

What has to come along

Twelve sets of underwear, twelve pairs of socks, six tops, three bottoms and two sets of nightwear. That covers a week between two washes, and it is what decides whether everyday life works in a new place.

Bedding and towels

Two sets of bedding per bed and two bath towels plus two small ones per person. That is the amount that lets you wash once a week without being caught out. See bamboo bedding and bamboo towels.

What can wait

Seasonal clothes, occasion wear and anything worn a few times a year can stay with family or be bought later. See bamboo underwear for men.

Frequently asked questions

How much space does it take

A basic wardrobe for one person takes about a metre of shelf and half a metre of rail.

What if there is no washing machine

Then you need more underwear and socks, because the interval between washes gets longer.

What does starting out cost

It depends, but spread over a couple of months it is manageable.