In any living situation—especially in an apartment where space might be tight—it’s the little details that count. Here’s your checklist for 25 essential items that you’ll miss if you don’t have them.

Smoke/Gas/Carbon Monoxide Detector: Your landlord is probably required to have a smoke alarm in your apartment, but it’s a good idea to invest in a combination gas/carbon monoxide detector as well. Paranoid? Maybe. But even though a fire is more likely, gas or carbon monoxide buildup can be just as lethal. At the very least, it will reassure your mother.

Fire Extinguisher: While we’re thinking about safety, a fire extinguisher is good to have around for kitchen for those times when your flambé experiments go awry.

Magic Eraser: We’re not sure what’s in it, but when they say magic, they mean it. It can remove nasty gunk from your walls and cabinets that you thought was going to stay there forever.

First Aid Kit: Be sure to include tweezers for splinters, band-aids, gauze, and an antibiotic ointment, and keep it somewhere obvious, like your kitchen counter or medicine cabinet.

Plunger: Only one toilet? The last thing you’ll want it a 2 a.m. quest to buy a plunger when it stops up. Get one before you need it.

Kitchen timer: Even if you’re not a cook, this simple gadget comes in handy. Use it to help you limit your time-wasting activities or to or gather evidence so that you can confront your roommate about his lengthy showering habits.

Can opener: What else are you going to open cans with? Your teeth? Plus, if you lose your Mardi Gras bottle opener, you’ll have a backup, since most can openers include one.

Potholders: Nothing spoils the first gourmet romantic dinner that you cook for your sweetie like burning the flesh off of your fingers and having to go to the E.R. You’re not made of steel, so get some potholders, even if you usually eat takeout and can only find the quilted kind with pictures of a log cabin on them.

Tupperware: What else are you going to put your leftovers in?

Luxury showerhead: Sure, you might not consider this an essential, but just pause and imagine the bliss of a rainwater showerhead, or the beauty of being able to adjust the pressure if you and your roommate have different preferences. If you’re handy, you can replace it and take it with you when you leave. Just make sure you know what you’re doing (or hire a plumber) so that you don’t wreak plumbing havoc and lose your security deposit.

Tape Measure: Again, this is one of those things you don’t really think about until you need it. It can save you a lot of trouble and money. For instance, you found the perfect couch and it’s a steal. Your tape measure can tell you if it will actually fit in your living room (or through your doorway, for that matter.)

Leveler: If you plan to hang pictures, or if you are drinking heavily one night and notice that the room seems a little slanty, you’ll be able to use this handy device to straighten things out, whether that means aligning your art correctly or confirming that you are not, in fact, hallucinating.

Furniture leg pads: Unless you enjoy the sound of chairs screeching across the floor, or you have a very relaxed landlord who won’t make you pay to refinish the floors, these are a must.

Extra light bulbs: Again, it’s good to stock up on these before you actually need them.

Candles & matches, or a flashlight: You’ll need something for the inevitable moment when the power goes out. Candles and matches are also useful for adding to the ambiance of a romantic evening with your sweetheart.

Shears or scissors: These are easy to overlook until you need to cut a tag out of your new shirt, but you’ll want them sooner or later.

Stepladder: Unless you’re able to sink a basket without jumping, you’ll want a stepladder for changing overhead lights, reaching into the top cupboards or (if your standards are high) dusting the top of the fridge.

Roomba and Friends: Depending on your flooring, budget, and individual tastes, you’ll need some combination of the following: a Roomba, a traditional vacuum, a dust buster, a mop, a broom, and a Swiffer. Or a dog.

IPod dock. It’s just not home without some tunes.

Duct tape: Not just for serial killers! The rumors are true—duct tape can fix almost anything.

An organizer for your entryway: Depending on what you need, this might be just a little tray for your keys and loose change, or it might be a set of wall-mounted cubbies with coat hooks. Make sure it includes some way of dealing with mail that doesn’t involve a stack of catalogues that will one day crush you to a pulp and leave your neighbors wondering why they haven’t seen you in a few weeks.

Super glue: Almost as handy as duct tape, but more invisible.

Utility knife: Handy for getting into boxes without shredding your nails or using your keys.

Screwdrivers: Make sure you have a few of different sizes, with both flat and Phillips heads.

A vase, for fresh flowers: You won’t regret it.