Moving is stressful enough; the last thing you want to do once the truck is unloaded is scroll through endless shopping pages. Luckily, the Shop AD team has done our fair share of moving, sometimes multiple times in a single year. And while our college cutlery and starter apartment towels have served us well over the years, it's never a bad time for a fresh start.

So we asked ourselves: If we were outfitting our homes from scratch, what would we buy first? These are our starter home essentials—spanning bed , bath , and kitchen—we recommend time and time again. In every category, you’ll find three options: an entry-level pick for those just getting started, an AD -tested favorite, and a splurge-worthy option for those ready to upgrade.…