Just Bought a Home and Don't Know What I Need!

C.,
I may not be in the norm here, but after purchasing many homes and upgrading size, etc. the most important thing I can share with you is LESS IS MORE! Unless money is no object, you can easily celebrate yourself into financial problems and take the shine of the experience and joy you are having at buying your first home. Also, after you live in a home for a while, it looks and feels different that you expect it to, so things you may have purchased early are not what you prefer in a very short time. So, my advice, move in...buy as little as possilbe...and when you LIVE there, you will know what you really NEED and feel what you prefer or really want.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

1 mom found this helpful

Plunger
6 Foot ladder

One thing I am always using at our house is Command hooks and adhesive. I have them inside cupboard doors to hang towels, dust broom and pan, and we just used them to hang our stockings. Have fun with the house.

Hi C.,

luckily you can kind of buy as you go... obviously, right now.. you will probably need a snow shovel... but things like a lawn mower can wait until spring... though you should price shop for things you will need, so you can see what is a good price, etc.

I don't know how old your home is, but there are about a million little things that may need fixing or sprucing up, so also keep in mind buying things like paint & painting supplies, curtains, etc. I wouldn't go nuts buying things ahead of time... it helps to spread things out.

also!... since you are buying a home now, it might be a good idea to put the word out that what you'd like for xmas is home depot/lowe's gift cards. we bought a house shortly before we got married and ended up getting a lot of those for wedding gifts... boy did we ever appreciate those! there will be a ton of things you won't even think of, so just go with the flow. also, speaking of xmas presents... you hubbie (or you) might also let it be known you'd like a basic tool kit... hammer, screwdrivers, etc. that is a good place to start

good luck and I wish you much happiness in your new house!

Hi C., Congratulations! I loved moving into a brand new home! Of course that was 27 years ago! The one thing that has made us happy in our home is a snow blower. It also has made it nice for our neighbors. You know your blow snow just a little further down your side walk not just in front of your home. Ours is quite big not sure how many horse power but we have also just loaned it out for anyone to use when the snow has been quite deep and too much for us older residents but fine for the younger neighbors. Enjoy your new home and your neighbors! K. K.

You have lots of advice on what you need, but my advice on how to get some of it is to check out craigslist.com in your area. My husband and I just merged 2 households and we have doubles(or triples) of everything and are selling our things for a fraction of their cost online just to get them out of the house. Lots of great deals to be had on the site on EVERYTHING...including moving boxes! It's like a garage sale but for stuff you actually need.

PS...from my experience the "free" stuff goes within an hour of being posted...no matter what it is!

Might I suggest banking the 'free month' of no mortgage due. Put the money you won't be paying out in rent or mortgage in a separate account to tap into when YOU decide you need something. Although its tempting to stock up on things you might/may need in reality the type of tools you need will depend on so many factors.

Plus sales happen on seasonal items through the year: snowshovels, rakes, etc. And some things that require tools may also require the professional to go with them. Repairs always come up, having the fund set up to take care of those things will put you ahead of the game and make ownership enjoyable rather than 'surprising'.

Save your cash and buy as you need. Congrats on your new home!!!!

Congrats on the home! My husband and I just moved in to our first home last month so it's fresh in my mind! The things I needed the most were a step stool (if you don't have one) that I keep in the pantry. course I am 5 foot 2 in so not eveyone needs that. But the MAJOR thing I was shocked about was organizers. I spent $300 on random organizers for the kitchen, bathroom drawers,and pantry. Now I did go all out and got turntables for my linin closets (for lotions, pills, face creams ect.) and spices, over the door hooks, shower organizers, and plasitc bims for under all the sinks to hold clearners and spray bottles, towel racks (to avoid drilling holes in my kitchen cabnets), dividers, and clip magnets for the fridge. but it was worth it. However I was shocked at how much it all cost. Also liners for all the kitchen cabnates and bathrooms. None of these things are a necessity, so if you can't afford it don't, but if you can, they are really nice. I feel VERY organized and lack of organization was my biggest pet peeve when I was renting. Good luck in your new home!

keep a record of the paint and flooring that you put in so that when small repairs need to be made, it's easy to find a good match.

I found that one of the biggest expenses I overlooked was window coverings. Drapes, blinds, whatever can cost a lot of money. GL and congrats on the house!

I read your profile and see that you're adopting. We have 2 boys and are also pursuing adoption of a daughter from China. GL with the adoption and God Bless.

Congratulations on your new home! I bought a town house a year ago, and it was surprising all the things I needed that I didn't think of, since I'd lived in apartments before. Don't forget shower curtains! Also, the hooks that go on the back of bathroom and bedroom doors to hang robes and such will come in handy. If you live in a cold climate, remember snow shovels and rock salt to melt the ice on your sidewalk. Enjoy!

Don't know what was already said (I didn't read it all). But here's my thoughts:

Lawn mower, edge trimmer, trowel, pruner, etc.

Lightbulbs (florescent are best for energy saving), furnace filters, etc. Plunger, maybe a plumber's snake, extra bolts and such, wrench. Basically, you are now in charge of any and all repairs needed (no more calling maintenance). But in general, a hammer, screwdriver, wrench, and basic tool set should be enough to start (don't buy a bunch of fancy stuff you may not need). Oh, and fuses if the electricity is still on a fuse box (or whatever a breaker box uses .... don't know that, we still had fuses).

Also look into your cities sanitation department and see if they have recylcing and green waste receptacles as well as a garbage can. You'll be throwing less into the landfill.

Mower, edgers, rake, shovel, garden hoses, snow shovels, a good basic tool set, sprinklers (if you don't have a built in system), measuring tape, flashlights, drill. I suggest an (rechargeable) electric screw driver, that is the handiest thing in my house! I use it all the time. Make sure the smoke alarms work, CO2 detectors (plug ins are as inexpensive as $15 a piece, one for every level of the house).

Keep caulk on hand, for every room, like bathroom, kitchen.
Make sure you have a back up furnace filters as you need to change those monthly to help keep costs down and your furnace running efficiently.

Keep lot's of batteries on hand, change out light bulbs with the new ones that reduce electricity bills and help a lot, the fluorescent bulbs. They last a long time! :)

Congrats on your first home, it is a lot of work, but worth it. I love yardwork in the spring and summer, you will have fun planting flowers. I suggest a cordless electric mower too! Less maintenance needed, no gas to have to store on hand, they recharge all year round but start up very easy, very easy to push and better for the environment. I have one and it is not even a chore to mow the yard. They cost a little more but will save you with not paying for gas or oil for traditional mowers.