Checklist of Things You Need For Your First Home

Things You Need For Your First Home

When you are buying your first home, you have a lot to think about. There are many things first-time home buyers need to buy when they move in. But with the excitement of buying your first home, it is easy to miss things you need.

So that you know what you should buy, we’ve made a list to make moving into your first home less stressful.

Cleaning Products

When you move into your first home, you’ll want to make sure it is clean. While the previous owner will probably have gone around the home with a vacuum cleaner, you will likely want to make sure it is done thoroughly throughout every part of the home.

Essential items

  • Vacuum cleaner. If you don’t already have one, a good vacuum cleaner is essential when you first move into the home. You can use your vacuum cleaner before your furniture is moved in to make sure everywhere is clean. If instead of carpets, there are wooden floors, make sure you buy a vacuum that isn’t going to scratch the surface.
  • Cleaning sprays and disinfectant wipes. To make sure you get a clean first start to your new home, disinfectant wipes and sprays can be used in multiple areas of the home.
  • Toilet cleaners and brushes. You will want to ensure your toilet is disinfected if there have been other people living in the home previously.
  • Trash cans and recycling bins. You will need somewhere to put your garbage and recycling when you move in. Buy trash cans for your kitchen and other rooms, and a recycling bin that you can put in a kitchen cabinet.
  • Trash bags. When you buy the cans, don’t forget the bags to go inside them.

Useful items

  • Cleaning gloves. If you are going to be doing a lot of cleaning, gloves will prevent the chemicals from irritating your hands.
  • Wood cleaners. If your new home has wooden floors, using a wood cleaner on them before the furniture is moved in, saves you from having to do it later when it will be more difficult.
  • Dusters. Having a few dusters on hand to tackle the dust is useful. A duster on an extension pole can also help to reach cobwebs and other difficult areas of the home.

Creating a Safe Home

We want to feel safe in our homes, and there are some things you can buy to make sure it is as safe as possible.

Essential items

  • Smoke detectors. It is very important to have working smoke detectors in your home. If there are smoke detectors already, test them and replace the batteries. If there aren’t any smoke detectors or not enough, you need to buy some more.
  • Carbon monoxide detector. Your home should have a carbon monoxide detector with working batteries.
  • First-aid kit. It’s very easy for small injuries to happen when you are moving into your new home. Buy a basic first-aid kit with antiseptic wipes, bandages, and gauze, to deal with these minor mishaps.
  • Fire extinguisher. Choose a fire extinguisher that can be used for multiple different situations, electrical, wood, and grease.
  • Replace the locks. How can you really feel safe in your home if you don’t know who has the key to the external doors? Changing the locks is a cost you could probably do without, but will give you peace of mind. Instead of replacing the locks, you could add an additional lock like a smart keyless lock.

Useful items

  • Security systems. You can boost your family’s safety by buying a home security system. This will include an alarm, sensors, and cameras.
  • Smart doorbells. Instead of going all out with a security system, a smart doorbell with a camera showing you who is outside is a good start. The doorbell will connect to your home’s Wi-Fi so you can check who is at the door using your phone.
  • Flashlights. While you can use the light on your phone for a short time, if there are power outages, you’ll want flashlights available.
  • Hide a spare key. If you lose your keys, having a spare hidden outside will be extremely useful. Just make sure you don’t put it somewhere too obvious, like under a plant pot.
  • Lockboxes. When you are moving homes, you want to keep important documents secure. You might also have some valuable items that you can put in your lockbox or small vault during the move and after you have moved in.

Maintenance

Homes need maintenance, and you need to be ready to fix basic problems around the home.

Essential items

  • Tools. Having a tool kit to help you assemble furniture, put up shelving, and hang pictures will be necessary for the first few days of moving into your new home. This tool kit will continue to get used as you need to complete small maintenance jobs around the home. Screwdrivers, a hammer, a drill, a torpedo level, measuring tape, pliers, and safety glasses should be included.
  • Batteries. Batteries will come in useful in your electronics or as replacements in smoke detectors.
  • LED light bulbs. Having a spare light bulb available could really help when you move in. Even if all of the bulbs in the home already work, you can replace older types of light bulbs with more energy-efficient LED lighting.

Useful items

  • Ladders. Having a folding step ladder or even a telescopic ladder can help you around the home in a lot of different situations.
  • Filters. The HVAC filters in your home will need to be changed regularly. While this is something you could do without for your first few days in the home, it is something that you will need to deal with fairly soon.

Living Room

Your living room should be a place where you can relax and be comfortable. To complete this room there are a few things you will need.

Essential items

  • Somewhere to sit. It is essential to have seating in your living room. Whether you choose a sofa or recliners, you want to make the room comfortable but not too packed with furniture. If you are buying a sofa, it isn’t only the space it will take up in your living room that you have to consider. Will it fit through your doorways and up staircases?
  • Window coverings. If the previous owner has left window coverings, you might be happy to continue using them. If not, you will need to choose blinds or drapes for your new home. If you want more privacy in your home, sheer curtains still let most of the light through while preventing people from looking inside.
  • Internet connection. You will want to make sure that your router is ready to be set up when you move in. You may need to access online accounts or find some information to help your move.

Useful items

  • Coffee tables. Having a table in the middle of your living room can make the room feel finished. It will be a useful addition to the room where you can place books as well as cups of coffee.
  • Rugs. If you have a hardwood floor in your living room, a rug will make the room feel more comfortable. Even if you have a carpet in your living room, adding a rug can be a big improvement and provide a splash of color.

Kitchen Basics

There are a lot of possible items you can purchase for your kitchen, but many of them will not be essential.

Essential items

  • Plates and dishes. You need to have enough dishware for everyone living in the home as well as a few guests.
  • Silverware and utensils. You need to have enough knives, forks, and spoons for the people in the home and guests. You will need some kitchen utensils to help prepare food.
  • Cookware. While there are many items of cookware available, you can probably limit yourself to a few pots and pans, to begin with.
  • Kitchen appliances. You should know exactly what appliances will be included in the kitchen before you close on the home. But if something like a refrigerator, oven, or dishwasher is not included, you’ll need to plan a purchase.
  • Dish soap. You may want to clean your plates and dishes when you unpack them, so you want to make sure you have dish soap ready. If you have a dishwasher, purchase soap or pods for that as well.

Useful items

  • Liners. Before you fill your drawers and cabinets, you might want to put a liner inside so that it stays clean.
  • Kitchen knives. A quality set of knives for your kitchen can be a good investment. You might also need a sharpener so that your knives keep a sharp cutting edge.
  • Containers. Clear plastic containers are always very useful in a kitchen. They can help keep your things organized and stored better.

Bedroom Items

When setting up your bedroom, there are a few things you need.

Essential items

  • Bedding. Buying a new bedding set can help mark your new start in your new home. You can also purchase extra blankets, pillows, and cushions to make the bedroom cozier and inviting.
  • Bed frame. While putting your mattress on the floor might have been fine when you were in college, in your new home, you want to put the mattress on something. A bed frame gives you space underneath to store things and makes the bedroom more comfortable.
  • Nightstands. Having a nightstand on each side of the bed is extremely useful in your bedroom. A matching pair will finish off the room, and you also could find some that complement the bed frame and other furniture.
  • Hangers. You will need to hang your clothes in your closet. Buy hangers if you don’t already have them.

Useful items

  • Lamps. A pair of lamps to go on the nightstands will be very useful and offer more lighting options for the bedroom.
  • Mattress toppers. To add more comfort to your bed, a mattress topper can really help.
  • An iron and ironing board or clothes steamer. To make sure you are looking your best, avoiding wrinkles in your clothes can be achieved with an iron or steamer.

Bathrooms

There are a few things that will improve your bathrooms in your new home.

Essential items

  • Shower curtains. Even if there is already a shower curtain in the bathroom, you’ll probably want to change it for a new one.
  • Towels. Even if you already have a few towels, you might need more for guests and every bathroom in the home.
  • Plunger. If the toilet becomes clogged, you’ll need a plunger to deal with the problem. It’s better to have one of these ready beforehand than need it and not have it.

Useful items

  • Replacement showerhead. A new shower head is easy to fit and should improve the flow of water if the one currently in the bathroom has been there for a long time.
  • Shower mat. A non-slip shower mat can prevent accidents in your bathroom.

Outdoors

If your home benefits from some outdoor space, there are some things you can buy to make the most of it.

Essential items

  • Doormats. Doormats prevent people from bringing dirt into your home and are an extremely good idea.
  • Lawnmower. If you have grass in your yard it will need to be cut. Unless you are planning on hiring a gardener, you will need to purchase a lawnmower.

Useful items

  • Patio set. To make the most of the summer, a table and chairs will make it easy to spend time in your yard.

Summing Up Things Needed After Buying Your First Home

There are a lot of things to do and buy when you move into a new home as a first-time buyer. As well as all the things we have listed here, you need to make sure you have notified utility companies, so you have electricity, water, and internet.

With some preparation, moving into your first home can be easier and less stressful. Look through our list and use it to make your own, so that you have everything you need to enjoy your first few weeks in your new home.

Things You Need For Your First Home

About the author: This article on “Things Needed for First Home” was written by Luke Skar of MadisonMortgageGuys.com. As the Social Media Strategist, his role is to provide original content for all of their social media profiles as well as generate new leads from his website.

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Filed under: First Time Home Buyers

Luke Skar

Luke Skar is the web developer and content strategist for MadisonMortgageGuys.com. Currently working for NRL Mortgage which serves 47 states including Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, and Florida. Guided by his 20-plus years of various mortgage marketing experience, Luke provides top-quality SEO services, effective social media management, and web development and maintenance. Luke’s career in the mortgage industry began back in 2001, as a loan processor. After becoming a loan officer for a number of years, Luke now runs madisonmortgageguys.com. To ensure that all the information he posts is fresh, accurate, and up-to-date, Luke relies on the knowledge which his years of dedication to keeping up with the constant change that the mortgage industry provides.

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