Buying your first home is one of those memorable accomplishments that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Once you have signed on the dotted line and taken official ownership of the property, you’re going to want to—if you haven’t already—think about some essential items to pick up for your home to make your experience of living in your home that much more enjoyable. Here is a substantial list of items to consider purchasing after you’ve bought your home.
Safety Equipment:
Smoke Alarms: You should have smoke alarms installed in every room of your house including each bedroom, outside your bedrooms, and on every level of your home. If your home has a basement, don’t forget to install a smoke alarm there, too.
Carbon Monoxide Alarms: Not to say that Carbon Monoxide is more dangerous than smoke, but it is an odorless, colorless gas that can prove deadly if it isn’t detected sooner rather than later. Be sure to install carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home, especially in places where people sleep.
Fire Extinguishers: It’s always a good idea to have a fire extinguisher handy in case a fire breaks out while you’re cooking in the kitchen.
Safety Ladder: If you live in a home that has more than one level, seriously consider purchasing a ladder. Ladders can make the difference between life and death in the event of an emergency.
First-Aid Kit: Having a healthy stash of bandages, ointments, wipes, and other products is a good idea in case someone gets injured in your home.
Emergency Kit: Water, canned foods, flashlights, batteries, a can opener, flares, dust masks, tools like a wrench or pliers, maps of your area, a cell phone and a charger, prescription medications, eyeglasses, matches, personal hygiene items, pet food and supplies, an extra change of clothes.
Essential Items for Security of Your Home:
New locks: Any time you purchase a new home, it’s important to change the locks immediately to ensure the safety and security of yourself and your family.
Motion-sensor lights: These kinds of lights illuminate when they sense movement in a given area. They’re not expensive and are relatively simple to install.
Home safe: A secure box in which to store valuable documents like IDs or passports, birth certificates, banking information, and other sensitive information is always a good idea.
Window treatments: Believe it or not, installing blinds is one way to deter criminals from breaking into your home.
Video doorbell: Cheaper than security cameras, video doorbells can provide you with the peace of mind you want by giving you access to video footage of any action taking place at your front door. You can also link this capability to your smartphone, so you can always keep an eye on these areas even when you’re away from your home.
Items for Indoors:
Vacuum: Not all vacuums are created equal and different vacuums work more efficiently depending on how they are designed and what kind of surface they are being used on. It’s okay if you want to spend your money on an automatic vacuum that will work its way around your home on its own, but if you want more of a deep clean, consider purchasing a standard one.
Mop: If you have a home that has hardwood or composite flooring, a dust mop will serve you well. Consider purchasing one with a long handle, so you don’t have to spend all of your time on your hands and knees.
Plunger: No further explanation is necessary here. This is a must-have.
Broom and dustpan: When you own a home, the time will inevitably come when you spill food crumbs on your floor. Also, dust can build up on your floor and in hard-to-reach areas. A broom and dust pan are a must-have. Consider buying a dust pan with a long handle to avoid having to squat down every time you need to reach something.
Air purifier: These are great if you want to reduce the amount of allergens and pollutants in the air. Also, green plants can help improve your air quality as well.
Pencil sharpener: The days of manual pencil sharpeners should have been gone a long time ago. Buy yourself an electric pencil sharpener that can rest on top of a desk or table. You’ll save yourself a lot of time and hassle this way.
Dehumidifier: Humidifiers are great if you want to decrease the dryness of your living space. But, what if you have the problem of too much moisture in your home? Get yourself a dehumidifier to use in your basement and living areas.
Batteries: Having a healthy stockpile of batteries will save yourself at least a few trips to the store. Figure out which items you use regularly that require battery use and create an inventory. That way, you’ll have a better chance of not buying too few or too many.
Power strips: Power strips are nice to have because they can help you cut the costs of your energy use.
Outdoor Items
Lawn equipment: A lawnmower, a leaf blower, and hedge trimmers for your bushes. Make sure you have enough space in your storage areas as these items can take up quite a bit of space.
Shovels: Depending on what kind of work you’re about to do, not all shovels will get a particular job done. In any case, you should always get yourself a snow shovel.
Hose: Choose one that will suit your needs. You’ll also need a nozzle. Please do not forget to store it away during the winter because a frozen hose can present a big problem!
Door mats: Family and guests are bound to track in dirt into your home. A door mat can help your minimize what is carried into your home. If that fails, consider asking your guests to remove their shoes before entering your home.
Snowblower: Snowblowers can be your saving grace if a huge blizzard comes into your area and wreaks havoc. They’re far more efficient than shovels, alone.