5 Things You Should Buy After Buying a New Home

If you’ve just bought a house…congratulations! You’ve survived the offer, the home inspection, mortgage application, financing, closing! Now it’s time to make that house your home.

Keys and Locks

Many people don’t think of this, but it’s a great idea to replace the locks or “rekey” them so that the old keys no longer work. Changing locks is easy to do, but you can hire a locksmith if you’d prefer to leave it to experts. This is also a good time to find a great “hiding” place for a key so you don’t get locked out. Under the doormat is way too easy to figure out.

You never know who has a copy of the old key. They may have left some with friends and family, or loaned it out to an ex-roommate. They might even have a spare for themselves. Even if you’re buying a new home, contractors who worked on the home might also have keys.

Now, there are some fun options for door locks. They have Keyless Entry door locks, which allow you to program in codes for people…this eliminates the need to have that hidden key. If you have someone watching your dog? No worries! Set up a code for them for when they’re there…then deactivate the code after!

Appliances

Sometimes, the previous owners might take their appliances with them: you might need to get a new refrigerator, washer and dryer, microwave. When purchasing them, remember to keep energy efficiency in mind. An old refrigerator can really run up that electric bill!

Again, you can have fun with these. There are some amazing gas stoves, for example, that have a section in the middle which is perfect for putting a griddle on. New home…new lifestyle!

Lawn Mower

Of course, this is dependent upon how much lawn you have and how much effort you want to put into your yard. While you could hire a service for your yard, that can run up in costs especially in the spring and summer. Having your own lawn mower can be a real money saver in the long run. If you have a particularly large yard, a ride-on mower might be perfect for you (and maybe a lot of fun!) With a smaller yard, gas and electric lawnmowers are a nice cost-effective way to keep your grass trimmed.

Garden Supplies

The yard might have some amazing flower beds, shrubs, and trees but without the proper tools they can get out of hand. Keep your curb appeal flourishing by investing in a garden hose, weed-whackers, shovels, rakes, and spades. Garden gloves can also help.

A fun thing to help is this stool that has wheels on it so you aren’t always bending over. You might also do well to get a push broom, wheelbarrow, and watering can.

Tools and Repair Items

Many new homeowners don’t feel like they have bought a house until they purchased their first tool. The tool-box that’s well-stocked can truly help you have a happy home. Things to make sure to put in it are:

  • Hammers
  • Screwdrivers: both flat-head and phillips
  • Assorted screws, nails, and wall hooks
  • Hacksaw
  • Pliers
  • Plumber’s wrench
  • Basin wrench
  • Small power drill and drill bits
  • Nail driver
  • Staple gun
  • Tape measure
  • Level