Ask Lemmy

If you're going to want wall-to-wall carpets or need to fix flooring, replace them before you move in -- or at least while things are still sparse and it is easy to move stuff. Paint your walls now, too. Need more insulation? Better sooner than later.

If it is an older house, you probably want more electrical outlets, and may want to add circuit breakers for new lines to the fuse box (I needed to do that to run window air-conditioners plus several PCs on the upper floor).

It seems like all new appliances die in 10 years, but they're more energy effcient. I'm glad I put a water filter on the line into the refrigertaor so I can replace the exterior filter instead of the one for the current refrigerator (which gives ice and water from the exterior with no need to open the doors). How's your water heater? What type of home heating do you have?

Edit: and try to introduce yourself to your neighbors! try to catch them while yuo're both doing yardwork or some such, but neighbors can watch out for one another ... but of course, some are real jerks, so until you get a feel for everyone, it is best to be diplomatic and not share opinions on things like politics or relgion.

Those poles that screw into each other to extend and have attachments to help unclog pipes? Yeah those are handy, next door have them which saved me a lot of money the other day when I lifted the drain cover and a couple hundred litres of sewage was backed up.

The poles are about a tenth of the minimum cost of calling someone out to fix it.

If you’re techy at all, get an iFixit toolkit for small or proprietary screw heads. What a lifesaver that’s been; even for things like hex heads in furniture.

Always have a stocked liquor cabinet. Doesn’t matter if you drink or not - if you wanna be an accommodating host, make sure you at least have something to offer. You’ll feel like a bad host if you don’t at least offer.

I use my Neat steamer at least once a season for deep cleaning all over the house.

Air filters are great and seriously help keep the air clean and less stale, especially if you have pets. Most guests have no idea I have a cat until I show her off.

A good cooler is always useful. You don’t need to splurge for a yeti, but from having people in the yard, to keeping canned drinks cold for a party, a good cooler that can hold ice and drinks is invaluable for an event you’re hosting.

You’re up north? I’d be thinking of ways to keep the house insulated, warm and with pipes unfrozen.

Pipewrap. They come in a few different options. The cheap foam works ok, but can be a pain around elbows and expansions. The insulation roll is a bit easier to get done well but takes more time.

Pipe heaters - relatively cheap, somewhere around $20-40. Run it along the pipe and plug it in.

Do you have a well or city water? If a well, make sure that cement encasement is lodged in the ground good and then stuff insulation all in it. Pipe warmer may serve you well here too. If city, then you’re in a bit of an easier situation.

If you have a crawl space, seal the door well. Don’t forget to open the vents in the summer and for sure close them in the winter. If you have a basement, make sure your water barrier is doing its job and get a dehumidifier to prevent mold. Try to get one with a drain tube so you don’t have to empty it all the freaking time like I currently do.

Get one of those foam dohickeys for your outdoor faucets and for the love of all that is unfrozen do not leave your hoses attached in the winter.

Get a preventive maintenance plan on your big ticket items like furnaces boilers and aircons. People neglect these and then end up with an eventual $8k unexpected bill. At least the pms will tell you if you’re close to their expiry so you can prepare. They may also help you prevent mold in your aircon before it becomes a problem.

Get pest control, we do monthly. It’ll help keep out the ants, mice, bats and squirrels.

Get yourself a backup battery that can run a fridge for a day. Or invest in a backup generator.

Figure out what your secondary source of heat will be (e.g wood stove, propane, kerosene.) Make sure you have it stocked. If you burn anything, make sure to get a CO sensor and that your fire alarms are working. Houses are so tightly built nowadays that you’ll need to ensure anything burned has proper ventilation.

Change your air filters every 3 months depending on use. Make sure to clean your fridge air filter every 6 months. If you have a kitchen stove exhaust fan, make sure to clean that up every few months as well.

Invest in some salt and a snow shovel if you don’t already have one. You’ll need it. .

Change out your locks. Who knows who the previous owners gave a key. If your doors have the smart key system, then it’s very easy to do nowadays.

Learn where your electric panel is, make sure you don’t have two or even three elsewhere around the house, sometimes inside, sometimes out.

Don’t be a stranger, talk to your neighbors. They’re your best resource in a pinch

Congrats on owning your own castle. It’s a lot of upkeep but it’s a lot of piece of mind too.

somewhere that gets a lot of snow in the winter

Tools and knowhow to repair your heating.

Ladders always go up in price when you NEED one, so I definitely recommend getting one before the time comes. Also, get one bigger than you think you need for your roof/ tree access.

Another would be a basic tool kit that has socket wrenches and adjustable wrenches.

A set of allen keys /hex wrenches I dont know which they call them in Canada

And of course screw driver bit set there are so many different types of screw heads these days.

And this one is a personal peeve of mine. Get a cheap dryer line clear out brush kit. The air duct gets clogged with lint, eventually becoming a fire hazard that is often overlooked.

GOOD LUCK WITH HOME OWNERSHIP!

I love not buying things that I don't need I think it's great

-Drill/driver with a decent set of drill bits -set of screwdrivers -pipe wrench -adjustable wrenches -hammer and rubber mallet -at least a couple flashlights -plunger and drain snake -extension cord -tape measure -pliers -ladder and step stool -multimeter -good scissors/shears -snow shovel, snowblower, and ice melt -extra lightbulbs and batteries

Go to whatever the Canadian version of harbor freight is and they probably have a home owners tool kit that'll have most of the hand tools you need. You can cheap out on most stuff to start out and if you use it enough to break it or wear it out buy a better one.

Also not specifically stuff to buy but knowing where the electrical and water shut offs are and having a well labeled breaker box.

A box running homeassistant with the appropriate zigbee / zwave dongle.

Plunger, plumber's snake, and step stool. Watch out with that ladder; ladders are killers. Up to a six foot folding ladder is pretty safe, but I won't go up an extension ladder.

Water softener.

If your climate is dry in the winter, a whole home humidifier.

LUXE Bidet NEO 185 Plus: https://www.amazon.com/LUXE-Bidet-Plus-Next-Generation-Self-Cleaning/dp/B0B1H9W4D2

Solar panels and home battery 100%, but you have to do it before Dec 31 2025 because the tax credit is going away due to the GOP and Trump

• If you get a lot of snow, a snow blower/thrower for the driveway. If your driveway is not paved, that will be a challenge, so, sheer pins to spare.
• A good battery charger and rechargeable batteries.
• An LED lantern, if/when you lose power.
• Candles
• Replace the smoke alarms unless you know their age
• Fire extinguisher

Haven't seen this yet so I'll suggest it, a fly swatter.

Before you go out and spend a lot of money on stuff, check local resources - tool library, your neighbor, estate sales, etc. You'll still want your own stuff eventually, but setting up your first home is expensive and there's going to be hundreds of things you need to pick up. Borrow what you can, pick up what you can't borrow or will need regularly as inexpensively as possible.

First day or two move-in pack, packed completely separately from everything else, and preferably moves with you in the car so you know where it is: two full sets of clothes, plus nightwear. Cash - for pizza, or tipping, or whatever else might come up. Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, comb. Shower curtain, washcloth, towels. Shampoo and body wash. Soap for the bathroom sink. Paper towels. Flashlights. Phone chargers. An assortment of bandaids. Sharpie. Packing tape, garbage bags. Drinks. I'm another bag: pillows and one set of bedding.

The most basic toolbox: regular and Phillips screwdrivers, both small and large bits. Hammer. Vice grip, a couple of adjustable wrenches (large and medium), pinch nose pliers.

My best advice: buy a box of heavy-duty quart and gallon sized Ziplocs and a sharpie. As you put things together, you're going to have parts left over ("if installing on a wall, use mounting plate A; if installing on a ceiling, use mounting plate B", etc). Every time you have leftover pieces, even if it's just a couple screws, put them in a separate Ziploc, and label it with a description and the model number of the item: "hoover vacuum, model xyz345", "phillippe cat door, model 17b", etc. Get a decent sized box and all those spare parts go live there together. When you need it, it's in the box, kept separate by the Ziploc, and labeled. And every five years or so, to through the box and, if you no longer have the item, either get rid of it or move it to general use (is, the spare screws).

Electronic programmable thermostat. Don’t need it to be WiFi connectable. But program it for different times of the day. It will save a ton of money for you.

Things I haven’t seen mentioned: Fire extinguisher. Socket set. Battery storage and fill it up. Shelving for backstock items like TP, paper towels, other things you tend to blow through. You don’t want to have to get out during some of those northern winter snow times.

I haven’t seen much mentioned yet about emergency preparedness. If you’ve bought in an area you’re familiar with/already living you likely have some idea of what kind of emergencies are more likely. It’s still probably a good idea to check the website for whatever government agency handles emergency response for suggestions on what to be prepared for and what items to have. How likely is it you’ll lose electricity for a few days? Have some food and drinking water, enough for at least a couple days for everyone in your household, including any animals. Keep them in a separate area from your regular food supplies but that’s easy to access. Ideally get food and water you would use anyways and try to use them before they spoil so you’re not wasting your money or food. Be sure to check your supplies at least once a year to replace any food or medicine that’s expired, and make sure your batteries haven’t leaked all over everything.

Some of these things you should keep accessible where you can bring them with you if you have to evacuate, along with copies of important documents.

Plumbers tape. Electrical tape. Wood glue. Colored markers that match wood flooring. A fire extinguisher is a good thing to have on hand

Know how old your roof is and what the lifespan is.

Our house had a 20 year old roof with a 20 year lifespan. First thing we did was replace it with a 50 year roof.

When the mortgage is paid, the roof will still have 20 years left on it.

There are some great lists here. I am just going to add- put a whole home water filter on the cold water line of the kitchen sink. It has changed my life. I only need to replace the filter at most once a year, it is on the cold water line that is almost as good a fridge water dispenser would be, but with more pressure. And now when I make pasta, fill up the coffee pot, make tea, or whatever other random kitchen thing that needed water, it is filtered water. Not to mention the clean taste.

Depends on the kind of home and how "handy" you feel yourself to be. There are a lot of minor things around the home which can save you boatloads of money (and be faster to deal with) if you do them yourself.

Tools:

• A multi-bit ratcheting screwdriver. It's my #1 go-to for assorted small fixes. Wirecutter recently recommended the Megapro 211R2C36RD, for what that's worth.
• Multi-tool. Another good "it's not the best at anything, but I use it for everything".
• Adjustable wrench and/or pliers. Good for tightening nuts, holding things tight, bending, and other small tasks.
• Sponge mop. One of the ones with a little handle to help squeeze it out. Great for cleaning floors without killing your back.
• Speaking of which, a good-quality hard plastic bucket. Look for something in the 10-15 liter range. Dirty water, clean water, road salt, supplies, anything which is easy to carry.
• If you are comfortable with power tools, a good quality cordless drill can be a huge help as well.
• If you're comfortable doing your own minor electrical repairs, one of those little outlet checker tools. Saves a ton of time.
• Good quality measuring tools, like a measuring tape and/or bubble level. These needn't kill the budget, but are handy to have.

Comfort:

• I am a firm believer in ceiling fans as a great room cooler. Put one up and be amazed as the room feels comfortable at a range of temperatures.
• Similarly, a small room air circulator or pedestal fan can really help, especially if you're doing some heavy work.
• If you don't have good chairs for the table, I'm a personal fan of Ikea's Bergmund.

Convenience:

• "Lazy susan" cabinet organizers. Game-changer for kitchen cabinets.
• Mr Clean abrasive cleaning pads. You can scrape off a lot of grime with these.

Lastly, for furniture and other things, unless you're in a really small area, check various community marketplace kinds of sites. You can find a lot of critical stuff for less than MSRP, and non-critical stuff at a point that won't break your budget.

I made a thing:

https://sh.itjust.works/c/loadbearingwisdom

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