New Home Essentials: What You Need When Moving Into a House

Moving from an apartment into a house changes one thing more than any other: when something breaks, clogs, leaks or needs mowing, it is now your job. The right new home essentials are less about decor and more about the tools, safety gear and maintenance supplies a landlord used to handle. Buy the core items in the first week or two, before you need them at 9 p.m. on a Sunday, and you will save money on emergency service calls.

Our list focuses on house-specific needs that apartment dwellers rarely think about: a real tool kit and ladder, fire and carbon monoxide protection on every level, filters for the heating and cooling system, and gear for the yard and driveway. Furniture and kitchenware matter too, but you probably have a start on those already.

Plan on spending anywhere from a few hundred dollars for the bare basics to $1,500 or more if you need a mower, snow blower and full set of tools. Spread the rest over the first few months as projects come up.

New Home Essentials Checklist: Safety First

Handle safety items before you unpack the last box. They are inexpensive, and they protect everyone in the house from day one.

• Smoke alarms: one inside each bedroom, one outside each sleeping area and at least one on every level, including the basement. Test every existing alarm and check the manufacture date on the back; replace units older than 10 years.
• Carbon monoxide alarms: required on every level and near sleeping areas if the house has a furnace, water heater, range, dryer or fireplace that burns fuel, or an attached garage. Combination smoke and CO alarms save wall space.
• Fire extinguishers: a multipurpose ABC extinguisher in the kitchen, one in the garage and one on each additional floor. Mount them near exits, not above the stove.
• Escape ladder: a folding rope ladder for second-floor bedrooms.
• First aid kit and flashlights: keep one flashlight on each floor and spare batteries in a known drawer.
• Know your shutoffs: find and label the main water shutoff, the electrical panel and the gas meter valve if you have gas. If you ever smell gas, leave the house and call the gas utility from outside.

Also change or rekey the exterior locks. You have no way of knowing how many keys previous owners, contractors or neighbors still have.

A Basic Tool Kit

Every house eventually needs a picture hung, a cabinet hinge tightened or a toilet unclogged. A solid starter kit covers most of those jobs:

• 16-ounce claw hammer
• Screwdriver set with Phillips and flat heads, plus a multi-bit driver
• Cordless drill kit with two batteries, a charger and a basic drill and driver bit set
• Tape measure (25 foot)
• Torpedo level and a 4-foot level for shelves and cabinets
• Adjustable wrench, slip-joint pliers and needle-nose pliers
• Utility knife with spare blades
• Stud finder
• Plunger for toilets (flange style) and a separate cup plunger for sinks
• Toilet auger or drain snake
• Assorted screws, wall anchors and picture hanging hardware
• Caulk gun, silicone caulk and painter’s tape
• Safety glasses, work gloves and hearing protection

The cordless drill kit is the single most useful power tool for a new homeowner. You will use it for curtain rods, furniture assembly, shelf brackets and outdoor projects. A compact 18-volt or 20-volt model with a lithium battery is plenty for household work. Store batteries indoors at room temperature and charge them only on the supplied charger.

A Sturdy Ladder and How to Use It

Houses have taller ceilings, gutters, smoke alarms and light fixtures that a kitchen step stool will not reach. Most homeowners need two ladders: a 2-step or 3-step stool for indoor tasks and a 6-foot fiberglass stepladder for ceilings, painting and changing fixtures. Add an extension ladder only if you plan to clean single-story gutters yourself.

Ladder falls send many homeowners to the emergency room every year. Follow these habits every time:

1. Set the ladder on firm, level ground and fully open and lock the spreaders.
2. Keep three points of contact (two hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand) while climbing.
3. Do not stand on the top cap or the step just below it on a stepladder.
4. Keep your belt buckle between the rails; move the ladder instead of reaching.
5. Set an extension ladder at a 4-to-1 angle (1 foot out for every 4 feet of height) and extend it 3 feet past the roof edge.
6. Have a helper hold the base when working at height.

Leave second-story gutters, roof work and anything on a two-story exterior wall to a pro with the right equipment and fall protection. If you are replacing a hardwired light fixture, turn off the breaker and confirm the power is off with a non-contact voltage tester before touching any wires.

Heating, Cooling and Plumbing Supplies

• HVAC filters: check the size printed on the current filter and buy a few in that size. Most homes need a new one every one to three months.
• Replacement toilet flapper and fill valve: cheap to keep on hand, and they fix most running toilets.
• Water heater info: note its age and set the thermostat to about 120°F to reduce scalding risk and save energy.
• Leak sensors: small battery alarms placed near the water heater, washing machine and under sinks can catch a slow leak early.
• Dehumidifier: helpful in basements that feel damp or smell musty.

Lawn, Garden and Snow Gear

Yard care is where many first-time buyers get surprised. The things you will need for a new house with a yard depend on lot size and climate, but a starter set looks like this:

• Lawn mower sized to your lawn (a push mower for small lots; self-propelled for larger or hilly yards)
• String trimmer and a leaf rake or blower
• Garden hose, adjustable nozzle and hose reel
• Pruning shears, a shovel and a wheelbarrow
• In snowy regions: snow shovels, an ice scraper, pet-safe ice melt and possibly a snow blower

Before any digging deeper than a few inches for fence posts, gardens or trees, call 811 so buried utility lines are marked.

Cleaning and Move-In Supplies

Your move in essentials list should also cover a basic cleaning kit, because a vacant house always hides dust and grime. Pick up a vacuum suited to your flooring, a mop and bucket, microfiber cloths, an all-purpose cleaner, a glass cleaner, a bathroom cleaner, a toilet brush, trash bags and a step can for the kitchen. Never mix bleach with ammonia or acidic cleaners, and ventilate bathrooms while cleaning.

Other necessities for new home setup include shower curtains, a few extension cords rated for the load, light bulbs in the sizes your fixtures use, a kitchen trash can, a doormat for each entry and furniture pads to protect new floors.

What Can Wait

A good shopping list for new home life separates must-haves from nice-to-haves. Decor, rugs, patio furniture, a second TV and upgraded appliances can wait until you have lived in the space for a month or two and know how you use each room. Many buyers overspend in the first weeks and then find a leaking water heater or aging roof needs the money. Keep a home repair fund of at least 1 to 2 percent of the purchase price per year if you can.

First-Month Maintenance Tasks

1. Test every smoke and CO alarm and note replacement dates.
2. Replace the HVAC filter and schedule a furnace or heat pump checkup before peak season.
3. Flush the water heater if the maker recommends it and you have no record of recent service.
4. Check gutters and downspouts from the ground and plan cleaning.
5. Clean the dryer vent from the machine to the outside hood.
6. Walk the attic and basement with a flashlight to look for leaks or pests.

Put these on a calendar so they repeat. Treating new home essentials as ongoing care, rather than a single shopping trip, is what keeps a house in good shape year after year.