There are many essentials you'll need right away when you
move into your first house that you may not have required as a
renter. Use our checklist to figure out what items you already
have and what you need to acquire. It's smart to price items
online or at a hardware or home-supplies store and budget so you
have enough cash to cover essential purchases when you move in.
Curtains, blinds or shutters for bathroom, bedroom
and basement windows, to meet basic privacy needs. You
may be able to persuade your seller to leave window
coverings -- even if they aren't to your taste, you
can defer the cost of replacing them.
Mats, towels, shower curtains and waste
baskets for extra bathrooms.
Enough floor and table lamps to ensure
adequate lighting in key areas such as kitchen, living
room and study or home office.
Energy-efficient lightbulbs to fit all
lamps and built-in light fixtures (check the wattage
on bulbs left in light fixtures by the previous
owners, so you can buy the correct replacements).
Door mats for the outside of doors.
Low-pile mats or carpet remnants for
the inside of doors.
Heavy-duty garbage cans or bins and
bungee cords to secure lids so scavenging animals
can't break into them.
Basic garden tools, including: leaf
rake; shovel; trowel; dandelion digger; heavy-duty
garden shears for trimming grass and shrubbery; rubber
hose and nozzle.
Power or push lawn mower, depending on
the size of your yard.
Heavy-duty push broom for basement,
garage, porch and sidewalk clean-up.
Snow shovel, ice-breaker and salt (if
you are in an area that gets snow).
Basic tools, including: screwdrivers
with plain and Phillips tips; hammer; pliers;
adjustable wrench.
Power drill.
Heavy-duty extension cord.
Stepladder.
Heavy-duty flashlight and batteries
and/or electric work light.
Smoke detector and carbon monoxide
detector for basement, kitchen and second-floor hall.
Fire extinguisher(s) for kitchen and
any rooms with working fireplaces.
Dehumidifier, if basement is damp.
Use our free mortgage payment calculators: 1.How much do I have to earn? Not sure how much money you'll have to earn to afford your house payment and accompanying expenses? 2.Mortgage payment calculator Want to know how much your monthly payment is for your mortgage? 3.Bi-weekly mortgage calculator Want to know how much time and money you'll save paying off your loan on a bi-weekly payment plan? 4.Additional payment calculator How much do you save by paying more or making additional payments than your initial mortgage terms? 5.How much can I borrow? Want to know how big of a mortgage you can take on? 6.Should I pay discount points? Not sure if you should pay discount points on your mortgage loan? 7.How much will I save by refinancing my loan? How long will it take to recoup the costs of refinancing my home mortgage? 8.How much will my tax deduction be? Want to know how much your home mortgage will save you in taxes? 9.APR calculator To find out the annual percentage rate of your loan, enter the loan amount, interest rate, points, other costs and year-length term. 10.Interest only monthly payment calculator To find out the monthly savings you could gain from an interest-only payment plan.
