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More than half of all Americans own their own home, and filling that home up with furniture, practical goodies, and personal touches are part of the fun of moving into a new house.
However, without a new house checklist, you might end up missing a few things. This can be fantastically frustrating, so it’s crucial to make sure you have everything you need by referring to a helpful checklist, much like the one you’ll find below.
The New House Checklist
Before you can begin enjoying your new home, there’s are a few thing’s you’ll want to unpack or purchase. To help make this checklist easier to read, we’ve separated these items into nifty sections that correspond to your home’s various rooms.
Living Room
The living room is often one of the areas of a home that sees near-constant use. It’s not only a place to entertain and relax, but it’s also the room where families come together to enjoy movies, music, and each others’ company.
Though you may have your new living room planned out, it’s essential to double-check your shopping and packing lists before moving day. Some of the item’s you’ll definitely want to have on-hand include:
- Sofas
- A TV Stand
- Bookshelves
- Chairs
- Coffee Table
- Lamps
- Curtains
If you don’t already own most of these items, it might be worthwhile to purchase them directly before moving and having them shipped to your new home. This will save you the hassle of having to pack and move these things yourself.
That said, if you are purchasing a new living room set-up, you may also need to invest in a few handy tools that can help you build your new furniture. A hammer, adjustable wrench, and set of screwdrivers can be a great help in this process.
You may also want to go ahead and stock up on lightbulbs and cleaning materials. Many living rooms are carpeted, so a vacuum cleaner is a must. Hardwood floors and tile floors can also benefit from vacuuming, though a mop is also a necessary item.
After you’ve secured these primary goods, you can add artwork and personal touches that make your living room a comfortable, welcoming place.
Kitchen
It’s likely that you already own a decent amount of cookware. Packing and moving this cookware can be tiresome. But you can cross a significant expense off your list right now by checking that you have pots, pans, and things to cook with.
If your new home lacks some of the most common kitchen appliances, like a stove or refrigerator, you’ll definitely want to begin shopping for those big-ticket items. Additionally, it’s crucial to make sure you have the right kitchen cleaning supplies.
As such, you’ll want to make sure that your new kitchen has:
- Cookware
- Cabinet Liners
- A Sink
- A Dish Drying Rack
- Dish Towels
- Storage Racks
- An Oven
- A Stovetop
- A Refrigerator
Once you have these basics, you can begin filling your kitchen with foodstuffs. You may also want to invest in stick-and-peel vinyl coverings for unsightly cabinetry. If you’ve purchased your new home, you could choose to renovate your kitchen.
However, renovations can be costly and time-consuming. They’re typically not at the top of the moving list unless necessary. Additionally, individuals currently renting their new place might not have permission to rip out old cabinets. Vinyl could help.
It’s also a good idea to give your kitchen a good cleaning before you begin bringing home food and unpacking your dishware. A mop, a multipurpose rag or towel, and some general cleaning solutions should do the trick nicely.
Dining Area
Your home’s dining area should be a place of calm. However, if you don’t own a dining table, chairs, a buffet, or a dining room rug, you may find yourself wandering into the living room for dinner, breakfast, or lunch.
Unfortunately, eating in the living room could end with stained couch covers, deep-set carpet stains, and excessive eating. By investing in a proper dining room set, you could change your habits and help keep your new home in tip-top shape.
That’s why you’ll want to make sure that you get a:
- Dining Table
- Placemat Set
- Flatware Set
- Dining Chair Set
- Dining Room Rug
All of these items could enhance the look and feel of your new dining area while also helping to keep it clean. If you’ve never lived in a home that you were proud of, now may be the time to turn that around.
Inviting over family members and friends could be more manageable if you have a dining room table. Imagine how much joy you could share with your loved ones over a gorgeous new table with handpicked placemats and a soft, easy-to-clean rug.
Just as with the living room, don’t be afraid to get creative and make your living room your own. Picking out decorations and artwork can be one of the most fun aspects of moving into a new home.
Bathrooms
Your new home’s bathroom may need a little TLC. At the very least, they’ll need some tried-and-true bathroom items to keep mold and mildew at bay. A couple of comforting and privacy-enhancing products also don’t go amiss in a bathroom.
For example, most bathrooms should be equipped with:
- A Shower Curtain
- A Shower Rod
- Bath Mats
Naturally, you’ll also need to ensure that your new place’s bathrooms contain working toilets, showers, and bathtubs. Otherwise, you’ll need to supersede these other items and invest in replacement bathroom appliances.
Depending on the climate you live in, you could also choose to upgrade your bathroom to help it become less humid or less frigid. There’s nothing quite like stumbling naked into a freezing-cold bathroom during a harsh winter.
A bathroom heater or heated towel rack could help you avoid the unpleasant shakes and shivers of ice-cold bathroom tiles and slow-heating shower water. But if you live in warmer climes, these items might not benefit you.
Individuals in humid environments may want to consider installing additional dehumidifiers in their bathroom. Doing so could substantially reduce the amount of mold and mildew build-up in a bathroom, thus saving you from costly remediation.
Bedrooms
Unless you’ve been living a fantastically minimalistic lifestyle, chances are, you already own a bed. However, a bed isn’t the only item commonly found in bedrooms. As such, you’ll want to ensure you have all of your necessary bedtime items.
These may include:
- A Nightstand
- A Dresser
- Hangers
- Curtains
- Organization Shelves
- Bookcases
Naturally, your tastes and preferences will help inform your final purchasing choices. After all, if you’re not a reader, you might find much use in keeping a bookcase in your bedroom.
Additionally, if your bedroom doesn’t contain a closet, a dresser might be a better investment than a slew of hangers. But the above items may not be the only things to place in your new bedroom.
Oil diffusers are a smart alternative to candles and incense. Putting some lavender oil into one and turning it on could help you feel more relaxed and sleepy, ensuring that you get a better night’s rest.
Dry climates can also make for tricky sleeping conditions. Nose bleeds, dry, itchy skin, and breathing issues are common for those without a bedroom humidifier. Fortunately, the best humidifiers may only be a click away.
Outdoor Spaces
If your home is your castle, then your backyard is your personal forest. No matter how large or small your home’s outdoor spaces are, there are ways to spruce them up and have them become your new favorite household area.
Those with larger yards might want to invest in a barbecue grill, supplies for a vegetable garden, or even an above-ground pool. The choice of how to outfit your outdoor spaces is completely in your hands.
However, there are a few items that nearly all homeowners and tenants will need to keep those areas looking their best. As such, you may want to purchase or unpack:
- A Rake
- A Broom
- Exterior Home Brush
- A Utility Bucket
- Bleach
- Paint
- A Ladder
The exterior of a home can become unbelievably filthy. With a little maintenance and care, you could keep your home’s outside just as clean and tidy as it’s inside. Chipped paint, dirt stains, and mold can be remediated with the above tools.
Enjoy Your New Home
Moving can be a stressful process. But when you’re well-prepared to move into your new home, moving can be an exciting adventure. Don’t forget to use this new house checklist to ensure you have everything you need for your new home.
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