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Before you buy cute stuff for your first house…
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items Buying your first house will have you ready to furnish every room immediately. I get it. But before I spent money making everything cute, these are the boring things I'd make sure were already in the house, because buying them before you need them is...
Nobody gets excited about buying a fire extinguisher, which is probably why it's the kind of thing people forget until they need one. Buy it while absolutely nothing is on fire.
First Alert Fire Extinguisher, Standard Home Use | HOME1, UL RATED 1-A:10-B:C, Red 1-Pack
Not glamorous, but I'd rather handle this before I start worrying about matching soap dispensers in the guest bathroom.
First Alert Battery Combination Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarm | SMCO100
I'd much rather have a little sensor start yelling at me today than discover three weeks from now that something under the sink has been leaking.
GoveeLife Upgraded Smart Water Leak Detector 1s with High Alarm, 3 Pack | 1804ft Ultra-Long Range, WiFi Water Sensor with SMS/Email/APP Push, 5Yr Battery Life,IP67, Suit for Home, Basement, Kitchen
The first time something gets loose at 9:47 at night, you'll understand exactly why this is on the list.
CRAFTSMAN 57 Piece Mechanics Tool Set Home Tool Set, Sockets, Ratchet, Screwdrivers, Hammer, Pliers, Hex Keys, Specialty Bits Hand Tools (CMMT99447)
You will be shocked by how many things in your own house are suddenly four inches taller than you.
Cosco 11135CLGG1 2-Step Folding Steel Step Stool, 200lbs, 17 3/8w x 18d x 28 1/8h, Cool Gray
Buy the plunger before you need the plunger. That's the whole note.
MR.SIGA Toilet Plunger with Holder, Plungers for Bathroom Heavy Duty, Black | Automatic lid design, sturdy long handle, heavy duty toilet plunger and holder set, toilet clog remover
For the basic “why is the shower draining like it has nowhere to be?” situation, before we start calling plumbers.
ARCTIC EAGLE Drain Snake Hair Clog Remover - Shower Sink Unclogger Tool | Flexible Drain Snake Removes Hair Clogs from Sink, Shower, and Bathtub Drains to Restore Water Flow
My electronics cost way too much for a random $7 strip from the junk drawer to be the entire plan.
Belkin 12-Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip w/ 12 AC Outlets & 8ft Flat Plug, UL-Listed Heavy-Duty Extension Cord for Home, Office, Travel, Computer, Laptop, Charger - 3,780 Joules of Protection
You don't think about owning an extension cord until the exact moment you need electricity somewhere electricity is not.
Outdoor Extension Cord Waterproof 16/3 25 FT, Black 3 Prong Power Cord Outside for Lawn & Garden, 13 Amps 1625 Watts 125 VAC 16AWG SJTW, ETL Listed
Your phone flashlight is wonderful until your phone is also sitting at 11%.
Energizer LED Flashlight Vision PRO, Ultra Bright 1000+ Lumens, IPX4 Water Resistant, Aircraft-Grade Aluminum LED Light, Rugged Metal Flash Light for Outdoors, Emergency Power Outage, Black
Boring. Responsible. Hopefully barely used. Exactly the kind of purchase I want already sitting in a cabinet.
BAND-AID Brand All-Purpose Portable Compact First Aid Kit, 160 Piece | Emergency Wound Care Essentials with Adhesive Bandages, Gauze & Pain Relief for Home, Car, Dorm, Camping, Cruise & Travel
Before you order anything, pull out the filter that is already in your house and check the size. I do not need you buying a six-pack of the wrong filter because somebody on the internet told you to.
Filtrete 20x20x1 Air Filter, MERV 11, MPR 1000, Allergens & Pet Dander, 3-Month AC and Furnace Filters, Cleaner Air, Reliable Airflow, 2 HVAC Filters (Actual Size 19.68 x 19.68 x 0.81 in)
Regular vacuum cleaners and mystery wet homeowner messes are not friends. This is one of those purchases that starts making sense the first time your house decides to get weird.
CRAFTSMAN CMXEVBE17925 5 Gallon 5.0 Peak HP Wet Dry Shop Vacuum | Portable and Wall-Mountable Wet and Dry Vac with Filter, 2 Hoses and Attachments for Garage and Automotive Cleaning
Because apparently owning a house occasionally requires touching things you would really rather not touch.
DEWALT DPG781 Performance Mechanic Work Glove with TPR Impact Protection and Anti-Slip Grip
Moving boxes alone will justify this purchase, and somehow you'll keep finding reasons to use it after that.
Stanley Utility Knife, 2-Pack - 6 in Classic 99 Retractable with Alloy Steel Blades & Handle, Interlocking Nose, 3-Position Blade, Includes 3 Blades
You're about to measure more random things than you ever imagined, furniture, curtains, doorways, walls, and whether that Facebook Marketplace dresser will fit in your car.
STANLEY FATMAX Tape Measure, 25-Foot (33-725)
A flashlight is great until you need the flashlight and both of your hands at the same time.
NightBuddy The Original LED Headlamp Rechargeable Flashlight for Adults Camping Essentials Backpacking Lights 4X Brighter Other Headlight Headband Lamp 5 Light Modes Hiking Gear Must Haves (Headlamp)
I'm not trying to become an electrician. I am trying to have basic information before I start touching things or calling somebody who actually is one.
Klein Tools NCVT1P Voltage Tester, Non-Contact Low Voltage Tester Pen, 50V to 1000V AC, Audible and Flashing LED Alarms, Pocket Clip