It’s taken a lot of saving, searching, and far too much reading of papers that have seemingly been made to be as overly complicated as possible, but you’re finally going to become a homeowner. The hard work is done, but there’s a lot more for you to prepare for to make the early days as easy as possible.
There’s a whole heap of things to buy, rooms to cater for, and just general little bits that almost all new homeowners wish they’d accounted for prior to moving in. Here, we’re delving into these elements that you should get all lined up before you move in or within your first couple of weeks after you’ve been handed the keys.
Stock up with the tools you’ll need
Regardless of whether you’re moving into a new build or a house that’s stood for decades, even if it’s passed all of the checks, you’re all but guaranteed to find some things that you’ll want to fix. It might be something small, like a gap in the brickwork, or something that you’re planning on changing completely, like the kitchen units.
In any case, it’s great to have all of the core tools that you’ll need to knock out all of these little fixes or changes at once. Start your toolbox or tool bag with a tape measure, set of flathead and Phillips screwdrivers, a claw hammer, cordless drill, locking pliers, magnetic stud finder, rubber-handled snips, ratchet set, a level, and a retractable knife. These are your go-to tools for home improvement.
For repairs and fillings, you’ll want a sealant gun and the sealants that it can dispense – decorator’s caulk and silicone – filler, a set of sandpaper of different grades, tough adhesive tape, and a hot glue gun. A hot glue gun can be used for household repairs when operating at higher temperatures, including for bonding wood, metals, plastics, and ceramics, while lower-temperature ones can fix fabrics, shoes, and the like.
Plan for entertainment now and in the future
The centerpiece of your new home for comfort in the evenings and likely when you’re entertaining is your living room. Nowadays, there are several ways to sink into some entertainment, from hardware-requiring gaming to streaming platforms, but what seemingly caters to everything is the modern fad of entertainment centers. Often scaling a whole wall, these multi-box units let you set up everything that you could possibly want. However, technology continues to develop at breakneck pace. A prime example is in gaming.
While the end product could have been far better, Dragon’s Dogma 2 from 2024 now has a feature that the original game from 2012 wanted to have but couldn’t – with that feature being Dragonsplague. The jump between these two also requires different hardware, and if played on a PlayStation 5 or, especially, an Xbox Series X, far larger hardware. In terms of size of entertainment hardware – particularly essential entertainment hardware – careful planning is needed for your television.
With greater quality displays becoming cheaper by the day as newer, better ones come out, bigger and much better TVs are becoming much more accessible. In fact, from August 2022 to May 2023, the average size of television displays shipped by leading makers grew from 46.8 inches to 50.2 inches. If you have a 50-inch TV now, you may well be on a 55 or 60-inch set in the next few years, which is worth sizing for with an entertainment center.
Get safety and security measures in place immediately
All homes pass a good standard of safety checks if you’ve gone through the proper means of acquiring the house, but it’s always worth bringing in a bunch of your own. Primarily, you’ll want to get your hands on a fire blanket, a good first-aid kit – one that’s more than just band-aids and a wrap – and a carbon monoxide detector. If viable, it’s also worth having a fire extinguisher that can tackle wood, grease, and electrical fires.
For security, smart home technology and general security investments have soared in Australia. Apparently, some 61 percent of Australians enforce security measures, and half turn to smart home technology. While some of these elements are best left until you move in and can get a proper feel for the area and your home, one easy measure to take immediately is to change the door locks. This guarantees that previous owners or anyone else connected to the house previously won’t have access.
As a new homeowner, get yourself set and ready to go with the right tools, an entertainment center set for expansion, and safety essentials.