Ask Lemmy

Plumbers tape. Electrical tape. Wood glue. Colored markers that match wood flooring. A fire extinguisher is a good thing to have on hand

A smart water monitor/shutoff valve.

Some part of your plumbing breaking can cause your house to flood, ruining your possessions and costing you tens of thousands in repairs. Plus a huge headache to deal with even if insurance covers it all.

Smart water monitors will notice when water is pouring into your house and automatically shut the water off.

I found the ladders that can turn into scaffolds to be of immense use. Also start going to every yard, estate, and garage sale you can find as there are often tools and ladders and all sorts of stuff being sold cheap.

A good notebook. Yup good old paper and pencil. I mean I suppose it could be digital but sometimes I think it's just easier going old school.

Anyway, the purpose is to write notes about your home ownership. In the front I put numbers of the tradesmen I use. Leave lots of room so you can note if they are good or if they suck so you don't accidentally use a bad service again if you forget.

In this book you put when you got new carpet, new countertops, AC fixed, literally every notable thing. Color swatches so you can get the correct touch-up paint. And especially before and after pics.

Most homeowners move within about 5-8 years (may be different now). The purpose of this book is to be set on the kitchen counter when you are selling your home. This is one of the reasons I like paper, you may not want to leave an electronic device in the house. Also, if there's just a pen sitting there you're more likely to make notes right away rather than going to your computer to crop a photo or whatever.

Anyway, this book will show potential buyers that you really had a pride of ownership and of course it will help them and you know exactly when things were done. How old is the roof? How long did that POS water heater last? What model was it? You might want to avoid it in the future. Whatever. I usually only enter significant stuff but I also enter anything I think will be helpful. For instance I bought way too much Halloween candy (I love Halloween) so I record how much I gave out each year, so I know how many bags to buy next year. This is important because I will eat what they don't and nobody wants to see that.

I think you get the idea.

Toilet plunger, basic cold medicine, first aid kit, fire extinguisher and fire blanket

I think there’s a lot of great ideas in here, but I’d start with the stuff that, when you need it, you need it now.

Something I didn’t see mentioned yet was a wrench to turn your water off at the line that goes into your house. If you’re on a well, then whatever tools you’d need to turn that valve off. If you spring a bad leak you want to shut that off asap

A few other things that seem like good things to have BEFORE you need them

• Plunger and drain snake (Good to have both, sometime the plunger won’t cut it, but it’s much easier to use a plunger if that’s all you need)
• First aid kit
• Fire extinguisher
• Carbon monoxide/smoke detectors
• Spare keys, give them to people you trust or hide them really well so you don’t have to break in if you get locked out
• A big bucket for leaks, mopping, etc
• ladder
• Generator if you can afford it
• Emergency bag with food, water, flashlight, spare batteries, cheap phone, list of numbers, map, first aid kit, etc

Those are the kinds of things I’d look to buying first since anything else you can just go get when you need it.

Create an email address for the house and use it for everything house related. Contractors, mtg payments, instruction/owner's manuals for appliances, etc, all get sent here and it's very helpful. Also suggest doing a first look for manuals now. When you need to fix your water heater - even if you opt to pay a contractor - having read the manual first will put put you in a much better position to understand what needs to be done or what you are choosing to pay for.

Tool wise I'd include a couple pipe wrenches plus a 90° angle one for under sinks. The actual ones are probably less useful for plumbing inside the house but are just useful tools. A pickaxe is useful for small irrigation or electrical trenches. A pry bar for - you'll find a use. Someone else mentioned a hand truck which is really handy. Basic electrical tools, lineman plyers, wire strippers, an electrical tester. Some basic chemicals, acetone, alcohol, bleach, etc will come in handy for cleaning/prepping (don't store acids around tools/metal unless you put them in an airtight container as an acidic pH in the air causes rust). Other basic consumables are good too - a tube of caulk, electrical tape, couple boxes of screws and nails, plumbing tape, a small tube of epoxy, I tend to buy an extra of these kinds of things as I see them so that I have them when I need them. Once you have all this and other basic tools it's awesome to have a project and be able to do it without needing to go to the hardware store.

Not something you can just go buy but I keep an eye out for jars and drawers of junk at yardsales and thrift stores. Have bought a couple of little Grey boxes with the 30 tiny drawers full of odds and ends someone else collected - super handy. All kinds of oddball stuff, hinges, springs, rubber gaskets, cotter pins, that have saved me many trips to the store.

Outdoor bug lights - yellow bulbs that don't attract bugs. Not sure why I'd never heard of these but they make the patio more enjoyable. Not gonna keep bugs away but at least there isn't a swarm of them.

Good luck!

Take a bunch of pictures of everything. You'll probably want to look at them somewhere down the road and it's interesting to have empty photos everywhere.

TOOLS (none of this is yard stuff, I won't really go into that)

-Tape measure

-finishing (smooth face) hammer

-a drill kit. This can be pricey but I wouldn't recommend getting a really cheap one unless you must, but it's ok if you do to start and don't abuse it. Crap and decker is fine. You'll want a basic drill bit set that has Phillips, flat head, and a bit extension. You can get little bricks of cheap drill bits off Amazon, they work fine but they won't last if you strip them a bunch, which is fine because they're cheap.

-headlamp

-adjustable wrench. If you want to get a set of wrenches in standard/metric, go for it, they're cheap. An adjustable kind of sucks but it works most of the time but sometimes the bulk won't let you really turn it.

-Allen wrench set, metric and standard

-a basic screwdriver set for when your drill is too bulky or you don't want to put too much torque on stuff

-a tool bag. You can use anything but I like an electricians bag with a bunch of small pockets. REALLY handy.

-an extendable sliding ladder is great for in the house and stores easy. A step ladder will get you pretty much anywhere in the house though, and I wouldn't use an extendable one for outside. Recommend if you want something for outside you get an A frame ladder. Remember you can always rent stuff like that from home Depot or whatever so if you're only going to use it once a year you don't need to buy a 20' ladder.

-not necessary, but a torpedo level, hack saw (to cut weird metal and plastic stuff every now and then), a stud finder (you don't need to buy anything fancy, I use a little strong magnet with a strip of cloth that I drag across the wall, it sticks to nails on studs that are at the joints of Sheetrock), an an inexpensive multimeter, a set of wood drill bits and a socket set.

Anything else buy as you need.

OTHER STUFF (I'm leaving out basic stuff that you'll pick up naturally)

-FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. Recommend at least two, if not three. Kitchen, garage, upstairs at a minimum. And DON'T get some crappy 5 or 10 lb ones they will get you a couple seconds of spray. A fire blanket is good for the kitchen too if you like to deep deep fry or you're a crazy whirlwind cook.

-you mention cameras in your OP, I really hate recommending anything cloud based but it's what's available for most without effort. I think most important is a doorbell camera, helps mitigate porch pirates and helps with deliveries.

-if you get a lot of snow I'd recommend a snow blower. Also, depending on your roof you'll want to make sure you have some way to get snow off your roof when it piles up. A foot of snow across your roof is heavy and if it piles up more you risk roof damage.

Water intrusion and mold are now your greatest common enemies. Guard against them with extreme prejudice or risk major headaches and costs.

Thrift stores are good places for picture frames so you can start decorating. Make sure to hang stuff on studs if they're even just a bit heavy, drywall doesn't hold weight for shit. There's a ton of different types of drywall anchors, many require drilling but some don't. There's S shaped wire hook thingies that you can push through drywall and hang lighter stuff like bigger pictures off a stud without leaving a big hole.

People like floor rugs in the wintertime, I don't really care though and rugs can be surprisingly expensive and hard to clean. You can rent carpet cleaners, I recommend doing that instead of buying a crappy one for home, using them sucks and they do a shit job unless you get a REALLY good one which is stupid expensive, just rent them.

Don't wear shoes in the house! Fuck. Have a shoes off house, it keeps things clean and doesn't wear down carpet nearly as much. Wear slippers if you want but just don't, and ask guests to remove their shoes. Some people think it's weird but I don't care don't wear shoes in my house, take them off or fuck off. That being said it's really inconvenient for workers to wear them so I have a couple sets of heavy duty washable shoe covers to offer people that come to service my stuff.

Do NOT neglect maintenance. Set up a schedule in your phone calendar for AC/heating, water tank, septic if you have it, whatever. AC twice a year if you have it, furnace annually, water tank annually if you have normal hardness water or maybe 2x a year if you have really hard water, chimney inspection and cleaning if you have one (chimney fires bad). Also you'll want to clean your dryer duct every year or two (lint fires bad) and you can do it yourself if you have a drill and order one of the cleaning kits with the rods. A leaf blower can help also (from inside out, I hope that's obvious lol).

I personally have shifted to battery operated lawn tools like lawn mower and leaf blower. They're not as powerful but if you have a small yard they're a good trade off vs always trying to fuck with small engines.

Good luck!

Congratulations!

Yes, you’ll definitely need a good quality ladder and:

– Set of screwdrivers. My Stanleys are over 20 years old

– Separate flathead for kitchen use only (instead of using your forks to open stuff)

– Fire extinguisher (leave one in kitchen)

– All-purpose or silicone caulk and caulk gun. (In case of emergency and if your house is old).

– Scissors

– First Aid Kit (you can make your own, I did)

– Multi-tool or Utility knife (I love my SOG)

– Flashlight (combination of battery-powered, rechargeable, heck even a tealight will do). Ideally, some form of light for each room in the house if you lose power (nothing expensive).

– Shovel and Salt before it snows (If you have pets, get the [blue] pet-friendly salt). Always buy it before it snows. Keep it in the house the night before it snows so you can dig yourself out.

– If your windows are old, read up on removable window film, magnetic window film (3M makes them also)

– 409 (they clean almost everything)

– phone number of a good electrician and plumber (my GC is awesome but she’s stateside only)

– Plunger. Don’t buy the orangey-plastic snake - they don’t work.

– I have DeWalt (and a bunch of batteries) but prefer my Makita. Black & Decker is a toy, don’t do it. Milwaukee sucks. If you’re not using power tools now, don’t buy them or wait until they go on sale.

– Surge protectors (the higher/more joules, the better). You definitely need those.

– WD-40

Canada has some very good quality wind turbines (for home use, not the gigantic ones) that you might want to consider; I hear your solar panels are pretty good, too.

Buy what you can afford; check out thrift shops, yard sales, flea markets for some tools.

Most of all, know your limitations. My house is old and I knew what I could do myself, what I would be willing to do and the rest I need for someone else to do.

Every year you’ll have more questions and we will be here for you… with answers you may or may not like.

Good luck and Enjoy!

Buy good quality air filters (highest particle rating). Just the dust control alone will make a huge difference, especially in an older home.

• One good power drill

• One good set of driving bits

• One good set of drill bits

• Duct tape

• Lubricating oil (wd40 or a 3in1 style oil)

• Hammer

• Drywall anchors for having heavier items

• Kit of random screws and nails

• Flashlight

• Fire extinguisher

• Old towels (for WHEN you spring a leak)

• Measuring tape

• Channel lock wrench (the kind that can be various sizes)

• Wrench/socket set

This will cover a LOT of issues. Outside the drill/bits feel free to cheap out on tools. When they break, then replace with better quality

Lot of good suggestions.

I would add wet dry shop vac for cleaning big messes of all kinds.

Drain snake, plunger, bidet, Hammock and most importantly a cool fridge magnet.

Toilet plunger. Get it before you need it

I am also a new home owner. Would anyone be interested in a community for swapping tips, answering each other’s questions, ranting about our favorite power tool brands, etc.?

Boom goes the dynamite

https://sh.itjust.works/c/loadbearingwisdom

!loadbearingwisdom@sh.itjust.works

Beer fridge. Or you'll get no help with any of this.

Get stuff from garage sales!! A rake, hoe, shovel, hoses etc all that stuff is like 1 dollar at a lot of garage sales. No reason to go to a store and pay many times more. I got a snowblower for 25 dollars once that ran fine. Used it a few years till it needed work and then sold it for 50.

Get a leaf blower for cleaning gutters, its worth it.

Get a bunch of wood screws and a drill. You'll need it for repairs. Wood filler too.

Drywall supplies are handy too, scrapers, sanders, a lot of this you can find at garage sales too.

The biggest thing I feel that I should have bought sooner is the full set of materials needed to do caulking correctly: caulk gun, 100% silicone caulk (infinitely better for stopping leaks, don't try the other stuff on your roof it's useless), wire brush, microfiber cloth, alcohol (cleaning the surface turns out to be not optional and it also can't be wet, alcohol cleans well and dries fast), applicator.

A quality hand truck and a couple furniture dollies come in handy much more often than you might think.

If you're the DIY type, make sure you buy a non-contact voltage tester pen ('beepstick'). It beeps when it is in proximity to electricity.

Edit: see the mic_check_one_two comment below. Apparently I'm lucky to not be a crispy critter.

Get a notebook, paper version. Store in a handy place. Note everything important about the new home, with dates. Like "Read the electricity meter, xxxKWh, Date" or "Changed batteries on smoke alarms, Date", or "Bought new washing machine type xxx, serial number yyy, Date".

Graphite lock lube. Just hit every doorknob in the house. Trust me, once you get used to properly lubricated doorknobs lock dials you'll notice when they aren't.

Water softener.

If your climate is dry in the winter, a whole home humidifier.

LUXE Bidet NEO 185 Plus: https://www.amazon.com/LUXE-Bidet-Plus-Next-Generation-Self-Cleaning/dp/B0B1H9W4D2

It depends what sort of person you are but if you ask me, battery powered impact screwdriver and basic hand tools like socket set, pliers, hex keys, plane, chisels, mallet and hammer, shovel, crowbar.

If you're out in the sticks maybe keep some emergency rations and water, blankets, stove, firewood, lamps.

Contact details for a plumber, electrician and HVAC tradesperson.

PPE - Gloves, ear muffs, goggles, face shield, etc.

Start by planning for an emergency. Smoke detectors & a fire extinguisher. Tools to turn off the water main (find that valve before you need it). Get your neighbors' phone numbers. Get the after-hour/emergency contact numbers for all your utility providers - make sure you can contact the power company when there's no power.

After that, it's largely up to you. If you're handy, you probably already have most of the tools you need. If you're not, start asking around for good repairmen. Look around for any signs of neglect that the home inspector might have missed. My gutters were clogged full of leaves for example, wasn't obvious until it rained hard.

If you have a yard, decide now if you're going to maintain it yourself or if you're going to hire a service. If you decide to do it yourself, it's fall right now, those tools are about to be on clearance.

Make a journal for your house where you record everything you've done. I like to write down the date I replace anything, and also note the make & model numbers. So, for example I know that my last hot water heater lasted 10 years, because I have that in my notes. If you are handy, having the model numbers is super-useful. For example, I've learned to keep a replacement ignitor for my furnace - it's a 15 minute job once you know to do it.

If you got a home inspection start there . it tells you all the potential problems. If something is a potential problem solve it as soon as you notice it so it doesn't become a big problem. I buy things I need as I go. Screwdriver and drill get the most use by far

I love not buying things that I don't need I think it's great

Those poles that screw into each other to extend and have attachments to help unclog pipes? Yeah those are handy, next door have them which saved me a lot of money the other day when I lifted the drain cover and a couple hundred litres of sewage was backed up.

The poles are about a tenth of the minimum cost of calling someone out to fix it.

I'd ask in !dadforaminute@lemmy.world they're great for advice on tools, safety, home management etc.

Haven't seen this yet so I'll suggest it, a fly swatter.

• If you get a lot of snow, a snow blower/thrower for the driveway. If your driveway is not paved, that will be a challenge, so, sheer pins to spare.
• A good battery charger and rechargeable batteries.
• An LED lantern, if/when you lose power.
• Candles
• Replace the smoke alarms unless you know their age
• Fire extinguisher