After being super consistent with my blog posts for over 6 months, I fell off in the New Year. And there’s a good reason for that – I bought a house! I’m incredibly excited and feeling blessed to be able to buy a home in this crazy and expensive housing market. It’s also taken all of my time for the last few months or so. I’ve purchased sooo many things for my new house, and I thought I’d share what I’ve found useful in the new house journey! So, checkout my list of things you need to buy for your new house asap!
Bathroom Updates
The first item on your list should be new toilet seats. I know, it’s gross. Which is why you should be replacing the old one’s right away. I went with a soft-close antimicrobial Kohler option!
Delta Shower Head – My new-to-me home came with some old looking shower heads, so I quickly replaced those with this newer model! And don’t forget to buy plumber’s sealing tape while you’re at it!
Stainless Steel Drain Protector and Stopper – Again, my house came with disgusting, old, dingy white stoppers. They had to go asap. I quickly changed them out for these nice protectors.
Functional Decor
Window Privacy Film – I have a window next to my front door, and I didn’t want to cover it with blinds or a curtain, but I also didn’t want people to see in. This is the perfect solution, and it still lets light in. Plus it truly looks great!
French Pipe Curtain Rod – This pipe-style curtain rod from Target is so luxe! The metal is heavy and feels high-quality. I love it. My only complaint is the provided wall anchors are horrible.
Light Filtering Curtains – If you’re looking for sheer/light filtering curtains that look linen, these are affordable and look great from Amazon! Also, if you’re looking for simpler curtain rods – I bought this one in black and in gold and have enjoyed them so far. Though the gold is a little yellow.
Blackout “Linen” Curtains – These curtains are the same brand as above, but they’re blackout curtains. They have a white backing, and they really are blackout! The front has a linen design, and I like the simplicity!
Modern Farmhouse Floor Lamp – I needed a lot of new lamps in my house. This floor lamp is so bright and cute. And did I mention affordable? It even comes with all the Edison light bulbs. I bought it in black and in gold!
Waterproof Undersink Mat Liner – If you’re paranoid like me about water leaks and damage, or if also like me under your sink isn’t the prettiest from old leaks, grab these liners! They’re quick dry and waterproof so hopefully we can stop further damage if a leak happens!
Cleaning Gadgets
Spray Microfiber Mop – I read online that Bona is like the best thing ever for LVP flooring, but I didn’t want to pay the Bona pricing for the spray mop. I found this one on Amazon, and it works great. But, I did buy the Bona Floor Cleaner Concentrate to put in it. Worked perfectly.
Shark Pet Pro Cordless Vacuum – While I still have my corded vacuum, I bought this cordless Shark vacuum on sale, and I’ve enjoyed it so much. I feel like the battery lasts long enough and no problem picking up dirt. Perfect for quick messes around the house.
Shark Steam Mop – I got a cheap Shark Steam Mop, and I love it! It’s so satisfying and easy to use. Makes me feel like I’m really cleaning the gross bathroom tile floors.
Miscellaneous Needs
Beautiful Microwave – This microwave is literally called Beautiful by Drew Barrymore at Walmart. And it’s seriously gorgeous. I love it. If you need a new countertop microwave, this is it. There are other colors!
Honeywell Smart Thermostat – If you want to move to a wifi enabled, smart thermostat, I’m loving my Honeywell. You can change the background screen color, and there’s an app for your phone. Plus, it’s a tried-and-tested brand. Walmart has the best price consistently ($30-40 cheaper than other stores and actually sold by Walmart).
Leaf Scoops – I moved from apartment-living, so now I need to pick up my own leaves. I bought these hand-held leaf scoops for after raking, and it makes it so easy to put them in the bag. Plus it comes with yard gloves and a reusable garden bag making it a no-brainer purchase.
Tools
Cordless Power Drill – As a homeowner, you need a power drill. Just buy one. And get the drill bit set to go with.
The Literal Best Stud Finder – This magnetic stud finder doesn’t use batteries, so it’s always ready to go. Everyone raves it’s the best, and it works great. I love it. It’s currently somewhere in my house just chilling on a wall waiting to be used again for more picture frames and curtain rods.
Utility Knife – I love this box cutter/utility knife. It’s ergonomic and safe, and overall easy to use to break down boxes and other things around the house.
Self Lock Tape Measurer – Okay, this is mainly making it because I found it to be the cutest heavy-duty tape measurer on Amazon, and it was gold. But it really does work well.
Wallpaper Tools
Roman Products E-Z Hang Peel & Stick Wallpaper Helper + Pre-Pasted Activator – If you’re going to do peel & stick wallpaper, BUY THIS. It will help you move the wallpaper around on the wall to line it up more easily, and also help it stay stuck to the wall over time. YOU NEED THIS.
I used this wallpaper brand and liked it. I bought it on Amazon, but I found the same pattern I used on Wayfair for a more expensive price under a different name.
Also, I grabbed this kit to help smooth the wallpaper, and it comes with an Exacto knife which is always useful to have. Hello, privacy film from above!!
Final Thoughts
I hope you found these items useful whether you’re moving into a new home or even an apartment! If you want more recommendations like appliances, light fixtures, and bathroom/kitchen hardware, let me know in the comments or over on Instagram!! I’ve also purchased a lot of those things 🙂
If you liked this “guide to new homeownership” aka things you need to buy for your house right now, I’d love for you to share this post!
