So you’ve bought your first house and can’t wait to start making it your own! But where do you start? And what do you need to really do first? Before you break-out the paint and brushes and start dreaming of built-ins, here’s what you need to do first. (These are not tips for the buying process, inspections, and such. This is your post-closing list.)
1. Change the Air Filters
I think most of us think of the obvious when you first move in your new space. Clean everything thoroughly so you’re living in your “own dirt”. Toilets – check, showers -check, counters/sinks – check (at least I hope these are the obvious ones ha!) But what about what you can’t see? The air – go ahead and change those return air filters, even if they appear to be clean. And then light your favorite candle, start a load of laundry, and it’ll smell like home in no time! Want to know more about changing your air filter(s) – I wrote a blog that goes in depth with this! Check it out here.
2. Clean the Shower Drains
Ok, I didn’t say this was going to be the prettiest blog post! Don’t worry, I will share plenty on how to transform your home into a beautiful masterpiece; however, we have to make sure it has good strong bones first! and that’s what this post is about. So go ahead and grab some rubber gloves and clean those shower drains! And I don’t mean dump drain cleaner down them. I created a video showing you how to manually clean your drains. You can watch it here.
3. Don’t do Anything Major
My final suggestion is don’t do anything major for the first 6 months at least! Wait, what?! The DIY blogger is telling me not to DIY anything on my new house for 6 whole months at least? I know what you must be thinking – Amanda’s off her rocker….
Get to Know Your House
Yes, that’s right. You need to be in the house and feel how it works. How you move in it; which rooms you spend the most time in; how you use each space; feel it before you begin making changes. Chances are if you jump right in to painting and DIYing or renovations, you will want to change it again in a year.
My First Projects
When I bought my house, I knew immediately I was going to renovate the kitchen, but this is not something I’m doing right away. And yes, granted a lot of that is due to budget, but I also want to make sure I get it right! I haven’t even started the design yet because I am still getting the feel for my unique house and how I want the kitchen space to function and interact with the rest of the house. Once I figure this out, then I will move on to design and budget and then I will have my savings goal.
From pretty early on, I had an idea for re-doing my entryway….mostly cosmetic with paint, furniture, art, mirrors, etc., but I have waited. We started paint swatches a few weeks ago, just six months after closing. That whole time I have been designing in my head and bouncing around colors, furniture, etc. I have studied how the space will function and how it will interact with the living area and with the patio which it connects to.
In Conclusion
I am a firm believer that you need to take this time to help you connect with your house (ok – not to sound too wacky here). This will assist in making decisions that will not only make it your own, but will also cater to the uniqueness of your new home and produce changes that will be enjoyed for years to come.
Hit reply or drop a comment and let me know what projects you waited on and which you didn’t…and wish you had.
Xoxo,
Amanda
