First home essentials: the complete checklist
Buying a house adds a whole category an apartment never had: maintenance. Here is the list, with a pick and a live price on every line.
A first house needs everything an apartment needs, plus roughly $400 of tools, safety equipment and maintenance items — because for the first time, the things that break are yours to fix.
If you have rented before, you already own most of the kitchen and bathroom. What changes when you buy is the category nobody budgets for: you are now the one who finds the stud, replaces the furnace filter, clears the gutter and owns the ladder.
This list concentrates on that gap. For kitchen and bathroom, our first apartment checklist covers it in full.
Tools: about twelve, and the ones that matter
| What you need | Our pick | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Household tool kitAbout twenty real tools. Count tools, not pieces | Amazon Basics 142-Piece Household Tool KitSee all our picks | $30.44 | Buy on Amazon |
| Cordless drill with bitsA kit with bits included works the day it arrives. The clutch is the key feature | BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX Drill Driver Kit with 100 AccessoriesSee all our picks | $64.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| Stud finder with AC detectionPrevents the most expensive mistake available. Multi-sensor finds the stud first time | CRAFTSMAN 57-Piece Mechanics Tool SetSee all our picks | $62.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| Tape measure, 25 ftMagnetic hook so you can measure a room alone | Milwaukee 25 ft Magnetic Tape MeasureSee all our picks | $21.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| Tool box16 inches for hand tools; deeper if it also holds the drill | CRAFTSMAN 16-Inch Lockable Tool BoxSee all our picks | $18.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| Parts organizers$8 each, buy two. Screws and anchors in one, drill bits in the other | DEWALT Medium 8-Compartment Small Parts OrganizerSee all our picks | $7.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| Safety glasses, work gloves, a utility knifeAbout $25. Nobody buys safety glasses and everybody should | Whatever you already own works | — | |
| Step ladder, 6 ftAbout $70. Smoke alarms, light fittings, the top of a wardrobe, gutters | Whatever you already own works | — | |
| #ad — Amazon links in this table are affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How this site is funded. | |||
Safety: the part that is now entirely yours
In a rental, smoke alarms were someone else’s legal duty. Now they are yours. Full detail in home safety essentials.
| What you need | Our pick | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABC fire extinguisherOne per floor, mounted on the exit route. Check the gauge yearly | Kidde Basic 110 Fire Extinguisher, 1-A:10-B:CSee all our picks | $19.97 | Buy on Amazon |
| Kitchen extinguisher or fire blanketA standard ABC unit is not rated for cooking-oil fires | Kidde Kitchen Fire Extinguisher, 711ASee all our picks | $26.44 | Buy on Amazon |
| Fire blanket for the stoveNo powder to clean up. Hang it within reach, not behind the hob | Prepared Hero Emergency Fire Blanket, 2-PackSee all our picks | $39.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| First aid kitBathroom cupboard, and a smaller one in the car | M2 BASICS 300-Piece First Aid KitSee all our picks | $27.88 | Buy on Amazon |
| Smoke and CO alarmsOne per floor, one in each bedroom, one outside sleeping areas. Replace units after 10 years | Whatever you already own works | — | |
| Furniture anchor strapsFor tall furniture and any unmounted TV. Flat-pack usually includes one — keep it | Whatever you already own works | — | |
| #ad — Amazon links in this table are affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How this site is funded. | |||
Maintenance: the genuinely new category
None of this is exciting and all of it is cheaper than the problem it prevents. Budget around $150.
- HVAC filters, a year’s worth (~$40). Measure the size now and buy several. A clogged filter is the most common cause of a furnace or AC working badly, and changing it is a thirty-second job most new owners do not know about.
- A plunger and a toilet auger (~$40). See our plunger picks; the auger is for when the plunger does not work.
- A garden hose and nozzle (~$35), if you have any outdoor space.
- A broom, dustpan, mop and bucket (~$35). More floor than an apartment.
- A vacuum (~$120 upward). Worth buying decently if you have carpet.
- Caulk and a caulk gun (~$20). Re-sealing a bath or a window is genuinely beginner-level and prevents water damage.
- Paint touch-up supplies (~$30). Ask the previous owner for paint codes, or take a chip to a paint counter to be matched.
- Furnace and water heater manuals. Free, and usually downloadable from the model number. Photograph every appliance label on day one.
What to do in the first week
Some of this is more valuable than anything you can buy.
- Find and label the main water shut-off, the gas shut-off and the breaker panel. Map which breaker controls what by plugging a lamp into each outlet. Ten minutes, once, and invaluable later.
- Change the locks, or have them re-keyed. About $100 and the single most sensible security spend on a house whose key history you do not know.
- Test every smoke and CO alarm, and replace every battery. Check manufacture dates — anything over ten years old gets replaced, not just re-batteried.
- Photograph every appliance’s model and serial number. Takes five minutes and saves an hour the first time something needs a part.
- Note the furnace filter size and buy a year of them.
- Find the water meter and read it. A baseline reading makes a future leak obvious.
- Check the attic and basement for damp, with a torch, before you fill them.
- Sort out home insurance documents and keep a copy somewhere not in the house.
What can wait, despite how it feels
New owners routinely spend heavily in month one on things that would be better decided in month six.
- Painting. Live with the colors for a season. You will choose differently once you know how the light falls.
- A lawnmower, if you move in winter. Rent or borrow for the first cut.
- Power tools beyond a drill. Buy a saw when you have a project, not before.
- Furniture for every room. An empty spare room is fine for a year.
- A pressure washer, a leaf blower, a hedge trimmer. Rent the first time. You will learn whether you need one.
- Smart-home anything. Fix the furnace filter before buying a smart thermostat.
The short version
- The new category is maintenance. Budget about $400 for tools, safety and maintenance supplies.
- Find the water shut-off, gas shut-off and breaker map in week one. Free, and invaluable later.
- Re-key the locks (~$100) and buy a year of HVAC filters. Both are routinely skipped.
- Wait on painting, a mower, extra power tools and smart-home kit. Rent before you buy.
Common questions
What do you need when buying your first house?
Beyond apartment basics: a household tool kit, a cordless drill, a stud finder, a step ladder, fire extinguishers on each floor, smoke and CO alarms, a first aid kit, furniture anchors, and a year’s HVAC filters. Roughly $400 to $600 of genuinely new categories.
What should I do the first week in a new house?
Locate and label the water and gas shut-offs and map the breaker panel; re-key the locks; test every smoke and CO alarm and replace batteries; photograph every appliance’s model and serial number; note the furnace filter size; and read the water meter for a baseline.
What tools does a first-time homeowner need?
A household kit of about twenty tools, a cordless drill with bits, a stud finder with AC detection, a 25-foot magnetic tape measure, a 6-foot step ladder, safety glasses, and two small parts organizers for screws and anchors. Around $200 all in.
Should I change the locks on a new house?
Yes. You do not know who has keys — previous owners, contractors, agents, former tenants. Re-keying costs around $100 and is the most sensible security spend in the first week.
What do new homeowners overspend on?
Painting in month one, a lawnmower bought in December, power tools with no project yet, furniture for every room at once, and smart-home devices before the basics are sorted. Rent occasional tools the first time and decide after a season.