Over the past two years, my husband, Kevin, and I have been learning a lot about what being a homeowner really means. This being our first home we knew we wanted a fixer upper and something that we could make our own. But what we didn’t know was what came next after you got the keys.
So what did we do?
We drove into our driveway, opened the front door of our first home together, and set out determined to take out all the things that didn’t feel like us. I remember taking photos/videos of every room, peeling off old 90s wallpaper, taking down dated curtains and scrubbing every surface. Then we started bringing in our own furniture and decor and we started to see this house as our home.
Now, two years in and we’ve painted every room in the house including our kitchen and cabinets, we’ve added arched bookcases to the living room, and tackled renovations in the powder room and primary bedroom. (You can watch some of our progress on our Youtube channel!)
Truth be told, I thought we would be farther along in our home makeover process, but I’ve come to realize that creating a home takes time. And owning a home comes with a lot more responsibility beyond making it look pretty. If you’re eager to buy your first home and want a more realistic view of the not so fun regular maintenance and upkeep a home requires, check my list below!
I hope this helps others better plan and prepare for their first home. I know something like this would’ve been really helpful for Kevin and I when we were planning our home reno and repair budget.
Exterior
- Roof/Gutter Maintenance
- Tree Trimming
- Lawn care: Weed removal, lawn lower or lawn services
- Pressure Washing Exterior
Interior
- Replacing outdated appliances (Fridge, Dishwasher, Over, Range, Washer and Dryer)
- Radon Mitigation System
- Water Heater Maintenance
- Updating electrical outlets
- HVAC Maintenance
