We’ve all been there…you move into a new home, all excited to get everything put in its place, ready to take on that ugly bathroom or strange peach paint on the walls. But really, there are some priorities that your home improvement projects should take to make sure you’re taking care of more pressing issues than that old, ugly linoleum in the laundry room. Here’s a great article from Lowes.com to help you with your “Honey Do List”.
First Priorities
Your top concern when you move into a new home must be safety and security:
- Doors. Do all the locks and keys work? Consider upgrading exterior door locks to deadbolts and adding peep holes and privacy chains.
- Windows. How easily can windows be pried open from outside? Install sash locks, key locks, and window stops to block intruders.
- Lighting. Are all entry areas well-lit? Install additional exterior lights or upgrade to motion-sensing fixtures.
- Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Is there a working smoke detector on every floor? put a carbon monoxide detector near every bedroom.
Second Priorities
With safety and security issues addressed, you can turn to broken and damaged stuff. Your home inspection may have revealed structural elements or systems that need repair. If the seller didn’t fix these, your next priority is to fix or replace the following key elements:
- Roof, windows, doors, and walls
- Plumbing elements and fixtures
- Electrical wiring and fixtures
- Heating/cooling system
Third Priorities
With your home safe and operational, it’s time for the fun to begin! Figure out what you need, want, and would like to do throughout your home by conducting a Project Planning Tour:
- Walk through each room in your home, as well as outdoor spaces. Assess surfaces, fixtures, major appliances, and built-in structures.
- Write the name of each room at the top of a sheet of paper and divide the page into fourths or create a multi-sectional document on your computer. Create a list in each section, detailing:
- Things to Fix
- Things to Improve
- Things to Update
- Things to Add
- After you create a list for a room, set your priorities. What do you consider the most important project in the room? The second most important? What can you live with for a while?
- Think about how you can accomplish the projects on your lists:
- Note the projects you can do yourself
- Note the projects family or friends can help with
- Note the projects you’ll have to hire out
- Note the projects you can afford now and those you need to save for later or take out a home loan to complete
- Compare lists for various rooms and note the top projects for each space. Further prioritize your projects for the whole house. Make an overall top 10 list of the projects you’ll tackle first.
Ready to make your move or need to store your belongings while you tackle some of the projects you listed above? BoxCart Moving & Storage can help. Give us a call at (703) 263-3300 or email us at: info@boxcart.com. We’re ready and waiting to help you with all your moving and storage needs.
