39 Practical Things You Don’t Realize You Need Until You Buy A House
Becoming a homeowner is a huge step for many people, but it’s not until you walk into your new abode that you realize you’re suddenly responsible for soooo much space. You need cleaning products, security systems, gardening tools and even items as basic as a can opener. These practical necessities will help ensure your house feels like a home in no time at all.
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A flexible cleaning brush
Promising review:
“Works perfectly for scrubbing the stuck lint out of the insides of your dryer. Everyone who owns a dryer should have these, they’re basic safety equipment. Clean that lint, and reduce the fire hazard and make the machine more efficient. They’re long enough, strong enough, and just flexible enough without being too flexible.” — Winged WolfGet two from Amazon for $7.95.
A wet/dry vacuum you can use to literally suck up anything
Promising review:
“I had a 40-year-old Craftsman shop vacuum that finally broke, I was not expecting a modern one to perform as well as the old one however this new one is better in every way. The hose holds its shape under the vacuum, the wheels turn easily allowing it to move freely. It’s so much quieter than the old model, I like the cart especially as it gives a handle to allow you to move the vacuum around without bending down which for someone with low back pain, this is a great relief.” — SilverGet it from Amazon for $109.99+ (available in two sizes and four different accessories).
A humidity alert hub and sensors
Promising review:
“Purchased these to use in our freezers at home. We had issues where doors were getting left open, and needed something to warn when the temperature is creeping up. These have been a great addition to our smart home setup.” — Michael HendricksGet them from Amazon: the hub for $49.99 and sensors for $19.49 each.
Shelf liner to provide a nonslip padding inside your cabinets, closets and drawers
Get it from Amazon for $9.95+ (available in nine sizes).
Felt pads to place under all of your furniture
Promising review:
“Just got a new house with all new wood floors. Every piece of furniture needed felt ‘feet.’ I found this package on Amazon and hoped it would do the trick for all of my furniture. … I thought it was too small of a package to get the job done, but once I started with the dining room table and six chairs I realized there was plenty in the package to add a dot to every bit of furniture I needed to ‘shoe.’ It was easy to adhere and now everything scoots like a dream.” — Robyn RestelGet a box of 181 pads from Amazon for $13.91.
A bamboo burner cover
Promising review: “This is so perfect for extra space. It covers the top of my apartment-sized stove so I can then use my stove space for my Instant Pot and food prep. The best space-saving and cosmetic thing I have ever gotten for this tiny apartment.” — Talyn Amber Skye
Get it from Amazon for $27.95+ (available in four styles).
A smart door lock
Promising review:
“I absolutely love my Alfred deadlock. Appearance-wise it has a sleek modern look that enhances the look of my doorway. Installing it was a breeze. Programming the Alfred is extremely simple too! The automatic lock is great especially for a forgetful kid like mine who doesn’t always remember to lock the door when he leaves. I also purchased the Z Wave which allows it to connect with my Ring security system. Having everything in one place make having a smart home so much easier! I have not experienced anything negative about this deadlock at all. Everything about the lock is amazing and I am completely happy with this purchase and will be recommending it to many!” — Lauren JireleGet it from Amazon for $199.99 (available in three colors).
A wireless remote kit
Promising review:
“I have three sets of these and use them at home and at my cabin in the Rockies. They work great and power through walls. I use one to turn on and off a painting light that otherwise could only be turned on by climbing onto the fireplace and carefully reaching up and behind the painting to turn on. Why get up and stumble around to turn on a light?” — LeeGet it from Amazon for $24.95.
A 64-piece iFixit kit
Promising review:
“Seriously, I have been repairing small electronics for decades now, over 30 dang years, and I will say this is probably the best deal and collection you can get for simple to even complicated repairs. It has a crapload of bits, but essentially everything you will need as opposed to the next larger offering. … I keep this upstairs literally in the kitchen since a lot of impromptu repairs occur at the dining room table, but I have not been let down. This is top notch/quality material and manufacturing. It not only feels comfortable but is very strong and bits do not let go of screws. It has a great deal of bits too, 64 in fact. It pretty much covers all the phone and laptop screws you will encounter and even has some socket ones too. Nice touch.” — RiboildGet it from Amazon for $34.99.
A classic handheld OXO can opener
Promising review:
“This is a top-notch can opener. Gone through several other cheap brandsthat have broken and left me nearly cutting a finger off trying to finish opening the half mutilated can, but this guy knows how to get the job done and the handle is much more ergonomic in my opinion. Do yourself a favor and buy five, one for yourself and four for people in your life because this guy will change their life.” — AK
Get it from Amazon for $14.95.
A garage door opener you can control from your phone
Promising review: “Bought this for my parents — my dad always forgets to close the garage when he leaves and it makes my mom feel unsafe. I installed it and got the app working on all three of our phones in under 20 minutes even with not-great Wi-Fi in the garage. Set up a schedule to automatically try to close the door every hour if it’s open. It gives my mom peace of mind that she can check and see the garage is closed from anywhere. Overall: easy to install, working great, and I would definitely recommend this product.” — LG
Get it from Amazon for $29.98.
A pack of oven liners
Promising review:
“These liners are life-changing! I never thought I needed them until a friend raved about them. Cleanup is so simple, no more melted cheese or sauces burnt to the bottom of my ovens. I love that I can cut them down to size to fit my toaster oven. My husband enjoys grilling with the liners now, he doesn’t have to line the grill with aluminum foil which he found so annoying, deterring him to grill. This product really has simplified my life in the kitchen and I love it.” — Kindle CustomerGet a pack of three from Amazon for $13.99.
A garbage guard
Promising review:
“Got an outdoor can, the kind the mechanical arm on the garbage truck picks up and tips over, with the lid opening by gravity. Placed this on the inside of the lid, near the hinge to lessen the chances of it being scraped off during emptying and no flies/maggots! No apparent odor, just seems to put a big hurt on the fly party that used to be my trash can (litter box contents, remnants of meat, etc).” — Michael E. BradleyGet it from Amazon for $7.44.
An electric pressure washer
Promising review:
“Power washer was delivered Monday, it’s Wednesday and I have washed two cars, cleaned the driveway and sidewalks, cleaned the back fence, and the work keeps piling up, everything I see now needs to be cleaned! This little dude does not back down, plenty of power and it’s surprisingly not too loud. Soap dispensers work great, and the tips are easy to change.” — MarGet it from Amazon for $159.
A garbage disposal foaming cleaner
Promising review:
“It seems counterintuitive to put a little packet down your garbage disposal to clean it, but this does actually seem to work, at least for getting out weird smells that baking soda and vinegar don’t really touch. I scrub the sink down first, especially around the garbage disposal area, rinse it down, and then just follow the directions on the package. I have used it with single, large-size sinks and with double sinks — only difference is that the double sink will have blue cleaning foam rise up the drain, which you rinse away when the disposal sounds clear again.” — KSGet it from Amazon for $4.10.
A Canary indoor home security camera
Promising review:
“The best product I have ever invested in. Ironically I set up the camera and the next day, I was burglarized. Camera was on night mode, lights were off and it had PERFECT footage. I was able to get a clear image of the people and am hoping detectives capture them. The camera sits like a speaker and does not look like a camera at all. I was afraid to order something that may not work well but it has excellent image. I highly recommend this product. It also has a feature that will call the closest police department near you. It notifies you every time there is movement in the house while you are in away mode. Like I said, HIGHLY recommend. I will definitely purchase another one.” — Amazon CustomerGet it from Amazon for $84.95 (includes a free year of premium services).
A Clorox ToiletWand
Promising review:
“The primary reason I decided to purchase the Clorox Toilet Wand was so I could clean under my toilet rims, which I noticed was definitely getting neglected via using the standard toilet brushes to clean with. … Now that I’ve used it … I can say without a doubt that’ll I’ll never go back to a regular brush. I like the cleanliness of the disposable brushes as opposed to a regular toilet brush. And I especially like that I don’t have to purchase a second brush with a shape capable of cleaning under the rim, which not only takes up more space, but also would take more time given I’d have to switch back and forth and apply product. With this, I can just clean the entire pot in less than five minutes with the same tool.” — Brittney Nelson
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
A rechargeable lighter
Promising review:
“This is seriously the coolest device of my winter holiday. It makes lighting candles a breeze. Yes, there is a weird crackling noise, but that’s a super minor annoyance. It’s a super intuitive device. [Plug] the lighter with the USB (included), charge for a bit, then pop it open and light ALL THE THINGS; well, candles. I don’t know how well it lights cigarettes or whatever. However, for my personal intended use, it’s awesome!” — Jee WGet it from Amazon for $12.99.
A double extension cord
Promising review: “I have no idea why these are not sold everywhere. PERFECT for my room! I ended up getting this due to my king size bed being against a wall with only one outlet. I needed a way to connect my two lamps on my nightstand and this is absolutely, without a doubt, the very best solution to connecting my lamps and also not having all my outlets taken up. I recommend this to everyone! Also perfect for outlets connected to a switch to turn on and off both lights at the same time.” — Ryan
Get it from Amazon for $15.98 (available in two colors).
An all-in-one vacuum and mop
Get it from Amazon for $349.
A Nest thermostat
Promising review: “We have had our best thermostat for a little over a year now and I have to say we love it. I would give 10 stars if I could!!! The features are amazing. I like that. You can adjust the temperature when you’re not home plus it syncs with the weather and knows when to adjust the temperature. Plus it knows when you’re home or away and learns your routine. We keep it set to a temperature range where in the winter it won’t go below a set temperature and in the summer it won’t go above a set temperature. No more switching back and forth between heat and AC in our crazy Texas weather. Our electric bill is significantly lower. It takes a couple weeks for it to learn your routine. We don’t ever even have to touch the thermostat.” — Geogg Arvesen
Get it from Amazon for $225+ (available in six styles).
A utility sink
Promising review:
“I purchased this as a replacement for an old but nearly exact sink that is the only sink in my garage/auto shop. This is plenty sturdy for filling pails and cleaning heavy parts. As noted by others, the faucet is especially nice. Along with the faucet, this unit would be ideal for washing dogs up to a medium size. An excellent piece for not much money.” — D OCGet it from Amazon for $172.99+ (available in two styles).
Solar-powered, motion sensor-activated lights
Get a set of four from Amazon for $27.99.
Rubbermaid’s power-scrubbing brush
Get it from Amazon for $19.62.
To learn why our BuzzFeed Shopping colleagues love this, check out our full Rubbermaid Power Scrubber review.
Sticky Stakes to trap unwanted pests trying to feed off your plants
Promising review:
“Holy cow these suckers work! I’m so grossed out by the result, but at the same time I have a sick sense of satisfaction. I used these in my house plants that are breeding fungus gnats like crazy. I used them in conjunction with beneficial nematodes, and they definitely cut down on the number of gnats in our house. Unfortunately I added a new house plant, plus repotted one that had outgrown its prior home, and we are wrapped up in them again. I’m buying another package of sticky traps as soon as I finish this review!” — MeganGet them from Amazon for $6.99+.
A Samsung TV that disguises itself as an elegant picture frame when not in use
Get it from Amazon for $597.99+ (available in six sizes).
A SinkShroom strainer
Promising review: “I’ve been a fan of the SinkShroom and TubShroom, and this is the best product from the line so far. My kitchen sinks simply do not clog any more, so there’s no more reaching into a bunch of water to unclog anything with my hand.” — Brady Amerson
Get it from Amazon for $11.99.
A standing weeder
Promising review: “Oh my god, I friggin’ love this tool. I bought this on a whim given we bought our first house and know nothing about caring for a yard. Boy has it come in handy. Our new house had a ton of weeds in the front yard and this tool helped me get most of them out in no time. In fact, the process of yanking out the weed was strangely satisfying! I don’t think anyone can say that weeding is fun but this tool made it as close to fun as you can get, especially when you see a long root along with the weed you pulled.” — JG
Get it on Amazon for $46.92.
A bidet attachment for your toilet
Promising review:
“I bought this because I was very curious. I was initially worried the cold water would be an issue but so far it is not. … This thing cleans up your butt like you just got out of shower. I wish these were in every public toilet everywhere. I won’t poop anywhere in my house except the master bath now. I am excited to poop so I can flush it and then clean up using the Tushy so I can see in the toilet how much it cleaned my butt. You will be amazed.” — RyanGet it from Amazon for $79+.
A cleaner for stainless steel
Promising review: “THIS Therapy Premium Stainless Steel Cleaner is AMAZING. New dishwasher and and a hungry dog are NOT compatible! Our small dog, 12 pounds, had a habit of stretching up her front paws and scratching her nails on the dishwasher while her food was prepared. Not even days had gone by and the new dishwasher had little thin claw scratches all down the front. … I tried several cleaners and had resigned to having a scratched appliance. But ONE try with the Therapy cleaner — yes, a *miracle*. The scratches cannot be seen at all — polished right out of sight. The dishwasher looks even better than when fresh out of the box — it is gleaming. I eagerly shared the success with my kitchen remodeler, who installs many appliances, and I hope others can restore their stainless products. Try it!” — L. Peterson
Get it from Amazon for $15.95.
A critter catcher you can use to safely trap and remove unwanted creatures
Get it from Amazon for $21.95 (available in three colors).
SheetKeeper bands
Promising review: “Great product. Came quickly and they work great! Such a great idea to keep sheets organized and together while being able to tell what size bedding it is. Will order again for sure!” — devonhansen1
Get a set of two from SheetKeeper on Etsy for $13.99 (available in sizes twin, queen, king and California king).
A box of washing machine-cleaning tablets
Promising review: “I have been using bleach to clean my machine for some time but decided to give this a try a few months ago. My very first clean with Affresh left me surprised and delighted, for not only did it clean my machine, it eliminated the nasty smell that always transferred to my clothes thanks to a buildup of mold I didn’t even know about. Every month now, I toss a tablet into the drum and let it work its magic. Now my machine is cleaner than ever, and my clothes always smell wonderfully fresh. I highly recommend this to everyone.” — Kelli Crawford
Get it from Amazon for $11.98.
A Command hook railing
Promising review:
“So easy to hang on the wall, smaller than I thought it would be and that ended up being perfect! I love that it comes with extra Command strips if relocation is needed.” — CadenGet it from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in multiple colors).
A soap-dispensing brush
Get it from Amazon for $6.99.
A grout pen to help you restore your tile floor and bathroom walls
Get it from Amazon for $8.99.
Overhead storage you can attach to your garage ceiling
Get it from Amazon for $174.99+ (available in three colors).
A chic futon
Promising review:
“Great price! Quality seems to be great too! Very stylish, I have already had so many compliments on it. I searched and searched for a decent used couch and came up with nothing good, I love that it’s brand new! It’s even longer and deeper than I hoped. Not disappointed. Easy to assemble, took me about an hour. It’s pretty heavy though! A couple pillows in the corners will be the perfect extra comfort. Doesn’t look like a futon at all, but that’s a nice feature to have if you need it. Great color selections. Time will tell if it spot cleans easily, but the material seems like it will.” — Alexandra
Get it from Novogratz on Amazon for $295.80 (available in nine colors).
And a John Deere zero-turn riding mower
Promising review:
“Was nicer than I had anticipated. It will take a few times to get used to the controls and the zero turn, but it was manageable first attempt. It took me an hour and 20 minutes with my normal mower and about 25 minutes with this. It is pretty fast. Overall, I love it!” — JperkGet it from The Home Depot for $2,799.
Some reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
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