The New Homeowner Shopping List: What to Buy First, and What Can Wait (2026)

Closing on a house empties the bank account right when the house starts asking for things. The hardware store will happily sell you everything at once. You don't need everything at once. You need a handful of safety items in the first week, a basic toolkit in the first month, and the rest when the season or the house calls for it.

This list is in that order. Each item says why it matters, names the pick we'd buy, and links to the full guide where we compare the options. Pace it with your maintenance budget, and pair it with the first-30-days checklist, which covers the free jobs: finding shutoffs, reading alarm dates, and collecting manuals.

The List at a Glance

Move-In Week: Safety and Water

These five protect people and the structure, and each one fixes a problem you inherit with the house.

• Smoke and CO alarms. Read the manufacture date on the back of every alarm. Smoke alarms are due for replacement 10 years after that date, and many resale homes have alarms older than that, or none in the bedrooms. You want one inside every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level. If the house has hardwired alarms, replace them like for like with hardwired, interconnected units, so an alarm in the basement still sets off the ones upstairs; our pick is the First Alert SC7010B hardwired smoke and CO alarm (paid link). Where there is no wiring, our pick is the Kidde P3010CU combination alarm (paid link), which has a sealed 10-year battery. Compare hardwired and smart options in our smoke and CO alarm guide, and learn the monthly test in how to test smoke alarms.
• Fire extinguishers. Keep one ABC-rated extinguisher in the kitchen and one you can reach from the garage. Our pick is the First Alert HOME1 rechargeable extinguisher (paid link). If the house came with extinguishers, check that each gauge needle sits in the green.
• Water leak sensors. Put sensors under the kitchen sink, behind the washer, at the water heater, and beside the sump pit. They cost less than a single insurance deductible, and they catch the slow drip that turns into a ceiling repair. Our pick is the GoveeLife Smart Water Leak Detector 1s (paid link), a three-sensor kit with phone alerts (add a fourth sensor for the sump pit). See the leak detector guide and where to place them.
• New locks, or a rekey. Previous owners, contractors, and neighbors may all have keys. A locksmith can rekey the existing locks, or you can replace the deadbolts. Cover every exterior door, including back, side, and garage entries, plus any keyed knob or handleset below a deadbolt, and reset the garage-door opener codes. A keypad smart lock also ends the handing out of copies. Our pick is the Schlage Encode Plus (paid link), a Wi-Fi keypad deadbolt that arrives with its own new cylinder and keys. Our smart lock guide explains which designs replace the old cylinder and which keep it.
• Furnace filters in the right size. Read the size printed on the edge of the filter that's in there now, and buy a few in that exact size. A pleated filter is the right default, and our furnace filter guide explains how high a MERV rating your system can take (MERV 11 is the safe default in a 1-inch slot). For basic, low-restriction protection, our pick is the Filterbuy MERV 8 (paid link); the linked listing is 16x25x1, so choose your own size. The guide also covers the other ratings, and how to change a furnace filter covers the swap.

First Month: The Starter Toolkit

Buy these three once and they cover nearly every small job in the first year, from hanging curtains to tightening a loose railing.

• A hand-tool set. A good mechanics set covers sockets, ratchets, wrenches, hex keys, and screwdriver bits in one case, so you aren't buying one tool per project. Our pick is the CRAFTSMAN 230-piece mechanics tool set (paid link); add a claw hammer, pliers, and a tape measure, which it doesn't include. The tool kit guide adds the measuring and safety tools worth owning.
• A cordless drill. It drives screws and drills pilot holes, and it pays for itself on the first flat-pack furniture. Our pick is the DEWALT DCD771C2 drill kit with a 100-piece bit set (paid link). Our cordless drill guide covers when an impact driver or a brushless model is worth it.
• A step stool and a stepladder. Smoke alarms, ceiling return grilles, and light fixtures are all overhead. Standing on a chair to reach them is how people get hurt. Our picks are the Werner 6206 fiberglass stepladder (paid link) and the Little Giant Jumbo Step (paid link) stool. The ladder guide explains duty ratings and when fiberglass matters.

First Season: Outside

• Gutter tools you use from the ground. Clean gutters every spring and fall, more often under trees. A telescoping wand on a garden hose does it without a ladder. Our pick is the Orbit 58543 telescoping gutter wand (paid link). See how to clean gutters from the ground.
• Yard basics. Pruners, loppers, a round-point shovel, and a hose that doesn't kink handle most first-year yard work. Start with Fiskars bypass pruners (paid link) and a Flexzilla 50-foot hose (paid link), and see the yard tools guide for the rest, including what to rent instead of buy.
• A pressure washer, if you want one. It isn't essential, but it makes quick work of patios, walks, and outdoor furniture. Our pick is the electric Sun Joe SPX3000 (paid link). Read the nozzle rules in the pressure washer guide before you point it at siding or wood.

Before the First Storm or Freeze

• A battery backup for the sump pump. If the house has a sump pit, the primary pump stops when the power does, and storms cause both. A backup pump on its own battery covers the gap. Our pick is the Wayne ESP25N battery backup (paid link) (the battery is sold separately). See the sump pump guide and how to test a sump pump.
• Faucet covers and pipe insulation. Shut off and drain the outdoor faucets, then cover them, and insulate pipes in unheated spaces. Our picks are Frost King FC1 faucet covers (paid link) and Frost King self-sealing pipe foam (paid link) (measure your pipe first). Follow the steps in how to winterize outdoor faucets.
• Backup power, if outages are common where you live. A portable generator can run the fridge and sump pump on outdoor-rated cords, or a few house circuits through an electrician-installed transfer switch or interlock (never by plugging into a wall outlet). A battery power station is the quiet, indoor-safe option for phones, lights, and short outages. Our picks are the Champion 4500-watt dual-fuel inverter with CO Shield (paid link) and, for indoors, the EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max (paid link) power station. Read the carbon monoxide rules in the generator guide before you buy. Any generator, gasoline or propane, runs outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house with the exhaust pointed away from windows, doors, and vents (never in a garage, basement, shed, or on a porch), and every level needs a battery-operated or battery-backup CO alarm.

When You're Settled: Upgrades That Pay Back

• A smart thermostat. It adjusts heating and cooling while you're asleep or away, so the savings add up over years. Check for a C-wire first; it takes five minutes. Our pick is the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (paid link), which includes a power adapter for homes without one. Compare options in the smart thermostat guide.
• A video doorbell. It shows who is at the door and where the packages are, and it pairs well with a keypad lock. Decide whether you want to pay for cloud recording or keep clips at home before you choose. Our pick is the Ring Battery Doorbell Pro (paid link), or the eufy E340 (paid link) if you'd rather skip the subscription. See the video doorbell guide.
• A dehumidifier, if the basement smells musty. Buy an inexpensive hygrometer first. If the basement stays above about 60% humidity in summer, a 50-pint dehumidifier set to 45 to 50% is the fix. Our pick is the Frigidaire 50-pint dehumidifier (paid link). The dehumidifier guide covers sizing and pumps.

What Can Wait, or Shouldn't Be Bought at All

• Tools for one-time jobs. Tillers, aerators, floor sanders, and carpet cleaners rent by the day for a fraction of their price, and they don't take up garage space.
• An extension ladder for roof and gutter work. Work at height is where homeowner injuries cluster, and gutters can be cleaned from the ground. Leave the roof to a pro; our DIY vs. hire-a-pro guide draws the line job by job.
• Specialty tools before the project. Buy the tile saw when you are actually tiling. A tool bought "just in case" is usually the wrong one when the case arrives.
• Anything the house already has. Walk the garage and basement before you shop. Sellers often leave paint, spare filters, and tools behind.

How We Chose

This list follows the order problems show up in a newly bought house: safety and water first, then the tools that make small jobs possible, then seasonal prep, then comfort. Each pick comes from our full guide on that category, chosen for the situation described here. Those guides compare the category first, then weigh manufacturer specifications, verified buyer feedback, and how the product type is used in real homes. We don't accept free products or payment for placement. How we research and review.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a new homeowner buy first?

Buy the safety items first: working smoke and CO alarms, fire extinguishers for the kitchen and garage, water leak sensors at the likely failure points, and new locks or a rekey. They are inexpensive, and each one addresses a risk you can't see on a walkthrough. Everything else can follow over the first year.

What tools does a first-time homeowner actually need?

A complete hand-tool set, a cordless drill with a bit set, and a stepladder cover most first-year jobs. Add a hammer, pliers, a tape measure, a level, and a stud finder if your set lacks them. Buy specialty tools when a project calls for them, and rent the big ones.

Do I need a generator?

That depends on how often your power goes out and what depends on it. A sump pump, a well pump, medical equipment, and a full freezer make the case. If outages are rare and short, a battery power station for phones and lights may be enough. Either way, a generator of any fuel runs outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, and never in a garage, even with the door open.

How should I budget for all of this?

Spread it out. The move-in items come first, and the rest can follow the seasons. Our home maintenance budget guide explains how much to set aside each year, and this list fits inside that number if you pace it.

The Bottom Line

In the first week, get alarms, extinguishers, leak sensors, locks, and filters. In the first month, get a tool set, a drill, and a stepladder. Before storm and freeze season, get a sump pump backup, faucet covers, and a backup power plan. Once the boxes are unpacked, add a smart thermostat, a video doorbell, and a dehumidifier if the house needs one. Buy in that order and every purchase is solving a problem you actually have.

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