We are almost into our house. We still don’t have an exact date that the septic will be 100% finished and we are awarded with the magical occupancy permit…. but like the monkey who got its tail caught in the fan… it won’t be long now.
Ok, yeah I am using “dad jokes” but that should just tell you just how delusional I am at this point in our build. I am burnt out on decisions, I am ready to be moved in, and in order to stay positive I have resorted to telling bad jokes…. but truth be told that’s a really good joke and you should laugh at it.
Anyways while I pass the time, I wanted to write a post about all the things that happen in this limbo period. So here goes:
- You spend money.
That’s it. That’s the end of the list. Through the whole building process and in the limbo period, and once you move in you just keep spending money, then you die.
Ok, maybe I am being a drama queen, but seriously I was not prepared for the nickel and diming that happens at the end of the build. So let my pain be a learning experience for someone…… here is a list of things you might have to buy and/or think about when you are about to move into a new house:
- There are inches of construction dust. Like it’s raining dust at our house. Maybe that’ll be a new farmhouse trend I can start…. “authentic farmhouse dirt”. So to combat the massive air pollutants in the house I have bought:
- A new shop vac (thank you Amazon Prime Days)
- A mop/vacuum combo (thank you 30% off Kohls coupon)
- A new broom
- Another new broom because my husband took the one I bought for the garage.
- New vacuum filters- because….. dust.
- Cleaning supplies:
- Hand soap, dish soap, Lysol wipes, granite cleaner, windex etc.
- Magic Eraser- for when your kid takes a pencil to your newly painted walls
- Carpet cleaner- for a similar reason.
- Random stuff:
- Trash cans.
- Shower rod.
- Soap dishes and dispensers.
- Squeegees for the glass shower doors.
- Curtains, blinds, etc.
- Bath mats.
- Entry mats.
- Towel racks, toilet paper holders, door hooks, and door stoppers.
- Furniture. So I think most of us know that we
might want a new couch for a new house, or hey we have two more bedrooms in the
new house so we need furniture for those new spaces…. But what I want to touch
on is priorities of buying those things:
- Make a list of all the furniture you plan to put in each room. Then mark next to it if you have it already or plan to buy it, and then write a budget of what each item will cost. I went as detailed as wanting a wreath for my pantry door.
- Then highlight the items that are the most important to buy. (for example, we had to have a new bed for my son’s room and a new couch, but the entryway church pew I want wasn’t something I had to have right away).
- Then come up with the goal you need to save or reserve some of your budget for to purchase those things. Then add some money because you will forget something.
- Personally, I would focus on making sure you have a place to sit and eat (so either a table or bar stools), a place to sleep, and a TV so you can turn on a movie to distract your kids.
- Another thing I bought here that adds up is paint and materials to refurbish the furniture I already had to “fit” in more with my new house.
- Decorations……. This should be last on your priority list but unfortunately, I let this one sneak up on me. So my suggestion is that you at least budget for some decorations so that when you decide to buy some throw pillows… ok maybe I technically bought 12…. that it doesn’t shock your bank account. The thing you have to keep in mind about a new house is that you don’t need to move in and it be perfect……. obviously I am saying this to myself and not anyone reading this. SAM STOP BUYING DECORATIONS!
- And last but not least I have spent an insane
amount on organization………
- Silverware tray.
- Drawer dividers.
- Shoe organizer.
- Shower caddy.
- Closet system that was over and above the white wire racks our builder included.
- A crock to put utensils in (OK this wasn’t a necessity but I LOVE it!)
- Pantry and Fridge organizers.
Oh bonus tip: You also spend a ton on going out to eat and gas. I am always forgetting something I need at the store because my pantry isn’t fully stocked yet or because we are still working on 100 projects around the house time gets away from me, so we end up eating out more than I care to admit. Plus, all those back and forth trips to the store and Lowe’s really add up!
Please do better than me if you decide to build a house. Budget better for these little odds and ends and plan better so that you don’t need to blow an entire paycheck on trash cans and cleaning supplies. Oh, and a word to the wise avoid the Target Dollar spot and Hobby Lobby during this limbo period.
