Owning your first home should be a matter of pride for anyone, whether they are single and crushing it, starting their own family and living life to the fullest, or anything in between. What may happen though, is that you will learn what a nightmare it can possibly be. There are a lot of things you will have to learn after getting your first house, from the importance of basic maintenance to the way that creating a livable space is very different from having a home. We all want to live in comfort and charm, and the only way to get there is through ingenuity and hard work. The most important thing to remember, the one tip that should always be followed first is that you don’t know everything. No one does, and anyone who can claim to have had a perfect first time owning a home is either lying their pants off, or is so completely rich that they didn’t have the same struggle that most of us do. It’s okay to mess things up every once in a while, that is how you learn.
Even before you bought your first home, you should be thinking about the necessary maintenance costs that will be accrued. No house is without its quirks and defects, however large and small. Some have a leaky faucet, others have an ornery hornets nest somewhere that you just can’t seem to find. This doesn’t mean you made a wrong decision, only that you have one thing to do now, fix the issue. First, recognize that not all issues can be solved solely by yourself, some are going to need expert opinions and help. If you know that you have the skills, either from work or learning from a guardian or parental figure, use those skills, they can save you a lot of money, but if you don’t you shouldn’t try to solve the problem because that may only make things worse, either by exacerbating the issue or even worse, injuring yourself. Pick your battles, the ones you can fight and the ones where it is best to call in reinforcements.
Next, after you have made your home livable, you are going to want to make sure that you want to be there. Decorating doesn’t just make you fashionable to friends, family, and neighbors. Personalizing your home is a great way to relax your mind, create a safe space for you and your family, and allow for freedom of expression. From window treatments to rugs, and flooring to appliances, there are a lot of things to think about, but don’t worry. Start small, with what you already own, and expand based on needs and ability to fulfill them. You don’t need blinds or shades before you have a dining room table, just as you might want to complete the paint job before you put up pictures. One step at a time is the best way to go to have the greatest experience. Shades and blinds are a fantastic way to personalize your space with colors and textures that you really can’t get elsewhere in the home decor world, but they aren’t as vital as making sure the showers and toilets work, or even owning a TV or computer.
Owning a home is a series of battles, finding problems and solutions. Those of us lucky enough to have that experience as first time home owners know a lot of the trouble, but also so much of the pride and sense of fulfillment that comes from building a place from the ground up.