# Home Owning Truth #165 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 5, 2015, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-owning-truth-165/730104 "2015-09-05T23:11:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2015, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-owning-truth-165/730104/1 "2015-09-05T23:11:43Z")
For the first 4 years of owning a house 95% of all the projects you work on involve creating storage for all of the crap you own for working on projects. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-owning-truth-165/730104/2 "2015-09-06T00:10:43Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > For the first 4 years of owning a house 95% of all the projects you work on involve creating storage for all of the crap you own for working on projects. And the left over project materials you drag from the old place to the new because you might need them. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-owning-truth-165/730104/3 "2015-09-06T00:16:04Z")
#127: For the first 3 years your projects are all fixing the crap the DIY-useless previous owner messed up. For the rest of the time you own the house your projects are about half fixing ordinary wear & tear and half all fixing the crap the DIY-useless \*current \*owner messed up. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-owning-truth-165/730104/4 "2015-09-06T00:28:22Z")
> [@River\_Hippie](#): > > And the left over project materials you drag from the old place to the new because you might need them. …and you will practically throw a party for every nut, bolt, or foot of lumber that you use from there instead of going on a trip to Home Depot or Lowes… ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-owning-truth-165/730104/5 "2015-09-06T00:33:52Z")
Waste not, want not! ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-owning-truth-165/730104/6 "2015-09-06T00:43:03Z")
Your spouse won’t have a clue how to fix something but she sure as heck will tell you you are doing it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-owning-truth-165/730104/7 "2015-09-06T03:23:15Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > …and you will practically throw a party for every nut, bolt, or foot of lumber that you use from there instead of going on a trip to Home Depot or Lowes… I’m sorry - are you suggesting that you are able to complete a project without going to the hardware store even once, let alone TWICE?!? ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-owning-truth-165/730104/8 "2015-09-06T05:20:31Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > …and you will practically throw a party for every nut, bolt, or foot of lumber that you use from there instead of going on a trip to Home Depot or Lowes… I have, neatly organized, nails, nuts, and bolts from my grandparents. Depression generation, which excuses _them_. _I_ looked at the collection and took it home. And have actually used some. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-owning-truth-165/730104/9 "2015-09-06T06:39:23Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I’m sorry - are you suggesting that you are able to complete a project without going to the hardware store even once, let alone TWICE?!? Does “changing the positions of all of Mom’s wall decorations to make room for two new ones” count? ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-owning-truth-165/730104/10 "2015-09-06T10:23:16Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > …and you will practically throw a party for every nut, bolt, or foot of lumber that you use from there instead of going on a trip to Home Depot or Lowes… And you’ll refuse to consider that the 79¢ bolt you had to get actually costs three times that much when you factor in the cost of the gasoline to drive there… We live in the boonies, and the closest overpriced hardware store is 7 miles away, with Lowe’s more than twice that far, and Home Depot more than 25 miles, one way. #214 - You’ll suddenly realize that the brand-new kitchen remodel actually happened 11 years ago when your appliances start dying. (Two down, two on death row…) ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-owning-truth-165/730104/11 "2015-09-06T13:55:51Z")
#39: If one of the reasons you are looking forward to moving into your new house is having a functioning dishwasher again, the dishwasher will break. Immediately. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-owning-truth-165/730104/12 "2015-09-06T14:13:39Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I’m sorry - are you suggesting that you are able to complete a project without going to the hardware store even once, let alone TWICE?!? I said you’d Use them. I didn’t say you wouldn’t break or strip anything else while trying to complete the project. Sure you’ll go & twice will be a low estimate. Count yourself lucky if you find parking, don’t “impulse buy” three tools\* for future projects, and miss seeing the weekly fight in the parking lot. \*Bonus Points if you impulse buy a tool to replace an older one… _and when you get home decide to keep both tools…_ \*\*Double Bonus Points if you take apart the old tool and try to re-purpose the parts to make a different tool. “See? I can use this to … move logs in the fire. Yeah. Want me to start a fire so I can show you?” ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-owning-truth-165/730104/13 "2015-09-06T16:20:14Z")
After 27 years in the same house I can tell you the corollary to rule #165. Your possessions will expand to fill all storage. You’ll add more and fill that too. Soon you’ll forget what’s in those boxes. Then you’ll need storage space for the last project: organizing all that crap to get rid of, the way you’ve always meant too, and there won’t be enough room. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-owning-truth-165/730104/14 "2015-09-06T17:26:46Z")
#86 If you tear down hideous wallpaper, there WILL be, beneath it, something else so hideous that only wallpaper could fully conceal the horror! It will always be beneath the very last piece you remove. #86(b) When you pull up the broadloom, to check the hardwood beneath, before putting in your offer to buy, when you see it is pristine and lovely, you need to remember they laid that carpet to cover something up. Something bad! ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-owning-truth-165/730104/15 "2015-09-06T17:56:29Z")
**Rule #42** - When you require a particular sized bolt, screw or nail for a project, never buy that small packet of a dozen to complete the project. Instead, you always, always, _ **always** _, buy the 100-piece or 200-piece box of the item. You will find the next project you work on will always, always, _ **always** _, require that specific bolt, screw or nail you now have a caselot. Thus proving the universality of Rule #42. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Mama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@Atomic\_Mama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Mama)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-owning-truth-165/730104/16 "2015-09-06T17:59:21Z")
All of the above are TRUE! dammit :mad: ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-owning-truth-165/730104/17 "2015-09-06T18:09:07Z")
And the worst words you can hear from a workman or meter reader - “Hey mister - I need to to look at this”. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-owning-truth-165/730104/18 "2015-09-06T21:41:59Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I’m sorry - are you suggesting that you are able to complete a project without going to the hardware store even once, let alone TWICE?!? Don’t forget the six-pack and the colorful vocabulary. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-owning-truth-165/730104/19 "2015-09-06T22:17:40Z")
> [@Sahirrnee](#): > > Don’t forget the six-pack and the colorful vocabulary. …and an Allen Wrench Set. You can ONLY find the Allen Wrench in your home… …if you buy a new one… ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-owning-truth-165/730104/20 "2015-09-06T22:24:16Z")
(Clueless non-home-owner here. Fight my ignorance!) SO WHAT IS HOME OWNER TRUTH NUMBER ONE ALREADY? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-owning-truth-165/730104.md?page=2)