# New Home Necessities **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 14, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-home-necessities/496447 "2009-05-14T19:59:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [May 18, 2009, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-home-necessities/496447/41 "2009-05-18T13:48:19Z")
> [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](#): > > Also, does your house have a fireplace? We always have a chimney sweep come out and inspect/clean. It used to, but they capped it. I think they used the floo to run the HVAC. Any other suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-home-necessities/496447/42 "2009-05-18T16:06:18Z")
You’ll probably need curtains. Right away. ---
**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:** [May 18, 2009, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-home-necessities/496447/43 "2009-05-18T16:14:09Z")
All over it, Kalhoun - I actually bought some at Target on Saturday! (Granted, the treatments on the windows currently are sufficient, but they’re pretty bad. Not as bad as the wallpaper, but bad.) ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-home-necessities/496447/44 "2009-05-18T16:37:39Z")
Something else I just thought of, Dustbuster. ---
**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:** [May 18, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-home-necessities/496447/45 "2009-05-18T16:52:13Z")
Have one of those. Will I need a shopvac or other wet/dry vac? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-home-necessities/496447/46 "2009-05-18T17:17:14Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Have one of those. Will I need a shopvac or other wet/dry vac? I would say no, unless you plan on making some dirty, dusty, saw-y changes. Most folks live fine with a regular vacuum cleaner even if they do some minor work around the house. The shop vac is for major renovations or guys like my husband, who have to have one of everything, "just in case. You might want to talk to the village or town or whoever and see if they have a “welcome wagon” packet. They’ll let you know when the garbage is picked up, when the no-holds-barred clean-up day is, when and how stuff is billed (water, garbage, etc), if there’s a curfew (in case you need to impose one…), you know…local rules and regs. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-home-necessities/496447/47 "2009-05-18T17:36:15Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > I would say no, unless you plan on making some dirty, dusty, saw-y changes. Most folks live fine with a regular vacuum cleaner even if they do some minor work around the house. The shop vac is for major renovations or guys like my husband, who have to have one of everything, "just in case. Also for people whose basements get water in them from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-home-necessities/496447/48 "2009-05-18T18:18:07Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > Also for people whose basements get water in them from time to time. Yeah, I forgot about that. We never get water in the basement. I used it once as a wet vac when I let the tub overflow. ---
**Author:** ![Solfy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Solfy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Solfy)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-home-necessities/496447/49 "2009-05-18T18:29:16Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Ugh. I drove by last week, and was horrified to find out that trash is picked up at the street - NOT in the alley. That makes zero sense to me, but what can I do? (Well, I suppose I could go downstairs and complain to Public Works…) The garbage trucks might be too big/heavy for the alley. A can with wheels is your friend. You can still keep it out back in the garage and schlep it out on trash night. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-home-necessities/496447/50 "2009-05-18T19:12:10Z")
> [@Mahna\_Mahna](#): > > Space Heater: You may never need one, but they’re a lifesaver if your furnace goes out in the middle of winter,. You might want a fan, in case something happens to your air conditioner in the summer. If you don’t have air conditioning, you’ll definitely want several fans. We have [a flat panel heater mounted on the wall](http://www.amazon.com/DeLonghi-HHP1500-Mica-Panel-Radiator/dp/B000G1CY02/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1242673495&sr=1-1) in our bedroom. They’re great for rooms that are colder than the rest of the house. Get extra batteries for the smoke detector. It can be really annoying, not to mention unsafe, to not have those on hand when you need them. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-home-necessities/496447/51 "2009-05-18T19:25:59Z")
I don’t know - I don’t do any major construction at my house but I’ve used my Shop-Vac plenty of times. I DID put off buying one for a while but I am glad I have it. I don’t know if the OP has a basement, but I do and I only clean it out every so often. When I do I refuse to use the real vacuum for all of the bug-and-cobweb cleanup. I need the Shop-Vac for that. Also, sweeping out the garage with a broom is ok but it’s much more fun with a Shop-Vac. And even though there’s never any “woodworking” or huge home projects here, there’s been occasion to sweep up wood chips in the past 3 years. You never know! The one I got also has a detachable leaf blower on top of it, so I didn’t need to buy one separately. I’ve used that several times, too. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-home-necessities/496447/52 "2009-05-18T20:11:15Z")
Do people in other parts of the country have to _buy_ their own outside trash cans for the city to pick up? Because that’s mind-blowing. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-home-necessities/496447/53 "2009-05-18T20:19:20Z")
Most of this stuff I don’t have - or had at one time and have no idea where it is. And I’ve owned a home twenty years. Or have it but don’t use it. I do subscribe to Rand’s “phone book and check book” scheme of home ownership. My first home was bought when I was a college student with no money. Lawnmower. Snow shovel. Rake. Garden hose. Sprinkler. Starter toolkit. Bucket, rags, cleaning supplies. Plunger. Box of nails, box of screws. Most things you’ll buy when you need them (though first aid kit and fire extinguisher you should have on hand). It isn’t as convenient as having a driveway edger on hand (have one of those), but you don’t spend money on a driveway edger until you decide to edge the driveway. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-home-necessities/496447/54 "2009-05-18T20:19:47Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Do people in other parts of the country have to _buy_ their own outside trash cans for the city to pick up? Because that’s mind-blowing. Neither do we, although we do have to pay a bit extra to the city if we want bigger than standard issue. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-home-necessities/496447/55 "2009-05-18T20:39:57Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Do people in other parts of the country have to _buy_ their own outside trash cans for the city to pick up? Because that’s mind-blowing. Yes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-home-necessities/496447.md?page=2)