First-Time Homeowner
Everything nobody tells you in the first ninety days.
You have the keys. This journey walks you through the handful of things that matter first — knowing your home, setting a simple upkeep rhythm, and furnishing it without expensive mistakes.
Why this matters: Most first-year regret comes from decisions made in the first month: buying furniture that doesn't fit, skipping basic maintenance, and losing paperwork you'll want later.
7 steps · About 3 hours spread over your first few months
- Step 130 minutes
Learn where everything is
Water shutoff, breaker panel, HVAC filter, water heater, irrigation timer.
Do this: Walk the house and write down the location of each one.
The day you need the shutoff valve is not the day to go looking for it.
- Step 215 minutes
Print an emergency contact sheet
One page on the fridge with utilities, insurance, and your key pros.
Do this: Fill out and print the emergency contact sheet.
In an emergency you want paper, not a phone search.
- Step 320 minutes per room
Measure the rooms you'll furnish
Length, width, ceiling height, door widths, and window placement.
Do this: Measure one room at a time and save the numbers.
Accurate measurements prevent the most expensive furniture mistake there is.
- Step 410 minutes
Start your home record
Add major items to My Home with purchase dates and materials.
Do this: Add your three most valuable items to My Home.
Later guidance — care, warranty, replacement timing — gets specific once your home knows what's in it.
- Step 520 minutes
Set a simple maintenance rhythm
Filters, drains, seals, and a seasonal walkthrough.
Do this: Pick a monthly day and start with the AC filter.
Small, boring upkeep is what keeps repair bills small and rare.
- Step 6Optional15 minutes
Rank your improvement list
Sort what you want to change by impact, cost, and urgency.
Do this: Run the improvement priority planner.
Ranking beats reacting — it keeps the budget going where you'll feel it.
- Step 7Optional
Ask about anything still unclear
One honest answer beats an afternoon of searching.
Do this: Send Maria your situation.
Early questions are cheap. Later corrections are not.
Maria's tips
- Take photos of the breaker panel and every appliance label — model numbers save hours later.
- Live in a room for a few weeks before buying the big piece for it.
Common mistakes
- Furnishing every room at once instead of the rooms you actually use.
- Skipping measurements because the room 'looks big enough'.
- Losing receipts and warranty paperwork in the move boxes.