When you moved into your property alone, what do you wish you'd known?

[Buntty]

Soon moving to a new home (not new build) on my own. Very happy and excited and will have help on the day. Very little needed re decor etc.

If you've been in this situation what do you wish you'd done or known?

lljkk · Yesterday 20:16
ha! I wish I had known how much I lack nesting instincts.
My home does need work & I am struggling to care...
My place is vast for just me. I'm struggling to feel happy in all the wasted space.
I imagine all that is specific to me, though. x

I wonder if I might feel like that too lljkk I will have a lot of space just for me but my I intend to make these spaces just as I want them, despite limited resources. eg a hobby room; an exercise room; a working from home room; and the cats will have their own bedroom too. It won't be perfect but it will be mine

How big is your house?!

I'm not the OP, but when I bought my first property alone (this was many years ago indeed) it was a Victorian 3 bed semi. It had a total of six rooms plus kitchen and bathroom. It sounds like the OP has a similar set up in their home.

Build up a network of good trades people. I used the plumber my landlord used. And he's excellent. And he signposted me to other trades. Also find an odd job man.

When I sold my parents house
I left the new owners everything they might need to know
I left them some spare bulbs for the lights and the little key that you use to drop them from thr ceiling to put them in otherwise it’s hard to get them out

where the stopcock was
keys for the gas / electric boxes as they were pre pay type and the pre pay keys
bin days
what internet company my parents had used
who the gas / electric was with
Alarm code and instructions
boiler instructions
Outside safe key box code and how they can change it to a different number

I also gave them my contact numbers of a plumber electrician and plaster and the odd job man that both myself and my late parents used when they needed stuff doing and so they were familiar with the house and its quirks

just said to say that they are the new owners blah blah and I had given them their number

names of the “lovely neighbours on each side ( they were lovely neighbours )

I bumped into them a few months later when visiting the old neighbours as she is like a aunty to me and they mentioned how in particular the tradie numbers and the odd job man had helped them when they need to get stuff done 😂apparently odd job man has been amazing and theg couldn’t thank me enough

The odd job man will do pretty much anything from putting flat packs together to hanging doors and basic plumbing gardening putting mirrors up putting tv on the wall

I’ve known off job man since I was a kid and I think every homeowner needs an odd job man 😂

When my mum moved in alone, she wanted to call a plumber to install the washing machine (I did it).
it’s really easy to do yourself. Watch a YouTube.

That my neighbours are cunts

Should change the locks too, no knowing who has spare keys.

What days are bin collections and what bins when.

Make sure gas fires/wood burners function properly and maybe get them serviced asap.
Join residents' association, it's a better source of trades than Nextdoor although I'm also on ND.
Check local council for "handy person" service. Ours is brilliant, £12.50ph!