New Florida Homeowner Starter Kit: What to Buy First
Congratulations — you closed. Now the fun part: every home needs a handful of things in the first month, and it's a lot cheaper to buy them on purpose than to make a panicked hardware-store run when something breaks. Here's the starter kit I'd hand a new Volusia homeowner, in the order it usually matters.
Heads up: some links below are affiliate links — if you buy through them I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only point to gear I'd actually tell a neighbor to buy.
The tools you'll need day one
You don't need a full workshop — just the handful of things that come up the first week of hanging blinds, mounting TVs, and assembling furniture.
- DEWALT 20V cordless drill/driver set — the one power tool every homeowner uses constantly — blinds, shelves, flat-pack furniture.
- CRAFTSMAN 102-piece home tool kit — covers 95% of household fixes in one box — screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers, the works.
- Franklin ProSensor stud finder — no guesswork mounting heavy things into drywall — finds the whole stud at once.
- GOLYTON 3-step folding ladder — for AC filters, smoke detectors, and the lightbulb you can't reach.
Safety first — especially in an older Florida home
Replace these on day one; you don't know how old the previous owner's were, and Florida's humidity and storms are hard on electronics.
- First Alert smoke + carbon monoxide detector — combo alarm — swap out anything older than a few years; detectors expire.
- First Alert home fire extinguisher (UL-rated) — keep one in the kitchen and one in the garage. Cheap peace of mind.
- Anker surge protector power strip — Florida's lightning capital is rough on electronics — protect the TV and computers.
Security and the yard
Two things to handle the first week: control who has a key, and get ready for the lawn.
- Schlage Camelot keypad deadbolt — change the locks the day you move in — you have no idea who has old keys. Keypad means no more hiding a spare.
- Flexi Hose expandable garden hose — for rinsing salt air off the house, the car, and the new landscaping.
Frequently asked questions
What's the first thing I should do after closing on a house?
Change the locks (or re-key them). The previous owners, their relatives, contractors, and a hidden spare may all have keys. It's a same-day, do-it-yourself job with a keypad deadbolt.
What home maintenance is specific to coastal Florida?
Rinse salt air off exterior surfaces, change AC filters often (the system runs nearly year-round), watch indoor humidity for mold, and keep an eye on the roof — it's the biggest insurance and storm exposure here.
How do I know how old my home's roof and systems are?
Your inspection report and the seller's disclosures cover a lot of it, and the AC and water heater usually have date labels. If you're not sure how roof age affects your insurance and value, that's exactly the kind of thing I help local homeowners sort out.
Keep going
- Moving to Volusia: first-week home essentials
- Coastal Florida humidity & mold defense
- Smart-home upgrades for a Florida home
- Storm & power-outage backup for a Florida home
- Florida lawn & yard starter kit
- Home staging on a budget: sell for more
- Hurricane prep checklist for your coastal Volusia home