new house-fresh start-need help

welshgranny

Hi friends,
will be moving into our new house in about 5 weeks after 2 years living in a caravan and with my parents. Being in my 50's and disabled this has been hard going :eek: . Wondered what you would buy different if you could throw things out and start again. We are having wood floors and wood burner fire and I have made a few quilts and cushion covers. but I am looking for more ideas to be a good money saver :beer: . Hope you have lots of ideas for me.

newlywed

I'd have a 5 foot high larder style fridge and a freezer the same size to match If the kitchen was big enough of course :rolleyes:

And a cupboard under the stairs kitted out with a shelving system for multi-buy stocking up - tins, loo rolls etc

And I wouldn't get spot lights everywhere in the ceilings or dimmer switches on every room because the energy saving bulbs have a way to go yet

peb

Gosh - congratulations.

Fo me; good kitchen working surface and book shelves. I am easily pleased.

SuziQ

I would buy very little! My house is full of tat,which was expensive when bought-earning good money back then-so loath to get rid as it cost so much! I have an amrican fridge freezer which I wouldn't buy again-lovely big fridge and looks great,but freezer is far to small for OS and I have no room anywhere else for another one. I would have a seperate shower also if room in the bathroom. Other than that,I would keep it clear and simple.

Barneysmom

2 sets of things I've bought recently that will save me money and botheration.
1. A good set of towels Christy ones. But I didn't get them from the big store, they're from a store called Boundary Mills, I got them in the sale (bath sheets £31.99 down to £11).
I bought 4 each bath sheets bath towels and hand towels all the same brown.
They will last a good 10 years (I'll make them last that long)
Also my bed linen.
I got cotton, white, for the kingsize bed (mine) a few sets so I haven't got to think about matching, they can all be hot washed if necessary, and I reckon they'll last 10 years too.

for the 2 double beds I just bought cream coloured ones, so I can grab them out of the cupboard and know they're going to fit without messing about.

I just wish I'd put matching carpet all through the house now though.

Obukit

Best to look out for an old microwave on Freecycle - the old ones with manual dials will last forever and you'll save so much electricity and time with one - I cook vegetables, cheese sauces, reheat leftovers etc. It's also much easier to use if you're disabled as there's a lot less stirring to be done.

Good luck with moving out - it's very exciting albeit slightly daunting but I'm sure you'll be fabulous and wondering how you ever managed NOT having the space to yourself and independence this time next year!

annelouise_2

Matching carpet and plain paint throughout was our best buy then you only need 1 back up tin for touch ups,carpet makes it look bigger.

Also bed with underbed storage for linens,out of season clothes or stocking up loo rolls etc.

annelouise

belfastgirl23

I'd insulate everything that wasn't tied down. With wooden floors make sure you put good insulation under them as well if possible. And you can buy insulating stuff to put into paint as well - http://www.thermilate.com/insulating_paint_additive.shtml
I haven't tried it yet but am going to give it a go later this year.

Lots of cupboard space is another must for MS.

good luck in your new home.

McKneff

Keep everything minimal

My best buy ever is my steamer - a whole meal cooked in one place instead of having all four cooker plates and an oven going.

Chops or chicken on the bottom, then potatoes next and then veg on the top.
Money saved all round on electric, time and washing up - great

[Deleted User]

we downsized. No more big brown furniture. We got light oak modular units so that we can move them about if we have to, later in life and we see no dust. eg 2 base units stacked one above the other in the hall makes a lovely small storage area in the hall. A unit top with a central cupboard and side glass doors looks great against a wall in the kitchen. It is 15" deep and 47" high so doesn`t take up much floor space and it could stack on top of the hall units if they were side by side. I am thinking of me in my 80`s in a one roomed apartment somewhere. Could happen

I agree re the same colour paintwork everywhere. Boring but very easy

I used to have a larder fridge and a larder freezer but am now quite happy with my fridge/freezer. Its a question of getting used to it and I am thinking of the future cost of running it (on the grapevine: oil is forecast to cost $245 a barrel)

re the shelves all around the cupboard under the stairs. My dh made them for me the day after we moved in. 4-6" deep and absolutely fantastic

Good luck op

newlywed

kittie wrote: »

re the shelves all around the cupboard under the stairs. My dh made them for me the day after we moved in. 4-6" deep and absolutely fantastic

I wish we had one. We live in a flat But I've seen friends/relatives understairs cupboards and so many seem to be full of coats, the hoover, the ironingboard and a lot of junk and it sometimes seems a bit of a waste