- Forgo marble floor tile in the bathrooms and master shower – I have seen some ceramic tile I like about as well and I would be a lot less concerned about how to clean it/care for it. I have spent a lot of time trying to sort out the best care products for the marble tile and let's face it, how many people see your bathroom floors when you also have a main floor powder room?!
- Go see appliances in a showroom, where possible. I didn’t realize how much space I would lose going from a standard side-by-side fridge to a counter-depth model. It works for our family of two'ish and we have managed to host lots of dinners and at least one sizeable party; however, I would like to be able to freeze more meals and foods. When I glanced at some other options helping Miracle Mom shop for a new fridge, I was surprised at how some different brands and models managed the space even of the counter depth models better.
- Make sure the developer finishes everything before you go to settlement. (This again is specific to the way our purchase was structured - we had a contract to purchase the house from a developer when it was complete.) Otherwise, it really doesn’t get done; or, if it does get done, it is with lots of footwork from you and often at your added expense. The complicating factor is that, as the buyer, your loan rate has an expiration date. And you also just get tired and want to move into your house.
- Outlets outlets outlets. When we inspected the planned layout for outlets, it seemed they were everywhere (in accordance with code requirements), but from time to time I do find myself thinking there could be some more convenient ones. However, we did select where we wanted extra outlets for specific purposes such as television & accessories.
- Be more specific in my planning for storage. I feel like I generally thought through kitchen cabinet storage well (but is there ever enough?); however, I assumed some household items would find a place in the house. I would specifically think through where I would store:
a. Vacuum cleaner!
b. Other cleaning supplies and tools such as mop, broom, your cleaning potions out of children’s reach.
c. Off-season clothes, depending on how spacious your closets are.
d. Tools - everyday hammer and screwdrivers, plus less-often used tools AND yard tools! If you have a garage or outside storage such as a shed that is really helpful.
e. Stroller or other child paraphernalia.
f. Coats – yours and guests’.
g. Any bulk purchase items such as paper towels, toilet paper.
h. Suitcases.
Of course, at the end of the day, I realize we were really fortunate to have as much input on layout as we did. If we have moved in to a home without doing any renovations I would have found a place for all these items! Additionally, we moved from a home with an unusual storage situation – though it was a small place, it had a huge pantry and an ample basement storage unit!
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