Stuff You Need When You Own a House

The first year of our marriage Dr. J and I lived in a 300 sq foot basement studio apartment.  We did not need much.  The second year we lived in a 500 sq foot 3rd story barely not a studio apartment.  We still didn't need a whole lot.  Then we spent 7 years in a two and then a three bedroom townhouse where almost all of our maintenance and yard work was done by the corporation.  We had a small shed to hold our bikes, a weed whacker, and a shovel but most of the work was done for us.  Since moving to our own home I've been amazed by the amount of stuff we've acquired.

Garbage Can- I bought this on our first full day in the house.  Some cities provide them but not so with our city.  Some of my neighbors just bring out bags of garbage to the curve on garbage day.  The idea of bags just sitting in my garage waiting all week to be taken out seriously grosses me out.  So garbage can it is.
Ladder- We ended up with two.  One is this handy little stepping stool that only weighs 9lbs.  I used it to hand Christmas lights, the curtains, to clean off the ceiling fans.  The other is 16 or so feet long.  Dr. J uses it to climb up on the roof, to clean gutters, and to paint the top of the play house.
Lawn Mower- I'm particularly proud of this purchase this week because for the first time pretty much in my entire life I mowed our lawn this weekend.  I did a horrible job.  I mean really but when you consider I didn't read the manual and I basically was just going on some memories of what I think I'd seen Dr. J do the fact that I got the thing started, put new gas in when it needed it, and got most of the grass to the same length is a pretty good accomplishment.
Weed Whacker- So we actually bought this in our town house to weed whack down weeds around our back patio.  I got it for $25 at a garage sale and it has lasted us probably four years.  Then of course this week I was doing the weed whacking.  Now we will be purchasing a new one.  In my defense the destruction of the weed whacker was a two person process.  I broke the plastic string off (could have happened to anyone right?) and then because Dr. J couldn't get the nub out with pliers he took the head off and lost a piece.  Who does machine maintenance over the grass?   Oh well.  He has been wanting a gas powered one for years.  I think it is probably stinky and heavier....hello who knew the weed whacker was going to be so heavy, but it is what the man wants, so knew weed whacker here we come.
Shovel- We actually own three different kinds.
Edger- Turns out grass is amazingly adept at trying to grow up onto concrete.
Rake- a metal one and big plastic one.
Wheelbarrow- Makes moving piles of dirt, sand, rocks when doing landscaping projects so much easier.
Hedge clippers- I used these yesterday to trim some bushes we have out font.  Please forgive me bushes.
Branch Trimmers - Two pairs.  One is small for things like rose bushes.  One has huge handles for things like three branches.
Stand up tiller- to break up dirt clogs.
Miter saw- to cut trim.
Painting paraphernalia- Brushes, sponges, tape, spray paint.  I swear we are always painting something here.  I kept the huge boxes from our patio set to keep in the garage as my painting corner.  It folds up nice and flat and then every time I have to paint something I just pull one side down to cover the garage floor.
Sander- can't do wood projects without one.

Things we would have had to buy had we not already had them.
Drill- Because sometimes a screw driver just isn't powerful enough.
Screw Drivers- Because pretty much every piece of furniture we own has had to be put together with one.
Level- makes projects so much easier.
Circular Saw, hand saw, jig saw, hammer, nails.
Hammers- like ten different kinds.
Pliers
Wrench Set
Odds and ends hanging set- I bought this at Walmart a few years ago and it has been the best.  I had all types of washers, screws, hangers, anchors, and nails in it.  Whenever we have a project we check their first to see if it has what we need.  50% of the time it does.

Things I wish we owed but we don't have.
Electric Hedgers
Electric Edger
Table Saw
Nail Gun
Staple Gun
Paint Sprayer

So pretty much now I don't know how we'd ever go back to a tiny places again.  Forget the fact that we are a family of six, where would we ever fit all our lawn gear.