By Dan Hamilton of CbusHomes.com for the Stonecliff Homes Blog

Building a new home can understandably be stressful and overwhelming. But don’t let the daunting decisions and timelines get in the way of thinking of some of the little things as you piece together your dream home.

Below is a good, detailed checklist from Lindsay Michaely’s blog of some of the finer details you may not be thinking of when it comes to building your home. Take a look:

Closet & Organization

• Make sure your closet has enough space for both double hung rods, and singles to accommodate long clothes
• More closet/linen space than you think you’ll need
• Plenty of storage for holiday or seasonal decoration
• Cubbies in mudroom with an outlet in each one (may want to consider outlets with USB ports for charging phones, tablets, etc.)

Bathrooms

• Outlets inside vanity cabinets (upper and lower) in bathroom for hair dryer, and other accessories
• Heated towel racks if you’d like
• Make use of room in between wall studs and pony wall by turning it into extra storage- which you can never have enough of (see photo below)

Outdoor Spaces

• Pre-wire for speakers (both indoor and outdoor)
• Hot/cold outdoor water is good for washing pets
• Motion sensor pre-wire for selected exterior lights
• Keypad entry on garage door (and even the front door as well)
• Natural gas line for grill

Kitchen

• Recess the fridge into the cabinets/wall
• Pasta filler faucet near the stove top (so you don’t have to lug the pots full of water from the sink to the stove top)

• Custom storage organization in kitchen drawers
• Warming drawer in dining room or butler’s pantry- great for entertaining
• Custom shelves and place to plug appliances in pantry
• Pantry light on motion sensor
• Knife drawer
• Pull-out garbage/recycling/laundry (for dirty dish towels/napkins/bibs, etc.)
• Drawers for all lower cabinets (more efficient use of space)

• Easy-access place to store frequently used appliances

Electrical & Plumbing

• Pre-wire security system and cameras or look into automated home security systems 
• Photos of electrical, plumbing and windows before drywall goes up for future reference
• Separate circuit with outlets at waist height in garage to plug in tools
• Pre-wire for surround sound and music (inside and out)
• iPad controllers in the walls to control whole house music systems
• Pre-wire for generator to essential areas
• Measure the location of anything under the slab, and various utilities out in the yard
• Run an electrical line with a few floor outlets

Lighting

• Light switch to the attic in the hallway
• In cabinet lights and outside lights on timers
• 3 way switches are helpful
• Master switch from master bedroom that controls all exterior lights
• A master switch at each exit (front, back or garage) that turns off all the power to the switches/lights in the house so you don’t have to go to each room)

Master Bedroom

• 4 plug outlets near the bed in the master (again, consider the new outlets with USB ports for charging phones, tablets, etc.)
• A light switch at the head of your bed so you can turn out the lights once you are in bed

Pets

• Plan a specific place for your dog or cat food
• Place for the kitty box if applicable
• Place for dogs to be bathed
• Place for dog crates

Overall

• Where possible, pocket doors
• Soundproofing where needed (ex. in between laundry room and bedroom wall)
• Additional support during framing on the top side of windows for curtains
• Ensure builders don’t “box” off spaces where storage or shelving could go
• Minimal walls, lots of windows
• Actual laundry room (not a hall or closet, a room if possible)
• Spindles on hand rail made that can be removed to make moving furniture easier
• Handicap accessibility should be a consideration