The home we bought will be a rental and we are fixing it up to be rented, we currently live in another home that we pay rent. How do I deduct expenses on home being fixed

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When you have just bought a rental property, any work you do to get the property ready for renting is classed by IRD as capital improvement, and is not fully deductible. You have to add the costs to the original purchase price, and depreciate the total (purchase price + improvement cost) [separate land value ,land is not depreciated]over the life of the property (from the date placed in service (ready to rent).

You get the deduction only spread out over time 27.5 years  from the date placed in service ready to use.