9 Things to Do When You First Move Into a New Home

When you first move into a new home, it can be overwhelming as you try to unpack and get your home ready to actually be lived in. Although there may be specific things that you need to do once you move into a new home, below are a few basic ideas that will help you with your move.

Check Your Utilities

One of the first things you should do when you move is make sure that your utilities are switched over from the previous owners to you. This includes things like your electric, heating and cooling, gas, and water bills. Check with the provider in your area to ensure that things transferred over into your name at the start of your ownership of the home to avoid any complications with your service being shut down because of an unpaid bill.

You should also make sure that things like your cable, internet, and phone are set up in your new home. It can be very frustrating to move and not have internet access or cable, so make sure to prioritize getting those accounts set up as soon as you move in or even before you move into your new house.

Check on Your Fire Alarms

When you first move in, you should make sure that you test all of the fire alarms in your home. You don’t want to find out that one of your fire alarms isn’t functional because it doesn’t go off when there are smoke and fire in your home. You should replace all of the batteries with a fresh set since you don’t know the last time that the previous owners replaced them. Try to use lithium-ion batteries instead of VRLA batteries since Lithium-Ion batteries last 75 times longer.

Find Shut-Off Valves and the Circuit Breaker

Once you move in, you’ll want to check out your basement or utility room to find where the circuit breaker and shut-off valves are for your new home. You may have already seen these things when you toured the home, but make sure that you’re familiar with what each switch connects to which part of your home.

Unpack the Basics

When you’re packing, try to have one box or bag that is dedicated to the basics you’ll need right when you move in, like sheets, towels, plates, and bowls. Having these basics readily available will help you when you are working your way through all of the other move-in tasks that you need to accomplish. The less time you have to spend figuring out which box you packed the toilet paper in, the more time you’ll have for other important tasks.

Create Your Own To-Do List

There will probably be a million and one things that you’ll want to do in the days following your move. As you think of things that you want to do, write them down in one long collective list. If you think of new things, add them to your master list. Every day, choose a handful of tasks that you can actually take care of that day and do them. You can also plan what you’ll do each day in advance, like making a five-day schedule on move-in day, but making one big list and making a small one each day works just as well. It’s all about making it work for you and your personal style of organization.

Get Anything Specific Your Home Needs

Depending on your home, there might be specific things that you’ll need to stock up on to get your house running. You may need to get cleaning supplies specifically for the surfaces in your home, such as if they’re stainless steel or grouted tile, or you may need to stock up on things like firewood if you have a wood-burning stove on your property. About 1.9% of U.S. households rely on wood for heat, so it’s not unreasonable for that to be something you’re dealing with in your new home. Whatever you may need, make sure that you stock up no it early into your time in your new home to make sure you don’t run into any issues down the line.

Recycle Packing Materials

It’s hard to avoid using single-use packing materials during a move. Whether you’re using cardboard boxes, newspaper, bubble wrap, or tape to secure your items, you’re using up a lot of single-use items. Makes sure to counteract this by recycling as much of your packing materials as you possibly can. If you know someone who is planning on moving soon, see if they can take any of your packing materials that can be reused, such as boxes and padding materials. If you’re able to reuse anything, that’s the most eco-friendly option. If you don’t know anyone who could use the packing materials, make sure to properly dispose of them by recycling everything you can.

Child-Proof and Pet-Proof Your Home

When you first move into your new home, there may be hazards that you haven’t had to deal with in quite some time because your last home or apartment had everything already child-proof or pet-proof. That’s why you should make sure that as soon as your move into your new house you go through each room and make potential hazards safer. Although it may be a hassle to lock up cupboards or put outlet covers into the sockets of your home, it’s much better than having an accident down the road.

Assess Your Assets

When you make a major life change such as moving, it’s a good idea to take stock of all of your assets and update your estate plan. You should already be doing so about every five years, but it’s easy to forget about in the hustle and bustle of daily life. Moving is a good opportunity to make sure that everything is in order just in case something happens.

Moving into a new home is an exciting life experience, but it can also be difficult to figure out where to start when you first move in. This list definitely doesn’t include everything you have to do when you first move into your new home, but it can definitely be helpful for figuring out where to start.