We all know there are a bunch of things you should try to do BEFORE you move into a new house. From changing the locks to updating your insurance, there is a lot to tackle before you’ve even moved your first belongings into your new place.
But what things should you take care of first once you’ve officially started moving in? Where should you begin when you finally have the keys and all of your belongings moved into your new place?
Here’s our list of the top 11 things to do first when you move into a new house.
Unpack the Necessities
With so many moving boxes, it might be hard to know exactly where to start when it comes to unpacking. Here’s a pro tip: Start with the necessities. Unpacking the key items you’ll need on a daily basis will help you feel a little more at home right away and will make life a lot more convenient!
Make Sure Everything is Intact
This is especially important if you’ve hired a moving company to help you get your belongings from point A to point B. Before you get too involved in unpacking and setting up your new house, check on key items to make sure they successfully made the trip!
Familiarize Yourself with the Circuit Breaker, Water Main and Other Key Household Switches
Now that you’re moving in and the house is officially yours, you’ll want to make sure you know where key features are. If there is an emergency or repairs are necessary, knowing where the circuit breaker, water main and other key household switches are is very important. Make sure you familiarize yourself with this sooner rather than later after you move in.
Check Out (and Try Out) Appliances
When you’re looking at a home during the buying process, you are able to check out and inspect the included appliances to some extent. When you move in, however, it’s a very good idea to inspect appliances more thoroughly and test them out. This will help you to figure out which appliances may need to be replaced soon and address any issues or repairs that may be necessary right away.
Meet the Neighbors
Moving to a new location can be exciting, but feeling like you don’t know any of the people in your proximity can be overwhelming. Meeting your new neighbors is a great way to make your new house feel much more like home. If you live in a neighborhood, stop and visit with neighbors who are out and about. Bring some cookies over to the people next door. Walk the dog or take the kids for a bike ride and greet the people you meet along the way.
Check out our post about 5 tips for meetings your neighbors for more ideas!
Install Window Treatments
Once you’ve started to move your valuables and belongings into your house, don’t leave them on display! Putting up window treatments is one of the first things you should do in your house to keep potential thieves (and nosy neighbors) from peeking inside. It will also give you some privacy.
Clean Out the Cabinets
It’s a great idea to do as much cleaning as you can before you start moving things into your new home – but chances are you won’t be able to clean absolutely everything before moving in. The insides of your kitchen cabinets are one thing that can wait until you’re moved in, but cleaning them will need to be a priority once you arrive. Before you start unloading your kitchenware and dishes, make sure to tackle this task!
Steam Clean the Carpets
Carpet cleaning is something that will ideally be finished before you start moving in. If you don’t manage to get it done beforehand, don’t fret! Just put your furniture in the garage or in a room with non-carpeted floors temporarily and tackle the carpets soon after you move in.
Change Light Fixtures
If you’re not buying a custom built home, there’s a good chance that there will be some things about your home’s decor that you don’t love. While some of these will likely need to be addressed in the months and years after you move in, light fixtures are one thing you can tackle right away. They can improve the look and lighting in the house – plus installing new more efficient fixtures can help you save on your energy bill.
Change the Kitchen Hardware
Kitchen hardware is another house feature that is relatively inexpensive to change but can make a big difference. If you don’t love the hardware that’s already installed, make it a priority to change it! Choosing and installing new hardware on your kitchen drawers and cabinets can make a home feel much more like yours – and it’s reasonably inexpensive to do compared to other home improvements.
Set Up Internet, Phone and TV Service
While it’s important to have your basic utilities like gas, electric and water set up and changed to your name before you move into the house, activating internet, phone and TV service can usually wait until you’re officially moving in.
Make Your House Feel Like Home in No Time!
These 11 tips will help you tackle the move in process and make your new house feel just like home as soon as possible! Have other suggestions for what to do first when you move in? Leave them in the comments below!
Interested in exploring homebuying options in the Greater Capital Region? Contact Heritage Custom Builders today to find out how we can help you find – or build – the home you’ve always dreamed of! Give us a call at 518-348-0931 or complete our online contact form to get the conversation started.