When you’ve found the perfect home and you’re finally able to call it your own, your natural instinct may be to move in as soon as possible. While we can’t blame you for feeling this way, the truth is there are a few things you should do before you move in.
What should you take care of before you make the move into your new residence? Here are the five things we highly recommend doing before moving into your new home.
1. Change the Locks
Once you’ve closed on the house, the previous owners have handed over the keys and it’s officially yours, the first thing you should do is change the locks on the exterior doors. There’s a good chance that the previous owners, realtors, neighbors and other people may have spare keys to the house. To make sure the home is secure before moving yourself, your family, and your valuables in, change the locks yourself or hire a locksmith to take care of it for you.
2. Clean Everything
Though it may be tempting to skip cleaning your new home before moving in, a thorough, whole-house cleaning is absolutely necessary. Even if the previous owners left the place relatively clean, you’ll want to go over things yourself and make sure they are cleaned to your standards. This might not be much fun, but it’s much easier to clean everything before you’ve moved all your furniture, clothing, and valuables into the house than it is to do so afterwards. Plus, there’s nothing like that initial cleaning to truly make a house feel like your own.
3. Paint the Interior
Many times, a house that has been previously lived in is in need of a fresh coat of paint. Often walls and ceilings have dents, dings, and scratches that need some attention. It’s amazing what a difference some minor repairs and a fresh coat of paint can make! Though painting the entire interior of the house may be an intimidating and time-consuming project, it is definitely worth taking care of before you move in! You’ll be able to paint faster and more efficiently when you don’t have to worry about painting around furniture and belongings. Even better, you’ll avoid living amidst the fumes from fresh paint if you paint before you move in.
4. Service Mechanical Equipment and Appliances
Even if the appliances and mechanical systems in the house are on the newer side, it’s a good idea to have them cleaned and serviced before you move into the house. This ensures that everything will be in working order once you are living in the house and relying on them on a daily basis.
5. Change Your Address and Insurance Information
Before you move everything you own into a new home, you’ll want to make sure that home is covered by insurance. Be sure the insurance for the new property is activated the day before you move in. Additionally, you’ll want to make sure that your address has been changed with the post office and all other relevant entities so you continue to receive correspondence at your new address. Be sure to let family and friends know you’ll be moving as well!
Have Your New House Ready Before You Move In!
It may seem like a pain to take care of these five things before you make the big move – especially when you’re anxious to settle into your new home – but you’ll be so glad you did. Getting these items out of the way ahead of time will enable you to truly enjoy your new property when you ultimately move in.
Want to avoid these new-home chores? Then you may want to consider purchasing a brand new house. Interested in learning more about custom home building options in the Capital Region and how to purchase a custom built home? Contact Heritage Custom Builders today by calling 518-348-0931, or by completing the online contact form on our website.