Tips to help smooth the transition into your new home.
Congratulations! You found the right house, secured a mortgage and signed the deal. Now you want to get settled and make your new place home. Before you tackle the unpacking and furniture arrangements, do the following seven things to help smooth your transition, stay safe and infuse fun into moving in.
Update the security
You never know who the previous owner provided keys to. A locksmith can re-key the locks without replacing them. Do this the day you take possession. This is also a good time to stash a spare key someplace far from the door.
If your new home has a doorbell camera or other home security system with a service provider like Ring ask the seller to deactivate their account then set up service in your name.
Locate utility turnoffs
The ideal time to locate a turnoff valve for your home’s water supply is not when there’s a burst pipe and water is rushing out. Take a few moments when you first move in to locate the turnoffs for water and gas, as well as the location of the electrical panel where power can be cut off if needed.
Make sure other adults and older children living in the house know where the shutoff are too.
Clean, paint and redo floors
It’s so much easier to clean, paint, refinish wood floors and install new flooring when rooms are empty. If possible, tackle these jobs before the boxes and furniture are moved in.
If you don’t want to do the cleaning yourself, hire professionals to do the job. Tight on a budget and have friends who are really good sports? Arrange a cleaning party and have everyone take on a room.
It’s also worth having the duct work cleaned by a professional, especially if you or anyone in your family has allergies.
New batteries in detectors
Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors help save lives. Install new batteries in these monitoring devices right away. You’ll also be protecting your sleep—more than one homeowner been startled awake on the first night in their new home by the chirping that signals a low battery.
Update your address
While many bills are now handled via email and apps, you still need to update your physical address with some organizations.
Start with a change of address request at the post office or online. If you run a home-based business file a change of address for the business too.
Other companies and agencies that should have your new address on file are your employer, insurance companies, financial and banking companies and the Social Security Administration.
Shortly after moving into your new home, update the address on your driver’s license and voter registration. You can do both tasks at any Secretary of State office.
Start a shopping list
As you settle into your new home you’ll identify things you need or want that will make your home safer, more functional and pleasing to the eye. Grabbing things every time you go to the store or instantly clicking on the “buy now” button can quickly crush your budget. Use a shopping list to prioritize purchases that need to be made right away and identify those that can wait.
Have fun!
In the flurry of moving activity, it’s easy to get caught up in the logistics. Take time to celebrate your new abode. This can be as simple as getting pizza and eating on the floor after you get the keys. Or, streaming a movie on your first night in the house. No matter how you celebrate, you’ll be glad you took time for fun because it creates a memory for years to come.
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