So you’ve moved into your new home; congratulations! Before you start unpacking, though, there are a few things that need to be done first to make you feel more at home. Settling in can take a while, so be prepared for some hard work!
If you’re moving into your very first home, take the opportunity to arrange furniture in your new room and make a list of everything you need for the living room, dining room, and kitchen.
You’ll be amazed at how many little things fell off of your new home shopping list—like that vegetable peeler and tin opener!
Things You Should Do Immediately After Moving In
Aside from baking cookies for the neighbors or getting rid of the last owner’s awful decor, here are some things you should do as soon as you move into your new home.
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Contact the Utility Companies and Update Your Info
Your first step should be to contact the utility companies in your area and make sure that they have your correct address information.
This is important for both your electric company and for water service providers, as if an emergency were to happen, these companies would need up-to-date information on where you are located so they can quickly fix any issues or send out an update on when power will be restored.
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Organize Your Home Internet
You have likely moved your home internet provider with you, but if you have not, or if you are unsure of what providers (if any) your new location supports, it is best to consult with your new phone company as soon as possible.
The same goes for home phone service, but it doesn’t matter too much if you’ve dropped a previous provider; ask the phone company what plans they offer and if there are any discounts available.
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Change The Locks
The first step should be changing the locks on all of your doors.
This is not only a good habit to have, but it is also important because you will want to have a new key made so that you can lock your doors from the inside of your home.
Changing the locks after you move in is a vital security step that you cannot overlook, and many insurance companies have this as a requirement for home insurance.
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Make Sure All of Your Appliances Are Working Properly
Another important task should be to make sure all of your appliances, like the refrigerator and the hot water heater, are working properly and that there are no issues with them.
Once you move into your home, appliances always seem to start acting up and stopping altogether. Making sure that all of these things are functioning properly is a good practice to have.
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Test Out the Heating and Cooling
Once you have ensured that all of your appliances are working properly, the next step should be to test out your home’s heating and cooling systems.
Make sure that everything is running smoothly, that the temperature settings on both systems are accurate, and that there is no odd smell coming from them, as it will save you time and money not having to call someone in to repair a system if it is not functioning properly.
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Get to Know Your Neighborhood
The next thing you should do is get to know your neighbors.
You should introduce yourself to them and have a short conversation in order to get an idea of what kind of people your neighbors are.
Knowing your neighbors is not only useful from a safety perspective, but it will help you to feel more at home and more settled if you know who is living nearby.
