Whether you’re into list of not, moving is a great time to jot down some ideas. Creating a move in checklist, is a great way to organize your thoughts, especially after a big move. When I first purchased my new place, I had a little notebook that I continuously made notes in.
I honestly have no idea where that notebook ended up. But non the less, we are happily moved into our new home, so it worked!
You may want to create an initial checklist, of basics and then build on this checklist later. To help get you started, below is a list of important things to do after you move into your new home.
The VERY practical New Home Checklist :
Change All Locks
Although we want to trust the last occupants, that’s not realistic or safe. Schedule to have all your locks and codes changed BEFORE you move in. This is a huge safety concern and something you’ll want to put at the top of your to do list.
If you’re not into keys, try looking into Smart locks, this an easier way to get in and out without the hassle of keys.
We choose to get our locks re-keyed, this was much more affordable. The lock smith, let us know our locks were good enough to be re-keyed. This is now always the case, but your lock smith will let your know and hopefully offer you a great price for doing all your lock services with them. We weren’t expecting to be able to negotiate here, but we were able to get a “deal” on our locks.
Schedule Deep Clean
If you are moving into a home for the first time, this may be new. In apartments, usually your place is clean and ready for move in. But, when you purchase a home, more than often the property has been sitting vacant for a month or more. In this time, there may have been a lot of public traffic from that sale and possibly some unwanted critters. To make sure that every nook and cranny is clean for your family. Schedule a time to deep clean or hire a service to come in and get the job done while your away.
When I first moved in, I scheduled a deep cleaning service before I moved my furniture in. After the home was deep cleaned, I then scheduled an appointment for pest control. This ensured my new home was clean and pest free before having my furniture and personal items moved in.
Check out our post, on how to clean your home in 2 hours or less
Connect It All – TV and Internet
This honestly was probably the first thing I would have done, when I moved in. But I am a millennial and we are SERIOUS about our WIFI. Its easy to overlook getting entertainment, but it’s important to get the process started. It may take a week or a few days to get an appointment for a technician to come out.
Change Smoke Detector, Fire Extinguisher and Furnaces
Let’s be real, this part is probably not going to be that exciting. But it’s right up there with the changing of the locks. It’s best to change all detectors and extinguishers, so that everything will be on the same schedule.
By changing these items, it will also help you get familiar with your home, and understand where everything is. I paid no attention to the fact I had a carbon monoxide detector in the home. I also found out the bathroom vent was yucky and needed to be replaced ASAP.
This leads me to my next item on the checklist …
Find All Electrical Panels and Shut Locations
This is something you will want to find out and know for many reasons. As handy men and others will be in and out of your home for about a month. It’s a little embarrassing to be spinning in circles, trying to find shut off valves and switch boards.
This is a good time, to find those water shut off valves as well and check out the plumbing. Although this is the less desirable aspects of moving into a home, it’s definitely a must. If things go left, you want to know where to shut things down.
Find Hardware Store and Grab Essentials
So, I’m personally not into hardware stores but when you move into a new house. There is a VERY high chance, you will need to visit one of these stores. Getting to the hardware store, and picking up some tools and nails will really help you out. I would also suggest buying a broom and dustpan.
Make sure you grab some toilet paper and hand soap. It’s no fun to be ready to hang pictures and have no nails. Or get caught looking surprised when the handy man needs to use the restroom and your out of toilet paper.
Local Facebook Groups
Get in the know, because … well … you need to know 🙂 Joining local social media groups and jumping on Facebook, can really help you find out what’s going on in your community. Some areas look totally different, during certain times of the year. Social media can help give you a heads up, on garage sales, crime, festivals, kids events and even local wildlife. In the area I purchased it just so happen to be rattle snake season, not to freak you out but this was good information to know for sure.
Update Your Address
This is a good thing to do after your exhausted and need to take a break. Once your ready to wine down after all this moving and circuit board hunting. Break out your pen and paper, check book, bank info and make sure your information is updated to your new address.
This makes sure your mail and other important information reached you in a timely manner. But be prepared, you will be bombarded with mail, when you first move in. Knowing you have all your important records up to date will help ease your mind.
You’ll want to start with your postal service, drivers license, voter registration, schools, mailing address with bank and job. I almost missed getting my W2, because I forgot to update my address with my employer.
Drive Around and Explore
Getting to know your neighborhood is crucial when you are new to an area. Taking a drive around the neighborhood, can help you locate the closest grocery store, laundry mat, parks, police stations and parks. This may be something you think will come over time, putting effort into driving down streets other than your own can be a big bonus for you.
If you have small children, or kids in general. Knowing where the local parks are, is crucial. By driving certain routes ahead of time, you’ll be able to create your own little short cuts earlier.
Find Food and Grocery Stores
If you’ve got time, swing by two or more grocery stores to grab some basics. By going to more than one store, you’ll be able to narrow down your favorites, down the line. Also, moving food from one place to another, is really not that fun.
Every new beginning has its challenges but with careful preparation you can ace your move in experience. By planning ahead and creating a checklist, you’ll feel at ease knowing you have prepared in advance. Once your all settled, you be able to sit back and enjoy your new home in peace. Oh, and don’t forget to go out on the town and celebrate your new chapter!
How do you prepare for move in day? What items are on your move in checklist, comment below!
