What to Do When You Move into a New Home

You just got yourself a new home. Congratulations, this is one of the most significant purchases you’ll make as an adult. You may be exhausted from the move, excited to be starting a new phase, or just looking forward to settling into your new abode. The moving process is exhausting, and without proper organization, a lot could go wrong. As a new homeowner, you could be worried about what comes after getting your new property. Worry no more! We at Aspen Home Improvements have put together a move-in checklist to help you complete your move successfully. Taking care of the items on this list will help you enjoy your new home.

1. Inspect Your Moving Boxes

When moving out of your old home, you probably prepared a household inventory before handing your belongings to the moving company. As you arrive in your new home, the first step should be to ensure that all your items have been delivered. To do this, check every delivery box against the inventory you prepared earlier. It is important to have photos of the more valuable items so that you can compare their conditions before and after the move. In case you have fragile, valuable items, you probably took moving insurance since accidents are bound to happen. Inspecting your delivered packages will help you identify the damaged items that may need replacement.

2. Perform a Thorough Inspection of the House

It is best to do a complete inspection of your house when it is still empty. You may have inspected before purchasing the home, but now you have the opportunity to check out every nook and cranny before setting up any furniture or appliances. It would help if you looked for signs of damage in every room. You can also take a walk around your front yard and entire compound to see if any problems will require your immediate attention. If you had requested for any upgrades and repairs to be made by the previous owner, now is the time to verify they were done. You should also ensure that everything you paid for is included in the house.

3. Set Up Your Utilities

You probably signed up for a transfer of utility connections before moving out of your old home. As you get into your new home, ensure that your water and electricity are up and running. These are the essential utilities that will contribute to the successful completion of your move-in. Once electricity, water, and gas are running in the house, you should arrange to connect your new home to the internet, phone lines, cable, and other essential services. You can ask your neighbors to help you contact your local waste management facility, who will help you with garbage pickup.

4. Unpack the Essentials

Moving day can be very exhausting; you probably don’t have the energy to unpack all your items. You should prepare the two most important rooms that you’ll use: the bedroom and bathroom. You will need a place to rest for the night, so unpack beddings and prepare your bed, if possible. You should also set up bathroom essentials such as towels, shower curtains, and toiletries so that you can take a refreshing shower to wash away the stress of moving day. If you have any energy left, you can unpack kitchen essentials to help you prepare your first meal in your new home.

5. Locate Your Circuit Breaker and Main Water Valve

Having set up your utilities earlier, you should know where to disconnect your water and electricity in emergency cases. Find your home’s fuse box so that you may know what to do whenever you need to replace a fuse, turn off the connection or reset the circuit breaker. You should be able to identify every fuse and the part of your house they control. Make sure that these are labeled correctly to avoid costly accidents. You should also check that your main water stop valve works properly. To do this, turn off the valve and check for any running water, or changes in your meter reading.

6. Connect the Main Appliances & Continue Unpacking

If you chose to move with your kitchen, laundry, and other appliances, you could now connect them to power, water, and gas lines in your home. Take extra care when preparing to relocate large, fragile appliances like refrigerators and ovens. Along with your appliances, you should unpack your furniture and what is left of your personal belongings to set them up for your final layout. You can enlist the help of your friends, family, and neighbors to speed up the unpacking process.

7. Change Your Locks, and Update your Address

Once everything is checked and unpacked, you should now secure your property against unauthorized access. Change locks on all doors to ensure that only you and your loved ones can enter your new home. Ensure that all doors and windows can close and open properly. If your home is in a rough neighborhood, you should consider a high-level security system such as a burglar alarm. Once all your security needs are taken care of, you should let your friends and family know you’ve moved by mailing them your new address.

Are you planning to move?

Aspen Home Improvements is committed to ensuring our clients get the best value for their homes. Talk to us regarding your next inspection, renovation, or roof upgrade if you are in  Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Maryland. When planning your next move, our high standards of materials and quality give your home the highest resale value.