Finally, you’ve finished the paperwork and are unloading boxes in your new abode. Before you start unpacking, make sure you complete these tasks.
You’ve spent months upon months looking for a new home, from selecting a neighborhood to visiting house showings to scheduling inspections. Finally, you’ve finished the paperwork and are unloading boxes in your new abode. Before you start unpacking, make sure you complete these tasks.
Set up your utilities
If you haven’t done this already, make sure you do it right away! You want the house’s utilities put in your name as the new occupant so you can start being billed and won’t have them shut off during the transition.
“On moving day, verify that your electric, gas, water, heating and cooling, phone, and internet are set up,” advises Laura Mueller of Moving.com. “Then call your local waste management facility to ensure that your new home is set up for garbage pickup as well.”
While you’re at it, see if you need a Wi-Fi extender or new router if you’ve moved into a bigger building.
Clean everything
Before you start distributing your belongings throughout your new dwelling, take some time to clean the house thoroughly. Scrubbing and sanitizing all surfaces should be your first action before physically moving in. Think of how many people have come and gone through the house while it was on the market!
Scrub the grout between the entryway tiles, wax the hardwood floor, rent a heavy-duty carpet cleaner, bleach the shower and toilet, sanitize all handles and knobs, wipe down the fridge shelves, degrease the stove and oven, dust the mantle and ceilings, and spray inside the cabinets. Every surface will likely need to be treated in some way.
Perform simple maintenance tasks
Chances are that once the sellers put their house on the market, they stopped taking care of it. So now it’s up to you to address all the little things that have been neglected.
Andrew Zoellner, writer for Family Handyman, lists many of these types of tasks you need to prioritize: Replace the furnace filter, wash off the air conditioner with a coil cleaner, check the smoke detectors, clean the refrigerator coils, clear out the dryer duct, oil any wood surfaces, and such.
Also, have the chimney cleaned and inspected for hazards if you intend to use it.
Update insurance policies
If your lender didn’t already require you to establish proper insurance coverage for your home before finalizing the transaction, make sure you do that now.
“It’s important to update your homeowner’s insurance or renter’s insurance policy with information about your new home,” urges Rosemary Avance of Consumer Affairs. “You’ll also need to update your information with your car insurance company since rates vary by region and they’ll need your updated address.”
Secure the premises
Now that you’ve been given the keys to your new house, you need to immediately replace the locks and get new keys. As Avance points out, “You never know who has copies of keys to the old locks, and new locks will give you peace of mind.” Even if the prior owner relinquished their keys, they may have left ones with a home remodeler, neighbor, or family member you don’t know about.
While you’re at it, make sure the security system is working, and change the passcode for that. If your home doesn’t have a security system, it’s easy to install basic wireless alarms on the windows and doors.
To make sure you don’t forget any important tasks when you’re moving into your new home, make a comprehensive list that includes these recommendations and anything else your house may require.
