Congrats on your new home!
Moving into a new home can be a very exhilarating time.
But once you’ve moved in, you might find yourself asking, “What now?”
If you’re not sure what to do after moving into a new home, here’s a checklist that you can use as a guide.
Moving into a New Home? Here’s What You Should Do!
Use this checklist as a guide when you’re moving into a new home.
- Ask family members and friends to help you unpack.
The more people on deck, the better! Those first few days of unpacking can be a whole lot easier if you recruit your family and friends. To make the process run smoother, figure out the most logical order of unpacking and set deadlines.
- Change the locks.
Who knows how many strangers have keys to your new home, given to them by the previous owner? For your safety and peace of mind, call a locksmith and get those locks changed immediately. Or, you can reinstall locks on your own.
- Check the plumbing.
Your home inspector should have done this for you before closing, but it never hurts to double-check after you move in. Keep an eye out for running toilets and dripping faucets, and check your water heater for signs of a leak.
- Locate the circuit breaker.
Although not entirely common, you may have to replace a fuse or reset your circuit break every now and then. If there’s a power outage, you don’t want to search through the dark to find it. Common locations for circuit breakers are in basements, in hallways, or in storage closets. Also, be sure that you know the difference between a fuse box and a circuit breaker, in the event you need to restore power.
- Locate shut-off valves.
In case there’s an emergency leak or you’re doing repairs, you need to shut off your water. So, it’s necessary to locate your shut-off valves. Many apartment buildings and houses have numerous cut-off points to stop the water. From your company’s shut-off valve to your own shut-off valve to the water met, there are several locations to get familiar with – both inside and potentially outside your home.
- Set up your home security system.
Moving into a new home is one of the best times to set up your home security system. If you already have a system in place, or if you’re tied to a contract, make sure to call your provider. Want more flexibility when it comes to your home security? Another option would be smart or DIY home security systems – you have the freedom to shop around if you’re looking for your first home security system.
- Change your mailing address.
You’d be astounded to know how many people forget to do this. For most people, changing your address simply means going online and changing it through the United States Postal Service (USPS) website. After moving into a new home, take a few minutes to change your address online so that you can start receiving your mail at your new house.
Bonus Tip: Take the added, precautionary step of changing your mailing address directly with your bank and credit card lenders, and any other important entities you maintain contact with.
The Bottom Line
There are so many things you have to do as you move into a new home – and these are just some of them. Nevertheless, we hope this checklist helps you stay organized as you transition into your new home.
Will Bell Mortgage Broker is a mortgage and finance broker based in Melbourne specializing in residential home loans. Will is all about the average Australian understanding just enough of the broader economy to take action on your own personal economy. He is the host of the My Personal Economy Podcast which you can check out here.
Additionally, you can follow him on Facebook
