5 Things To Do As Soon As You Move Into A New Home
Welcome home! Now that your movers have unloaded the last box and you’ve said goodbye to friends and family who were on hand to help, it’s time to make the space yours! Of course, it’s probably going to take you a few weeks (or more) to settle in so before you start tackling those boxes, we have five tasks we recommend taking care of right after moving into a new home.
Change the locks
While it’s probably safe to assume the previous owners aren’t coming back, you don’t really know who has a spare key to your new home. To ensure that your family is the only one with keys, we suggest changing your locks right away.
Find the breaker box
Your circuit breaker box is where you access all the main power lines to your home and it also protects electrical wiring in your house and keeps you safe should a wire become overloaded with electrical current. It’s important to know where the box, also called a panel, is located so that you can fix a tripped breaker or shut off power, if necessary.
Many breaker boxes are poorly labeled so if you’re unable to read what each switch goes to, you’ll want to test and re-label.
Check smoke detectors & air filters
When it comes to smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, it’s not wise to assume there’s plenty of battery life left. While some are hardwired into your home, nearly all detectors have a backup battery. Since you don’t know when the previous owners last replaced batteries, go ahead and take care of that straight away.
While you’re taking care of the batteries, you should also consider changing out air filters that filter out dust, pet dander, and other pollutants that might adversely affect indoor air quality.
Deep clean before you unpack
Your new home might look clean on the surface, but there’s a good chance that there are remnants of the previous owners in the kitchen, bathroom, and elsewhere in the home that you’ll want to scrub away before you move your own belongings into position.
Even if no one has lived in your new home prior to you, a deep clean is still the way to go. There’s a good chance that dust and dirt from the construction phase are lingering somewhere in the house.
Make your house a home
Whether you’re a practitioner of hygge (you know, the practice of creating a warm, inviting atmosphere in your home) or simply want to surround yourself with possessions that make your home… well homey, we encourage new homeowners to spend time setting up furniture, hanging picture frames and wall art, laying down area rugs, and really just finding the right place for all their belongings. You may want to have storage boxes on hand in case you decide some items just don’t belong with your new aesthetic.
A couple more tips for after you’ve moved in
Of course, these move-in tips are really only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to settling into a new home. There’s also the need to change your address at the post office if you haven’t already and though it’s not required, stop and say hi to your new neighbors now that you have a chance to catch your breath.
Still looking for a moving company?
Offering top-rated moving services in the Birmingham and Huntsville metros, Changing Spaces Moving, Inc., is the company to call if you’re on the search for local movers to help you move into a new home. In business since 2003, our locally owned and family-operated moving company specializes in local, intrastate, and interstate moves. Whether you need a residential moving firm to help you move around the corner, across the county, or out of state, we are here to help. Get started with a free estimate!
