There is a lot to take into account when you move into a new home. We often carefully plan the moving steps like packing and unpacking, but it’s easy to overlook other things that could stand in the way of you settling in. The first things you do when you move in can make all the difference. Getting to know your new home, learning how it works, and prioritizing the right tasks that you want to take on are all part of your role as a homeowner, and it’s better to get it all right when you first move in, instead of assuming you’ll figure it out later on. 

Do A Walkthrough

There’s no better or easier time to do a complete walkthrough of your new home than when it is completely empty. Before you start bringing in the boxes, setting up furniture, or getting unpacked, take another walk around. Double-check that:

• All requested and agreed-upon repairs have been made by the previous owner or the builders
• Everything that was agreed to be included in the sale is in the house
• Everything is in working order, including outlets, switches, and fixtures

If you do find any issues during this walkthrough that go against your sale contract, for example, the previous owner has taken the washer and dryer with them when they had agreed to leave them behind for you, call your realtor straight away to see what can be done. If you find any issues that weren’t covered in your contract, these are unfortunately your responsibility now, but it will help to know what and where they are. 

Change Your Locks

It is always a good idea to change the locks when you move into a new home. Even if you aren’t worried about the previous owner, you never know who else they might have given a key to and forgotten to get back. This is one of the things where it’s better to be safe than sorry, so schedule a locksmith service. Rekey the locks on all doors that lead between the inside and outside of your home, as well as any window locks or locks on garages or outbuildings. This is a small expense for peace of mind. 

Child or Pet Proof

If you have young children or pets who will be moving into the house too, then an immediate step is going to be some initial child or pet-proofing to make sure they will be safe until you can get your full set-up into place. There are some quick ways to child-proof your house during the moving process, such as creating a separate, kid-free space for things like discarded packing materials and checking all the windows to make sure they’re securely closed and don’t have long cords hanging from the window dressings. Keep anything dangerous, like cleaning supplies, glassware, or box cutters well out of the way or little hands or paws. You can make more changes, like adding baby gates, later on. 

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