Moving Into A New Home Checklist

For the most part, moving into a new home is undoubtedly an exciting time. Whether you are moving out on your own for the first time or expanding your family and need bigger space. Moving into a new home offers new beginnings, a fresh start and a sense of adventure. On the flip side, moving can become quite overwhelming and time consuming, whether you are a first timer or have done this many times before. A swift and stress-free relocation process entails a hefty work list before and after you make the move. Lets take a look at the few essentials everyone should do before moving into their new home. 

So you have just closed on your new home and enthralled with anticipation, awaiting to embark on your new adventure. But before signing the dotted line one important step must be accomplished and that is a thorough inspection walk- through of the house. Often times if an inspection raises a few red flags, the current owner is obligated to fix the issues, this must be done before you have signed the settlement papers. This is why, it is recommended to do the walk-through the day of the closing and not long before, to avoid significant condition changes. This avoids unnecessary additional costs and gives you a peace of mind. 

As soon as you closed on the house, be sure to change all of the locks, you do not know who else has a spare key and don't want to take chances. You can purchase quality locks at low costs and follow the instructions to do it yourself. It is a relatively easy DIY process.

If there is carpeting in the house from previous owners and you decide to keep it, have it steam cleaned. It is imperative to remove the dirt and allergens that gets trapped inside the carpeting. Steam cleaning is a better alternative than shampoo treatments, performing a deeper treatment approach. If you decide to have it removed or replaced, it is essential you have this done before the furniture is moved in, to avoid additional rearranging of the furniture. For a more cost effective option, you can rent a steam cleaner for about half the price and do it yourself. 

Another no brainer is to thoroughly inspect and clean the entire kitchen, carefully inspecting cupboards, cabinets, sink, refrigerator as these are all dwelling spots for common household pests, identify and remove, if applicable.  If there are no visible pests, it doesn't mean that they are not there. The previous owners might have taken care of part of the problem and that's killing off the adults, but the eggs may still be in place, as those are sometimes harder to get to because they will typically be in a more darker and concealed areas. And if the previous owners had this problem, you do not want it to become yours. This routine applies to the rest of the house, respectively. Typically this problem is acknowledged during the house inspection, but may potentially get overlooked.  Pests or no pests, you'll want to clean up after the previous owners before placing your belongings in their places. 

Last but definitely not the least important is to get acquainted with the main control systems of your house, such as the circuit breaker and the boiler room. Of course you get more privacy and space living in a house versus an apartment, but unlike renting, owning comes with a lot of maintenance work. There will be no landlord to call once something breaks, because you are the landlord! That is why its essential you become familiar with your new home on a deeper level. It's a good idea to figure out which fuses control what parts of the house and label them accordingly. Do not wait until you need to replace a light fixture or the power goes out in a specific part of the house. You will also want to know how to turn off your main water valve if you have a plumbing emergency, a case of bad weather or you may be going out of town. Whether your new home came with a boiler or a furnace, try to regularly perform required maintenance and testing. Most accidents attribute to poor maintenance and corrosion. 

When you get settled into your new home, arrange a house warming get together and invite your neighbors. Chances are they lived in the neighborhood for a while and can help you get familiar. Get friendly with the people that you may be living next to for many years to come and make new friends.