Just moved? A "to do" list for your new home

May 12, 2015
2 minute read

Moving in to a new house is an exciting time – and there is so much to do! Here’s a list of the top tasks to tackle to keep your move-in going smoothly.

Keep your stress low and plan before you move. Keep your safety in mind, tackle your paperwork, have essential supplies on hand, and unpack carefully!

Plan before you move

  • As soon as you purchase your new home, change your mailing address. Purchase Mail Forwarding™ to ensure you don’t miss any important bills or statements in the mail.
  • Contact your utility companies, credit card companies, bank, other creditors to tell them about your address change.
  • Get new utility services for your new place: electricity, gas, cable, telephone, internet, garbage, sewer, and water.

Tackle your paperwork

  • Expecting deliveries? Make sure your street number is visible from the road and is marked on your new address information.
  • Change your address on your driver’s license, car registration, voter registration, school registration, health card, tax information, and your credit card.
  • Shop online? Make sure your autofill function is updated, and your favorite online shops have your updated delivery information.
  • Send out your new contact information to family, friends, and business contacts.

Keep your safety in mind

  • Assemble a first aid emergency kit and make sure it’s the first thing you bring into the house.
  • Keep emergency contact numbers within easy reach.
  • Check your windows and doors: make sure they close securely, and remember to change your door locks.
  • Find your main circuit breaker, label it, and know which breaker turns off each area of the house.
  • Find your main (indoor) water shut off and outside water shut off. Make sure they both work.
  • Double check for plumbing leaks in your sinks, showers and toilets.
  • Test all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and keep a fire extinguisher on each floor and in the kitchen.
  • Get window coverings so that your belongings aren’t visible at night when you’ve moved in.

Keep essential supplies on hand

  • Keep your refrigerator stocked with drinks, sandwich fixings, snacks and breakfast food along with disposable cutlery and plates/cups.
  • Have a change of clothes, blankets, cleaning supplies and a few days’ worth of toiletries.
  • The day before your move in, bring over bathroom supplies, kitchen supplies, and several days of clothing.

Do a deep clean

  • Before unpacking, wash down all cabinets, walls, windows, plumbing, floors, and appliances.
  • Run an empty load in your dishwasher and washing machine, clean out the oven, fridge, and freezer, and inspect your furnace, air conditioner, baseboard heaters, and humidifier.

Unpack carefully

  • Number your boxes and list the contents inside. Keep an inventory list to make sure everything made it safely in the move.
  • Make a floor plan for where all boxes go – this will cut down on the chaos.
  • Don’t unpack everything at once, open the most necessary items first and gradually unpack over time.
  • If you moved your appliances and electronics, plug them in and test them to see if they function properly and haven’t been damaged.