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Writer's pictureSean Skirrow

New Home Checklist


New Home Checklist August 29, 2018Home Buying


Congratulations! You have finally found your dream home, or at least are on your way there. We know how excited you are to start your new life in your new home. However, if you don’t take the time to fully prepare before you move, it won’t be long before the stress of things going wrong sets in and delays your opportunity to enjoy your new life. To avoid any such stressors, you need to make sure that you have all the home essentials you will need after the move to make your life better. So before you start celebrating your achievement of buying a new home, get a pen and paper ready to make your new home checklist. We are here to help you understand everything that you will need and how to best plan your move. Read on to discover everything that you need to know to make your move into a new home exceptionally smooth.

Pre-Move Checklist We will start with some of the things that you need to accomplish to make the move itself easier. Keep in mind that moving day can be stressful and things can quickly get out of hand if you did nothing to prepare for the day. Doing a little bit of planning can be a lot easier, and it can save you a lot in the long run. So, what are you supposed to do before the moving day?

Transfer Utilities Before you can move into your new home and get comfortable, you need to make sure that you have set up your physical utilities, including gas, water, and electricity. Depending on the location of your new home, you may or may not have a say in which company becomes your service provider. But the good news is that almost all physical utility companies offer timely activation as soon as you notify them of your move-in date.

Update Your Address So many aspects of your life are usually connected to your address, but when you’ve lived somewhere for a while, it’s easy to forget how important this step will be. You will need to forward your mail, which you can do by visiting your local USPS or their website. Take a look in your wallet – be sure to update your bank, credit cards, insurances, and vehicle registration. Keep in mind that your car insurance premium may change if you’re moving to a new zip code. If you have any mail-based subscriptions or bills that will carry over, such as a car loan or cell phone bill, you will have to update your address with them as well. Updating all of your vital personal information will make it even easier to update your license with your local DMV. We hope you now remember how this is a critical aspect of your life and make sure to update your address before you move into your new home.

Research Local Businesses Typically, when you move to a different state or town, it is always good to spend some time trying to understand the local businesses. This is your new home, and this will become your new place to shop and interact with local businesses, so you will want to explore the available options. Find a new dentist, doctor, hairdresser, landscaper, car wash, and grocery store! When in doubt, Google can show you recommendations and customer reviews to help you make informed decisions.

Schedule a Cleaning Before you move your stuff to your new home, it’s a good idea to go around all the corners of the house and make sure it’s clean. Chances are, the previous owner or the builder (if it is a new home) didn’t take time to clean the house for your arrival. Therefore, it always good to schedule a cleaning service to come in and conduct a thorough cleaning before you move in.

Pro Tip: If you want to make sure your home is safe from mold or water damage, order a Dream Home Annual Checkup.

Other Basic Essentials to Consider The other essentials to make sure that you have for your new home include:

  • Trash bags

  • Basic tools that will make tasks such as building your furniture easier. This includes a hammer, box-cutter, duct tape, wrench, screwdrivers, and pliers.

  • First aid kit

  • Batteries, especially 9V batteries for any smoke detectors in the home that might require replacement.

  • Light bulbs in case something breaks or burns out.

  • Toilet paper

  • New locks to enhance your security. Never trust the locks that you find there since you can’t be sure what the previous owner did with them, like giving someone else a key and forgetting to get it back.

Kitchen Essentials for a New Home The kitchen still forms an integral part of any home, so it is good to know some of the things that you will need to include on your house hunting checklist to bring your kitchen to life. For starters, you will need the following to prepare a meal:

  • Silverware including flatware sets, a silverware organizer, and special cutting knives for meats and vegetables

  • Dishware including bowls, plates, serving platters, coffee mugs, wine glasses, and regular glasses

  • Utensils such as spatulas, tongs, whisks, ladles, and skimmer

  • Utensil holder

  • Cutting board

  • Baking sheets

  • Tupperware

  • Measuring spoons/cup

  • Pots and pans

  • Oven Mitt

  • Living Room Essentials for a New Home

  • Nobody wants to move into a boring house. To make your living room to burst into life, you will need the following:

  • Television

  • Streaming device for your TV. If you have a smart TV or gaming system, you may be able to do this without any additional devices.

  • Sound bar

  • Streaming service such as Amazon Video, HBO, Hulu, or Netflix

Pro Tip: To ensure your entire home cohesively reflects your style, contact one of the top interior designers in your area. They will work with you to make every room of your home feel whole while finding the best pieces that complement your taste.

Post-Move Checklist You have finally arrived at your new home with all your belongings, but don’t think that everything is done. You are in the homestretch of your new home checklist, and there are just a couple of things that you need to do to complete your mission.

Change Your Locks As previously mentioned, don’t trust the locks that you find on the doors of your home. If possible, switch to smart locks to ensure that your home is safe.

Locate All Shut-Off Valves It is also critical to know where the shut-off valves are located in your new home. In the event of an emergency leak or repairs that require you shut off the water, you will need these valves.

Locate Your Breaker Box Often situated in the garage, it is important to know where your breaker box is and figure out which switch turns what on and off. If you ever change a ceiling light or lose power after a surge, you will need this box.

Check Your HVAC System The HVAC system is a home necessity and an expensive investment. For the sake of being comfortable in your new home, make sure that you contact an HVAC professional to inspect your HVAC a few days after you move in. If all is good, don’t forget to replace the filters as recommended for your home’s environment.

Create a Home Maintenance List It is always a good idea to perform regular home inspections to ensure that your new home stays in good condition. To do so, sit down and create a home maintenance checklist that will act as a guide whenever you inspect your home. If you find anything concerning, contact a professional home inspector immediately.

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