Buying a house is an outstanding achievement for most people. However, the big part comes in settling into the new home. It is easy to overlook the critical activities when getting used to the new environment. Before you throw a housewarming party, you should do a few things to ensure you’re settled in.
Change the Locks
For safety, especially in a new neighborhood, you should change the locks and, if possible, upgrade the house’s security if you feel it is not sufficient. This may even happen before someone moves into the new place to ensure the safety of their property. This denies entry to anyone who had previous access to the premises. It is also critical to change the security code for the garage.
Forward the Mail
Going to the former home to get mail would be a bad experience. Therefore, once you move into your new place, you should forward the mail and change your address so that you do not find your mail in the hands of someone else.
Do a Deep Cleaning
Cleaning of the house should happen before moving your property into the new home. Even if the former owner cleaned up before leaving, it’s always a good idea to do deep cleaning, especially in corners generally forgotten. The cleaning will also reveal any pending repairs and eliminate any pests invading the property.
Connect the Utilities
Turning on the water, electricity, gas, and heating should be the first action when one moves in since these three utilities help make life easier. Once they are properly functional, you should call the utility companies to change the bill to their name. It would also be a good idea to call the cable company before moving in to have an internet connection as soon as possible. While checking the utilities, you should know where important things like circuit breakers, heater control, and extra storage space are.
Unboxing
When the house is clean, and the necessary things are functional, the next activity is unpacking. You should start with the essential items like basic kitchen equipment, food, bedding, and personal grooming items.