How To Settle Into Your New Home Immediately After You Move

Want to settle into your new home as soon as you move in? I know there are so many things to set up and get ready so you can feel comfortable. I want to get right to the chase and share what you should do first so you can get to the good part. Which is enjoying your new home! I’m going to walk you through what you need to do to make sure your home is secure, comfortable and that you have all of the essentials. But first, go ahead and suggest is to grab this free First Night In New Home Checklist. Let’s get started!

What to Do Immediately After You Move Into Your New Home

Unpack – of course, you’ll want to unpack your home first. And if you packed the right way, unpacking will be a quick process. I was able to unpack my 6-bedroom house in one day by planning properly. And then I created an Unpack in a Day System if you’d like to check it out. So, this first task doesn’t have to be difficult. You just have to set things up “right” in the beginning to make things easier at the end.

Make Sure Your Home is secure – after you’ve unpacked your home, the most important thing is to make sure you feel safe. You’ll want to change the locks so anyone that previously had keys no longer have access to your home. And yes, even with new construction homes, any of the builder’s contractors could have a working key. Reprogramming your garage doors would go into this category as well. And while you’re at it, inspect your home to make sure that all doors and windows are operable and can be locked. Then test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Get Comfortable – I know one of the things you’ll I want to do right away is get comfortable. You’ll want to feel like this is your space (because it is) and you can start setting up routines and start living. With that said, it’s time to clean house. There’s no need to share germs! If you didn’t prepare to have your home deep cleaned before you moved your stuff in, you’ll want to do it now. Even though it might be easier to have the house cleaned before you set everything up and unpack, it’s not the end of the world if you didn’t. Think about it, you deep clean your old home when you were living in it. So, not much different now.

If you haven’t already unpacked everything, at least clear off an area for you to eat (or eat out). And don’t forget to schedule time to take a break and recharge. Something that I’ve always done when moving is to change the toilet. As a self-proclaimed germaphobe, this seems like a true necessity in my book!

Make sure you get your appliances like your fridge and washer and dryer installed. These don’t have to be done on the very first day you move in, but obviously the sooner you get these taken care of, the better. The same goes for setting up internet, cable and installing any window treatments. You can certainly use temporary shades and blinds while you wait, but the sooner you get your permanent curtains in, the more at home you’ll feel.

Last but not least, if you haven’t already met the neighbors, what are you waiting for? It’s important to know who’s living near you. And you want them to get to know you too. Your neighbors might just be the first people there for you when you need it. During a snowstorm, so that you feel safe at night, or just for some companionship. But you won’t know until you take the first step to say hi.

Get Settled with the essentials – one of the first things I suggest is to unpack the essential items. Even though I was able to unpack my house in a day, I’m aware that things, unexpected situations arise, and you may not be able to. With that said, you want to make sure that everything you need like toilet paper, paper towels and medicine is all easily accessible. The next thing you’ll want to do is inspect any boxes, furniture or appliances for damage. If you’ve hired movers, you’ll want to inspect and inventory major items before you sign off that all is well.

You’ll also want to get to know your home a bit better. Even if you think you know where everything is, give yourself a quick refresher. Make sure you can easily locate the circuit breaker, main water valve and gas line. This is really important, and I’m speaking from experience here. When we moved into our current house, we actually had a gas leak. Thank the Lord that the appliance delivery guys spoke up and said something. Because even though I smelled something “off”, it was such a faint smell that I couldn’t put my finger on it. After the gas company came to inspect, we found out we actually did have a gas leak! So, it pays to know where all of your emergency cut-off lines are. Because when you’re in the thick of things and need them, you’re not always thinking straight.

Decorate – so, let’s be honest. You don’t really have to do this as soon as you move in, but this is the fun part, right?! As you unpacked your home, you probably did a bit of decorating. Especially if you packed the way the Unpack In A Day System spells out. Pack by room and by zone. So, when you unpack items for your family room, you unpack everything that belongs on top of your coffee table, and you’re were able to set them up exactly as you how imaged they’d go.

What to Do Immediately After You Move Into Your New Home

I just shared tips to help you get settled into your new home as quickly as possible. Your safety and comfort are important and so are having all your basic essential handy. To help you get started, feel free to grab my free First Night In New Home Checklist now.

If you have questions or want to share your tips on quickly getting settled in your new home, leave a reply in the comments section below.