Moving into a new home can be an exciting experience, especially after living in a dorm room for a long time in college. Depending on the person, the preparations, decoration, financing, and all that stuff can be both a challenging and exciting experience, especially for first timers.
However, there is a lot more to consider than the usual things that we worry about when moving into a new home such as unpacking for days. Fully settling into your new house is more than just hanging up your clothes in your closet or finding the perfect living room layout. As a homeowner now, settling in is when you are fully associated with your house and know how things function. Let’s get into the things you should do when moving into a new house.
1. Plan ahead
So, you found the perfect home that fits into your budget, is in a good neighborhood, has enough space, and you’re too excited to move in, but you don’t know where you will put everything. You just thought that when you move in, you’ll figure things out, however, planning ahead will save you a ton of time than just winging it and figuring things out when you move in.
So, when the house is still empty, try to think of where everything will go and maybe draw some layouts so when the furniture arrives you know where to put each item. You already have an idea of what’s going to be in each room but walk around the house and figure out the exact setup before it gets too messy, and it overwhelms you. And of course, the plan can always be changed, so at least have one in place.
2. Subscribe to a home warranty service
A home warranty service is exactly what it sounds like – a warranty for home damages, similar to the one you pay for your car. You might ask what does a home warranty cover? Well, the service protects your most expensive investment – your home. It will protect your appliances in case something happens or they need repair. In some plans, the provider might even replace the entire appliance with a comparable one. But of course, the benefits of the plan depend on the company and the package you choose.
When your home is entirely new, the chances that you have issues are lower than if you move into an old home, but that doesn’t mean that a home warranty service is not important. It might help with home system repairs, protection of expensive appliances, and gives you access to handyman services which you will probably need.
3. Double-check your utilities
By now, you should have made sure that all your utilities are completely set up or transferred from your old home before moving anything inside your home. However, it is a good idea to double-check that everything is functioning properly and set in place, and ready to go.
When it’s time to move, ensure that things like your internet, water, electricity, heating/cooling, and landline are all ready to use. You can also call your local waste management to set up garbage pickup too.
4. Change your address
You might have already done this, but if you haven’t, make sure that you change your address with the post office before you move into your new home so things don’t get lost in the mail. You might even want to tell those close to you such as family and friends, or the services you deal with regularly such as your bank, loan providers, and the services you’re subscribed to that you moved to a new home. If you moved to an entirely new city, make sure that you update your car’s license if it applies to you.
5. Make a good first impression
Yes, having a good relationship with your neighbors is something you want to work on earlier on because it makes life easier and also makes it less awkward than when deciding to do so after a while. Having a good relationship with your neighbors is important because they probably know things about the community more than you do, have experience with local services, can recommend places or services to you, and might need help from each other in some cases.
You don’t have to knock on their door to introduce yourself, you can make yourself more approachable by giving them a friendly smile, or even introducing yourself if you run into them in any way. A little friendliness goes a long way with neighbors, and you never know, you might have found your new BFF.