Moving into a new home marks the start of a new and exciting adventure. But alongside the excitement, there’s always a lot of work to do. Even if your house is brand-new, there will be things to get sorted after moving to help you settle into your home quicker.
Here are 15 new home musts to help you enjoy a smooth move, and a cosy start in your new home.
1. Get your keys sorted
Changing the locks is one of the first things you should do after buying a house if it had previous owners – you never know how many old keys are lying around with relatives, friends, previous occupants, etc. By getting all new locks, you’ll feel a lot more secure in your new home. Remember to get a load of extra keys cut and start handing them out to those you want to have them – you don’t want to wait for an emergency to happen before realising nobody has a spare key!
2. Put your curtains and blinds up
It’s one of those things that is easy to forget when you move home, but if you want some privacy, you’ll want to make sure you get some blinds and curtains up as soon as possible! Remember to budget for them in your move, as the cost of poles, curtains and blind installation soon adds up.
Check out some window treatment ideas to give you some inspiration.
3. Find suitable home insurance
Getting insurance for your home is something you should do before you move. This can help cover you for any loss or damage whilst moving after you’ve taken ownership of the property. You’ll need to find home insurance that covers you for both buildings and contents to make sure that the structure of your home is insured, as well as its contents.
Remember to take advantage of cashback websites like Topcashback or Quidco when buying your home insurance policy.
4. Secure your home
It can take some time to settle into your new home, but it’s important that you make it secure straight away. Check that all the locks on your doors and windows work, and consider getting a home security system installed. Being in an unfamiliar home can make you feel uneasy at first, but putting all of your security measures in place will help you feel more at ease.
5. Change your address
If you want to make sure you don’t miss any post, start changing your address. It’s likely you’re registered to a lot of different websites, so it’s important to update your address as soon as possible – especially if you have regular deliveries!
There’s a mail redirection service to make sure all post sent to your home address ends up at your door. You can have it set up for up to a year, so make sure you change the address when you spot a new letter through the door.
6. Get your TV and broadband setup
The wait to get your TV and broadband set up can be unbearable, although there are plenty of worse things to happen in the world! But as waiting times can be lengthy, you’ll want to try and book your TV and broadband setup for moving day or soon after. You may need to look at TV antenna installation too if your home doesn’t have one already. Check your internet speed before you tie yourself in with a provider, you don’t want to be caught short with slow internet speeds, especially if you’re going to be working from home.
7. Go meet the neighbours
There’s a lot to do when you move into a new place, but it’s a good idea to go and meet the neighbours. A quick knock on the door to introduce yourselves can be really worthwhile and means you won’t be complete strangers when you see them out on the street.
There are some great tips to help you introduce yourself to your new neighbours, so get ready for some meet and greets.
8. Find out when your bin collection is
It’s easy to forget the practical things when you move, but you’ll definitely want to find out when bin collection day. You’ll probably be dealing with a lot of rubbish when you first move, as well as a lot of boxes that will need recycling! You don’t want to miss the day and have to wait a week for the next one, so take a look at your council’s website to find out what the situation is with your waste collection.
9. Spend time putting things in the right place
The temptation to unpack everything in your new home at lightning speed will be great. But it’s a good idea to spend time thinking about where you want everything to go and to put storage solutions in place to help keep everything need and organised.
For the first couple of weeks, you might want to put some sticky labels on drawers, cupboards, etc. to tell you what’s inside them, so you can find what you need easily. If you have children, it’s a good idea to have them put their own things away so that they’ll know where to look for them.
10. Get maintenance quotes
If you have a list of jobs that need doing after moving in, you should start getting quotes as soon as possible so that you can budget and plan the work. Some work should be carried out urgently, like roof work if a roof inspection showed signs of damage.
Some maintenance jobs are easier to do before you start decorating or moving furniture in, so find out what can be done before you start to get settled.
11. Install your hardware
Your new home may come without some key fixtures and fittings, or the previous owners may have taken them with them. Things like toilet roll and towel holders are easy to forget about, but they can go a long way towards helping your home feel a little more homely. Hardware also adds some decorative touches, so why not choose some sleek finishes like matte black or brushed brass to give your home a little bit of luxury while you get the rest of your decor sorted?
12. Establish a cleaning routine
When you move into a new home, you’ll want to give everything a good clean. It will help you find any missed dirt and dust, and will just leave everything feeling a little fresher. Establishing a cleaning routine for your new home can help you get into some good habits in your new home, and help you find a routine too. Knowing what needs to be cleaned and how to do it will help you settle in and make your home feel more like your own.
13. Check your smoke alarms
Never take for granted that your smoke alarms are all in working order. It helps to check them yourself. You should also set a little reminder on your phone to check them regularly. You might want to consider replacing your fire alarm with a modern version that gives you some additional assurance. There are smart smoke detector devices, for example, that can alert you via your phone, so that you’re always kept in the loop about any fires that could happen while you’re away from home.
14. Sort out some shoe storage
While it won’t be at the top of your priority list, it’s worth thinking about where your shoes will go not long after you move in. This is because shoes soon clutter up hallways and other spaces, making the entrance to your home look untidy and also posing a trip hazard. Even if you just have a basked as a temporary solution, it will be helpful to find somewhere to put all the family’s stray shoes that won’t leave you tearing your hair out at the mess!
Make sure you get a doormat too to help keep your new flooring protected from footprints!
15. Budget for your bills
A new property will bring with it a whole new set of bills. From your council tax to your energy bills, you can expect there to be some differences compared to what you used to pay. Start getting an idea of what your bills will be (it may take a couple of months to receive them all), and then set up a household budget to help you manage them. Make sure you get all of the meter readings sorted when you move in so that you’re not left covering someone else’s bill.
With all the things that need doing when moving home, there are some things that are bound to get missed off. Hopefully the list above will give you some ideas to help make those first days and weeks in your new home go smoothly so that you can focus on settling into your new place.
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