Congratulations! You’ve just moved house – what a crazy whirlwind journey that must have been. But before you sit back and start sprucing your new home, there are a few things that you need to do first.
- Turn on all of your utilities
There’s nothing worse than getting to the end of a long day, only to find that your electricity isn’t switched on or that your gas has been turned off. Ideally, you will have already started this process in the days leading up to your move, but if you haven’t, then one of the first things that you need to do when you get the keys to your new home is to notify your new utility companies so that they can create an account for you and transfer billing into your name. If the property that you are moving into has been vacant for some time, then it is not uncommon for the water to have been turned off at the stop-cock and in some cases, the gas may have been turned off too.
- Change the locks
It may seem counterintuitive to change the locks as soon as you have your new keys, but there’s no knowing how many copies of the key the previous owners gave out to their friends, or family members, and so it is best for your own security if you have the locks changed as soon as possible. While you’re at it, you may want to consider upgrading some of the security features of your home too, such as getting a security door, upgrading your garage door and improving the locks on your windows.
- Plugin your refrigerator
Refrigerators can take quite some time to cool down to temperature, so if you want to be able to store food in your refrigerator any time soon, then it’s best to ensure that it is the first appliance that you move in and the first that you turn on. If there’s already a refrigerator in the kitchen, then have a peek inside as some sellers leave a bottle of bubbly in the fridge as a present.
- Set up a security system
Whether you are going to be sleeping in your home on the first night or not, it is essential that you set up a security system to protect yourselves against thieves. Burglars often target people who are moving as they tend to not sleep in their property the first few nights, leaving their possessions unguarded. Try to have some form of security system put in place as soon as possible.
- Say ‘hi’ to your new neighbours
And lastly, don’t forget to say hi to your new neighbours! It’s always a nice gesture to pop round and to introduce yourself to the people who will be living next door, and who knows, you may get a helping hand out of it too. Life is a lot easier when you get on with your neighbours, and it is often the little things like saying hello that can make the biggest difference to your neighbourly relations.
So there you have it – five things that you should do straight after moving into your new home. Do you have any other things to add?
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