Congratulations on moving into your new home and this beginning of a new and exciting stage in your life. It’s not every day that you get to move into a new home. You have every right to be proud of this move.
Unfortunately it is way too early to celebrate with that bottle of champagne you saved just for such occasion. There is still plenty of work to do around your new house. The good news is that now you have the opportunity to organize your home exactly how you want it. You can celebrate later, but now is the time to roll up your sleeves and get to work.
- Inspect moving boxes to ensure no major damage. If you find damage, contact the moving company and file a claim.
- Contact your utility providers – natural gas, electricity, trash, water, phone and internet – and order service.
- Locate the main electrical panel and water shutoff valve. These are important to know in case of emergency. Don’t block access to these important systems.
- Connect your major appliances such as stove, refrigerator, washer and dryer. You may want to have a professional connect these systems if you don’t feel comfortable.
- Give your house a thorough cleaning. If your house was not cleaned prior to sale or was vacant, now is the time to give it a thorough cleaning before all the furniture is in place.
- Test your smoke detectors. This can be done by pushing a red button on each detector. Replace the batteries if necessary.
- Set up Internet and TV. No one wants to live and unpack in a “dead zone”.
- Unpack just the essentials. Look through the labels on your moving boxes – you did label them, right? – and unpack the most important items you need to live and work while moving into your home. This could be a bed to sleep, sheets and pillowcases, important toiletries, and some clothes. Leave the decorations, knickknacks and that old record collection for later once you have your furniture in place and know where you are going to put everything.
- Get organized. Moving can be hectic. Once you have unpacked the essentials, take a breath, take an inventory, and write down and prioritize a task list of the most important things that need to get done. This allows you to sleep better at night and tackle the list one at a time rather than trying to do too many things at once and getting distracted from the important items.
- Get to know your house in great detail prior to unpacking all your furniture and belongings. Now is the time to put on your Sherlock Holmes hat and go over your home with a fine-tooth comb, looking for cracks, leaks, worn carpet, paint chips – anything that you may want to repair later. You may want to tackle important maintenance items now before everything is unpacked and in the way. For those other items, make a list and tackle them at a later time once you get settled in and catch your breath.
- Secure your home. If you have a security system in place, activate it, set up monitoring if needed, and connect your phone to the security network. Change the locks on the doors is always a good idea.
- Childproof your home. If you have kids, now would be the time to childproof your home. Install covers on electrical outlets, latches on doors, and any gates or guards to keep small children from places they shouldn’t be.
- Continue unpacking. Now that you have your home secured, cleaned, and al the utilities working, start with the big task – unpacking. Start with the big items such as furniture, then move to the smaller items. Toss the old boxes as you go so that you can keep things uncluttered and clean. Work on one room at a time to keep the task manageable.
- Tend to your pets needs. If you have pets, start acclimating them to their new surroundings and neighborhood. Put dogs on a leash and take them for a walk. Make sure cats know where their new litter box is at. Contact a local veterinarian so that you have a relationship established before an emergency forces you to find one in the middle of the night.
- Change your address. Contact the postal service and set up mail forwarding. Contact your lenders, banks, and others to let them know about your new address.
- Register to vote. Contact your local county election board and find out what ward and precinct you are in, let them know of your new address, and find out where you will vote in upcoming elections. It is better to get this done prior to the crunch of an upcoming election.
- Register your storm shelter. Living in Oklahoma, tornadoes are a fact of life. If you have a tornado shelter, contact your local fire department to register your shelter. This way in case of a disaster, rescuers know where to search for survivors. If you don’t have a tornado shelter, fine out where the nearest shelter is for you and your family.
- Find health care providers. If you have moved to another city or state, you will want to find new health care providers for you and your family before you need them. Ask friends, neighbors and co-workers who they recommend. Contact these organizations, ask for referrals, visit their offices, and decide who you want to work with in the future. Often you will want to find a primary care hospital and work with providers in their system so that your medical records follow you wherever you visit.
- Register your vehicle. If you have moved to a new county or state, you will want to contact your local tag agency and change your vehicle registration. This is easy and inexpensive but can save you from headache later on.
- Greet your new neighbors. Once you are settled in and the dust is clear, take a walk in your neighborhood and make it a point to greet your neighbors. Find out if your neighborhood has a web site or social media page and sign up. Participate in local organized events such as bake sales, runs, social nights, and be sure and take the time to talk to your new neighbors. You never know when you may need someone to watch your dog or let your chickens out when you are gone for the weekend.