Things to Do Right After You Move Into Your New Home

Moving is stressful! 

Whether you’re moving into a new rental home or moving into a new home you purchased the moving tasks don’t stop as soon as you get all of your belongings over to your new place. 

Today, I’m sharing with you things that you should do right after moving into your new home. 

Read Also: Tips for moving in a week or less

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. 

Make sure everything is working

As a renter, you’ll have about 30 days to report any items that aren’t working properly so you’re not held responsible for their costs (this timeframe may vary depending on your location). 

Therefore, it’s very important that you check to make sure that everything is working properly upon moving in. 

You’ll want to check things such as appliances and the HVAC unit.

As a homeowner, you probably had an inspection done already so you should already be aware of what is functioning and what’s not. 

Things to check during your first week after moving in

• Sockets
• Ceiling fans
• Oven
• Dishwasher
• Washer/dryer (if you’re not bringing your own)
• Outside water
• Outside lights
• Garage door (if applicable)

Overall, you want to make sure that everything you can think of is working (even if you don’t plan to use it) to avoid unexpected expenses in the future.

Make your home secure

We all know that crime is on the rise so another priority is making your new home secure. 

Ideally, you should change your locks at a minimum. 

But, other things I recommend include setting up some home automation features such as smart locks, adding some outdoor security cameras such as a Ring doorbell or flood lights, and making sure the windows are sturdy. 

Make sure the outside is tidy

You don’t want the outside of your home to give off the appearance that it is still vacant. 

Make sure to cut the grass (in my state you can be billed if the city has to come cut the grass for you) and give your home a good power wash – if needed. 

Even if you don’t have the equipment yourself you will usually find people in the neighborhood already offering these services at affordable prices on NextDoor. 

Go over the rules of your HOA (if applicable)

If you’re moving into a community that has a Home Owners Association (HOA) it’s important to make sure you go over the rules – even if you’ve lived in an HOA community before. 

Over the years I’ve lived in a variety of different HOA communities AND each one had different rules. 

Take this from the person who was once fined $100 for not knowing the rules about the color of blinds that were allowed. 

Check and replace necessary things

In addition to making sure that everything works in your new home, you also want to make sure that you’re checking and replacing any of the necessary things. 

For example, usually, when I move I already expect to need to replace lightbulbs, toilet seats, and air filters at a minimum.

Air filters are especially important to keep clean because dirty filters can lead to problems such as increasing your energy bill and harming your indoor air quality. 

If you’re a homeowner, you’ll also want to make sure that you’re having your HVAC system serviced regularly too. 

Closing thoughts

Moving can be a pain and it doesn’t stop once you move your belongings to a new home. 

These tips however will help you get settled into your new home quickly so you can start enjoying it. 

If you’re a new homeowner also check out my tips for saving money during your first year as a homeowner.