Things you should immediately do after moving in

So the calendar has finally flipped to the date you have been waiting for: your moving in day. Congratulations, your dreams of having a new home is finally coming into fruition!

Things you should immediately do after moving in

So the calendar has finally flipped to the date you have been waiting for: your moving in day. Congratulations, your dreams of having a new home is finally coming into fruition! The process of getting a house itself can be stressful, but you know what is equally as stressful, if not more? Yup, moving in, as well. Well, if you think it’s only about putting all your stuff into boxes, loading them into a truck, and blasting your favourite Taylor Swift hits on the radio, moving in is actually more complicated than it looks like. Or rather, it requires more attention to the most minute details. While you have already closed the deal, there’s still no time to be complacent. A lot of stuff, in fact, has to be arranged and looked into the moment you move in to your new house or condominium unit to make sure everything is set and you are not missing anything, especially those stated in your contract. Here are some things that you need to check and do the first time you move into your dream home:

Take a tour of your new home

Savour the moment. It’s your first walk as the owner of your new home. On a sentimental side, this is you entering your dream home for the first time. But it serves other purpose than that. First, it gives you the right sense of whether something is off in the property compared to your earlier walkthrough. Walking around your house or condo unit while its empty also allows you to plan early which furniture goes where, where the electric sockets are, etc.—giving you a rough layout of your home in your mind (which we also suggest to draw physically). More importantly, familiarising yourself with your new layout gives you vital information on where features such as electrical panels or circuit breakers, emergency exit (if any) and other necessary emergency functions are located.

Make sure all utilities are functioning properly

This should be a no brainer but still has to be reiterated: check all your utilities when you move in. There could be leaks in your water pipeline that you missed, or nonfunctional electric sockets you have not tried using, etc. If you have applied for your own telephone and internet connection, make sure installation has completed and check whether they are functioning well, especially now when you and your family need it the most for work or for school. Remember, having these fixed with your service provider takes time even more so in the current situation so make sure you have everything well checked the moment you moved in and report any issues should any arise.

Check all fixtures (and freebies) stated in your contract—if any

Anything stated in an agreement, even up to the tiniest bit of inclusion in your property, should not be missed. From your bathroom fixtures, to other appliances that may be part of a promotion when you purchase your property, everything should be in their place the moment you move in. Of course, you also have to check and double check whether they are functioning properly, especially the essential fixtures at home such as those in your bathroom and kitchen.

Plan how to unpack all your stuff

Technically this is a pre-move in planning. But you may want to thoroughly plan how you would unpack all stuff from your boxes and arrange them in your new home. Of course, this will take a lot of time so you may start with one or two rooms on day 1, continue with the rest of the house on the succeeding days until all boxes have been emptied. As we have said, moving in is not all about relaxing—your hands are going to get dirty, you are all going to get sweaty.

Explore your neighbourhood

The most important of them all. While this may not necessarily be done on Day 1, soaking in your new community gives you a break from all the stress of moving in while also giving you the calming sense of reality that this is really happening. And on top of its emotional value, this allows you to familiarize yourself with all essential features and establishments within your area—groceries, convenience stores, schools, hospitals or health centers, the list goes on! Who knows, maybe your neighborhood or condominium building has its own homeowner’s group on social media. Learn from your neighbors or ask them for help if you have anything in mind. This is your new home, and immersing yourself in your new community will help you adjust and make you feel at home in no time.

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