7 practical things to do in your new home on moving day

A few key preparations can help ensure a smooth move and a good start to living in your new house. Here are some practical tips to start life in your new home.

Take a walk through and plan

As soon as you can get into your new house, take a tour of all the rooms and begin to visualise what furniture you will put where and even how you plan to decorate and refurbish in the future.

Ask yourself, what will each room be used for, who will be spending time in there and when?

It’s worth writing a list or even drawing a plan of where things need to go. Try to avoid moving things into your house only to have to move everything around again. If you’re using a removal firm it will help you make the most of the extra muscle to get things in the right place and save you some sweat in the future.

Prepare for children and pets

While you’re taking a look around, check for anything which needs to be pet or child-proofed. This could include placing covers on hot objects like radiators or pipes, installing safety gates or just making sure the garden is secure to stop curious pets or children going astray. Take note of anything that could cause a hazard and take action to make it safe.

Also, don’t forget to arrange care for your children or pets on moving day itself. Having certain rooms or areas set up for them when they arrive could help to make the transition easier.

Find the stopcock and fuse box

The stopcock (the mains water valve) and fuse box are two of the first things you need to identify in your new home. If you have a burst pipe you’ll want to turn off the stopcock straightaway to avoid your home being damaged. If you’re suddenly plunged into darkness when a fuse goes, you’ll need to go to the fuse box to get the lights back on. Finding out where these things are can avoid a lot of hassle and expense in the future.

Check your utilities

You’ll probably have already taken steps to set up your gas, electric, water, phone and internet before moving in. Take time on day one to make sure they’re all working properly and contact your provider straight away if there are any problems.

Deep clean and prioritise repairs

Moving all of your possessions into your new home is a lot of work. Unfortunately this is only part of the physical labour required, as the first day in your new home is also the perfect time to carry out a thorough clean.

It’s unlikely you’ll have so much space and room to really get at all of those corners and floors again. If you need a hand, there are lots of cleaning companies who will be only too happy to do it for you. If there is anything that needs to be repaired, make a list and plan what to do first and how. Don’t let all those little jobs get on top of you on day one.

Change the locks

No matter how nice the previous owner may have been, it’s always a good idea to change the locks when you move in. Keys can fall into people’s hands in all sorts of different ways so book a locksmith and give yourself peace of mind.

Meet your neighbours

Meeting your neighbours is one of those things which will only become more awkward the longer you put it off. Creating a good impression early on will definitely help you have a good relationship in the future so pop around and say hello. It’s also a good opportunity to learn about any local issues you should be aware of or find out information about everything from bin collections to the best place to get a takeaway.