What to Do When You Arrive at Your New Home

Organising your home move doesn’t end with leaving your old home unfortunately. It includes the arrival at your new home, and this is easily overlooked in your planning, but is an important part of the home moving process.

Having followed your home moving checklist step-by-step, you requested removal cost estimation quotes from reputable removal companies, checked out the removal companies, and you hired who you believed to be the best moving partner for your particular home move.

The removal men have meticulously packed and loaded the removal van and all is good in the world. You are on your way to your new home and new life. So far, so good.

But what are the first things you should do when moving into a new home? What should be on your moving day checklist – arriving at your new home section? What should you do when the removal van arrives at your new home? What do you do after you move?

Read on, all these questions are about to be answered for you.

Recommended Reading: How to Survive Moving Day

Important things to do when you arrive at your new home

Safety and comfort should be your priorities when you first arrive in your new home, and here is an exclusive and comprehensive list of things to do.

• Enter your new home by the main entrance, and the first time you leave, exit by the same door. This is an old superstition that is said to ensure you settle happily into your new home. It cannot do any harm to follow this simple tradition even if you don’t believe in such things.
• Check for damage to the property and fixtures of your new home.
• Remember to look over sheds and garages for damage.
• Check that everything that has been agreed that should still be in the house, is there. If not report it to your landlord or estate agent.
• Ensure nothing has been left that should not have been by the previous occupants.
• Make sure the instruction manuals are present, especially for things like boilers, cookers, washing machines and alarm systems.
• Take the utility meter readings.
• Test that the water, gas, and electricity are connected and working.
• Locate water stop cocks, gas supply shut off valves and fuse boxes.
• Turn on the water boiler, you will appreciate a hot bath or shower later.
• Check pipes for any water leaks.
• Test each room light so that you can replace any bulbs that don’t work, before it gets dark.
• Physically check that the perimeter fences and gates are secure, and that your pets or children cannot escape.
• Change the locks of every external door, and each padlock on every out building, you have no idea who has the old keys.
• Reset the security alarm code.
• Replace all the batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
• Renew the batteries for any security PIR detectors that have them.
• Carry out a check to make sure all the windows and doors close securely.
• Test that external security lighting works and replace any bulbs that are blown.
• Create and test a fire escape plan and make sure the whole family know it.
• Place fire blankets and extinguishers in the kitchen and each floor level as a minimum.
• Child proof every room that youngsters will have access to.
• Put a first aid kit where everyone knows where it is. Unpacking with sharp scissors or knives, coupled with stress and excitement, can lead to accidents.
• Unpack your Open First Box
• Clean the most important rooms like the bedrooms and bathroom, the rest can wait until tomorrow if you are short of time.

• 

  Set up the bedrooms and make the beds.

• Make sure the bathrooms have toilet paper, towels, and soap.
• Put up the curtains in the rooms where your moving boxes will be, especially on the ground floor. Packed boxes are ready-to-go for any burglars.
• If your pets are with you, set up a feeding area for them, and show them where their water and food bowls are.
• Connect the TV, or internet, or have games available so that you can relax this evening.
• Go and say hello to your new neighbours.
• Order take out
• Light a candle on the first evening in your new home. Many cultures around the world believe this will bestow a blessing on the new occupants and ward of any evil spirits. It will be romantic too!
• Relax and get a good night’s sleep.

All these things to do immediately when you move into a new home is definitely going to seem a bit overwhelming, there’s the removal van being unloaded and 101 things to check, change and test.

But approach your to-do-list in a methodical way and you will soon tick those tasks off. The time of day you arrive at your new home or when your removal lorry arrives will affect when certain things get done, and a quick look at the list above may fill you with dread.

But as you walk around your garden, for example, you can tick off 2 or 3 jobs at once: Check the perimeter fences and gates, change the padlocks of out-buildings, check sheds and garages for damage.

Revise the list to suit you, and group them in jobs that can be done together. Bear in mind that some tasks will be best done before nightfall and some may not even apply to your home move.

Worthwhile Reading: Top Tips for Securing your New Home

What to do when the removal van arrives at your new home

The order of events on your moving day will be determined by the arrival of your removal van at your new home, but these are top tips that will ensure that everything is unloaded as safely and efficiently as possible.

• Make sure pets and children are safely out of the way of the unloading team. This will prevent any accidents, and any unnecessary stress for them, or the unloaders.
• Ensure there is somewhere for the removal van to unload, you should have preplanned this already, but it is worth checking that the space is still clear.
• Clear the pathway from the unloading area to your home of any debris, leaves, snow or other tripping hazards so that your unloading team have a safe passageway.
• Remove any tripping hazards in your new home.
• Move your car off of the driveway or away from the front of your home, it will make access easier for the unloading team.
• Clearly identify each room in the house by putting coloured tape that corresponds to the colours that you labelled your moving boxes with, on the door frame. Alternatively, stick a note on each room door so that the unloaders know which boxes go where.
• Pin up a floor plan in each room so that the removal team know exactly where to place your furniture. Ensure you are within earshot in case the movers need to clarify the position of a particular piece of furniture.
• Lay floor protectors if it is wet or muddy.
• Do a walk-through of your new home with the unloading team so that they can identify any access problems or ask questions before they start unloading.
• Have garage and shed keys readily available if the unloaders need access to them.
• Be available, but not under the feet of the unloading team, just in case they need to ask you anything.
• Have your inventory ready to check off each box to ensure everything is accounted for.
• Physically inspect any furniture for damage when it has been placed in your new home.
• Randomly check packing boxes to ensure they have not been tampered with.
• Have a cup of tea and a biscuit available for the unloaders, they will appreciate it.
• Record on the removal company paperwork any damage that has been caused.
• Take notes and photographs for any insurance claim you may have to file.
• Do a final walk-through of your home with the unloaders team leader. The idea being that you can ensure and confirm that furniture has been placed where you want it, and that there has been no damage caused to the property during unloading.
• Only sign off the removal company paperwork when you are sure everything has been delivered and the paperwork records any issues you may have identified. Never sign a blank sheet of paper.

Of course, this is only your arrival day in your new home. Unpacking is nearly as time-consuming as the packing was, but the end result of making a new property feel like a home is a satisfying goal.

Things to do after Moving Into a New Home

There will still be lots to organize and tasks to be done in the coming days. But work methodically and take your time, accidents and mistakes can easily be made when you are tired, stressed and rushing about. Here are a few pointers to essential things to do after moving in:

• Plan your unpacking just as you have planned your packing. Your unpacking plan will depend upon many factors such as available time, or if you intend to renovate any rooms immediately. But this article on how to unpack after a home move will give you some pointers.
• If you have not already done so, the next few days is the time to ensure that everyone knows you have changed address. This downloadable change of address checklist will help.
• There are a few local places to locate that will make your life easier, and some that are vital to locate. Here are a few suggestions of must find places in your new area.
• Organise your home warming party to herald the start of your new life in your new home.
• Leave a review for your removal company, after all without all their hard work your home move could have been so much more stressful.

To do: Leave a Review for a Removal Company

Sometimes it can take a while to adjust to a new home, new area and possibly a new job. Take the time to look after yourself and de-stress after all the mixed emotions that have been running through you over the last few weeks.

Essential Reading: How to De-Stress after the Stress of Moving Day

Relocation depression can be a very real problem, not only for adults, but the whole family, including your pets. Making new friends, and getting to know a few locals, as well as the local area will really help. It will be time well spent following the links in this section to read about relocation depression, and what you can do to prevent and relieve it.

Must Read: How to deal with Relocation Depression

And a final note. This is just one day out of your life, enjoy the moving experience for all its ups and downs. Any bad moments will soon pass and be long forgotten, but the years of happiness that you have to look forward to in your new home will make it all worthwhile.

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