By Katie Wainman | March 17, 2020

 

Moving into a new home does not have to feel like the end of the world. You already went through the stress of moving out of your old house, so do not let the move-in process get the best of you! Here are some tips to help guide you through this journey and get you on track to enjoying your dream home.

Set up utilities
Some people are able to set up their water, gas and electricity prior to moving. However, if you were not able to do so, this should be the first thing on your to-do list. Turns out, life is a lot easier when your utilities are turned on and working!

Once the main utilities are in order, you'll want to consider getting other utilities set up, such as your phone, cable and internet. If you can, try to research and schedule these services in advance, as it may take a couple of weeks for a provider to get to your home.

Unpack essentials
If you've read our article about preparing for the big move, you'll know that you should pack an overnight bag before clearing out your old house. This allows you to have quick access to essentials, such as a change of clothes and toiletries, without having to rummage through random boxes.

When you're finally getting situated, you can start to unpack some of the important boxes first. Kitchen and bathroom boxes are great starting points for unpacking. From there, continuing to unpack room-by-room can make for an easier, more organized process.

Get to know your home
This is your place now! Walk around and get to know every room in the house, without forgetting about the front and back yards. Hopefully you do not find any serious damage, but even if you do, at least you found it now and not five months after moving in. The quicker you become familiar with this new house, the quicker you can make it your home.

Locate fuse box and water valve
If the power suddenly goes out, you do not want to be stuck in the dark not knowing where your circuit breaker box is located. When you move in, find the location of the box and your main water valve. Take a few minutes to inspect that both are working properly and are in good condition.

Your circuit breaker box should receive proper labels for the fuse controls, and you can see if the water valve is working properly by checking any running water after the valve has been turned off.

Change locks
Moving into a new home or neighborhood can be a bit intimidating. Make sure you are doing everything possible to make yourself and your family feel safe during this new transition.

To ensure that nobody else has access to your home, you'll want to get all of the locks changed on doors that lead outside. Additionally, if your new home has an existing alarm system, you will want to contact the company to discuss how to properly use the system and the options of upgrading.

Connect major appliances
If you are bringing your appliances with you during the move, you'll want to get them into the house and connected sooner rather than later. Living in a home without appliances can feel unsettling and be a hassle.

If you are unsure of how to hook up appliances yourself, consider hiring a professional or asking a knowledgeable friend for help. The most finicky appliance can surprisingly be the refrigerator. It is recommended that you let a refrigerator sit up straight for at least three hours before trying to hook it up, as this will allow the escaped oil to return to the compressor.

Deep Clean
Moving into a home will undoubtedly leave you with dirt, dust and grime everywhere. Now is your chance to deep clean the house. Shampoo the carpets, mop the floors, wash the windows, dust any surfaces, etc. If your budget allows, you might even want to consider hiring a professional cleaning company to do this task while you continue to focus on the move-in. A clean home makes for a fresh start!

 

Looking for more advice during the buying/selling process? Visit www.crye-leike.com/blogs for more real estate tips and tricks!

 

ABOUT CRYE-LEIKE: Crye-Leike Real Estate Services (www.crye-leike.com), a full service real estate company for over 40 years, is ranked as the third largest independently owned real estate firm in the nation and the largest serving Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and the Mid-South. Crye-Leike has more than 3,200 sales associates, over 800 employees and 140+ company-owned and franchise offices spread across nine states. It generated $6.5 billion in sales volume and 29,925 closed transaction sides corporate wide in 2019 - its biggest year ever - and is on track to achieve the company's goal of $6.8 billion in sales volume this year.