6 Things You Have to Do Before You Move in a New House
Once you have finally found a house you want to buy, it’s time to pack your things into a van and start moving into your new home. Still, there are some things you will need to do before you actually move in. Here are 6 things you should think about doing before you start bringing all your stuff into your new house.
Change All the Locks
As soon as you get the keys to your new home, you consider changing the locks on all the exterior doors. The previous owners might have a couple of extra keys left or they might have given a couple of sets to their family or friends. If you do not like the idea of a stranger having a quick and easy access to your home, change the locks. You can easily change the locks yourself or call up a locksmith who will do it for you. Safety should always be your number one concern, so this step is always a good idea.
Paint All the Walls and Ceilings
Depending on how old the house is, repainting all the walls and ceilings should be your second priority. You can also do this if you do not like the colors previous owners opted for. Repainting all the walls and ceilings can be very time consuming so you might want to think about hiring professionals to do it for you. But in case you want to save some money and spend it on decorating your new home, you can call a relative (or a friend) to help you. If you still have not decided how you are going to decorate your new home, painting the walls and ceilings in a neutral color is always a good idea.
Install New Switch Plates and Similar Devices
If the house you bought did not undergo a serious renovation recently there are probably some mismatched outlets and discolored cover plates. Replacing all of these will definitely bring some life to your new home. It will make your house look newer and cleaner. The good thing about it is that getting the new outlets and cover plates will not cost you much. You can try changing the outlets yourself or have an electrician do it for you. If you opt to do it yourself you will only need a small screwdriver, wire cutter and a voltage tester.
Have All the Appliances Serviced
When moving into a new house, check if the previous owner took proper care of all the appliances. Getting your cooling and heating system checked out as soon as possible is always a good idea. You don’t want to find out that these do not work properly only once you decided to use them. Calling a technician and having these checked out is something we definitely recommend. If the previous owner left you some other appliances such as refrigerator, washing machine or TV, make sure you have them checked out as well.
Get Some Organizers
Before you actually start moving in, you should check out all the closets and shelves and try to figure out whether there will be enough space to store all of your stuff. If there is not enough space, you can think about getting some new closets or installing a couple of extra shelves. Sometimes even a simple coat hanger can save you a lot of place. If there is a basement or an attic at your new home, use it as an additional storing space.
Clean Up the Whole House
Most people won’t leave the house they’re selling completely cleaned up. In fact, even if they do, you should still think about giving it another scrub (just in case). You should, first, get rid of all the things you’ll have absolutely no use of. The best way to do this is to contact professionals specialized in rubbish collection. They can come to your new house and remove all the rubbish you find there. After that, you should clean the place up, and only then start bringing all of your stuff in.
All of this will not take more than a week or two. Once you are all finished, your new home will be even “newer” and then all that is left for you to do is enjoy it.
