You just bought a new home, congratulations! Now that you have the keys and before there is any furniture is in your home, it may need some attention before you move in. Doing some projects before the furniture arrives may help make the first days living in your new home safer and less stressful.
We would like to share four things you should do in your new home before you move in:
1. Change the Locks
When you move into your new home, you never know who may still have a key from the previous owner – friends, family or cleaning service. To ensure the only people you know, and trust have a key to your home, change the exterior door locks before you move in. You can buy new locks at a home improvement store and switch them out yourself, says This Old House. Or, if you would like, instead of replacing the locks, you could rekey them – which is essentially resetting inner workings of a lock so that it will only open for a new key. You can find rekeying kits at a home improvement store and if you do not feel comfortable handling this kind of task yourself, contact a locksmith.
2. Give the House a Good Cleaning
A new house can be a fresh start and by giving it a good cleaning, it can help make the house start to feel like yours. If you are going to keep the current carpets, you may want to rent a carpet cleaner or hire a professional to give it a thorough cleaning, HouseLogic.com says. If you are planning on replacing the carpets or any other floors, it may be easier to have it done before you move in.
HouseLogic.com also says cleaning bathroom and kitchen cabinets thoroughly by wiping them down both inside and out. You may also want to apply contact paper inside the cabinets.
If you notice any signs of pests, such as rodents or insects, while you are cleaning, consider a pest removal service.
3. Familiarize Yourself with the Mechanics
Get familiar with the appliances and mechanical systems by giving them a once-over after you close on your new home:
- Locate your fuse box and familiarize yourself on how it works. This will be helpful if you ever need to manually shut off power to a specific circuit or your entire home.
- Find the location of the main shut off valves for your utilities, such as water and natural gas. If one of your pipes breaks or if there is an emergency, you need to know how to shut off those lines.
- Survey your electrical outlets and lighting to see if you have enough in the right places. It may be easier to add new outlets or lighting before you move your furniture in, says The Spruce.
- Check your furnace filter and change it if necessary. You may also want to consider having your HVAC system tuned up to be sure it is in good working condition.
- Check the carbon monoxide and smoke detectors and replace them if necessary.
4. Stay Safe at Home
It is a good idea to help your family get prepared in case there is ever an emergency in your new home. If you do not already have one, put together a first aid kit, create a family escape route, and a preparedness plan.
Moving into a new home is exciting and taking care of a few things right away can help you feel safer and settle in a little easier. R.C. Keller & Company has been helping new homeowners since 1910, in Schaumburg and the surrounding areas. We can help ease your mind by protecting the things that matter most to you.