You’ve followed your moving checklist to a ‘T’ and had a successful move — congratulations! But before you can pop open that bottle of champagne and celebrate, there’s still some work to be done. It’s time to roll up your sleeves once again and do these five important things immediately after moving into your new home.
1. Make an Unpacking Plan
It can be tempting to dive right into unboxing all your belongings at once, but dedicating time to ensure you stay organized will help make certain that the process is as efficient as possible, and that you’re able to unpack by order of necessity. Prior to your move, you’ll have carefully labelled all your boxes. Use those labels now to identify what’s most important to unbox first in each space. Be sure to also prioritize the rooms you’ll be spending the most time in during those first few weeks, such as the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.
2. Prioritize Kids’ Spaces & Child-Proof if Necessary
If you moved with little children — and pets — in tow, then you’ll want to set their room up right away. Moving can be hard on children, and prioritizing their space will help them assimilate and feel comfortable in their new home faster. Depending on the age of your children, it will also be important to do some quick child-proofing to help keep them safe while you’re busy unpacking. Create a separate, kid-free zone for discarded packaging materials, and ensure that anything dangerous — such as box cutters and cleaning supplies — are kept out of reach for little hands.
3. Set Up Your Alarm System
Having an alarm system not only lowers your home insurance costs, but it affords you additional peace of mind. Because of this, it’s a good idea to have an alarm system installed, or your code set up, within the first week of moving into your new home. This is also a good time to set up any other security systems, such as a smart door lock.
4. Connect Major Appliances
Having your appliances quickly and professionally installed within a few days of moving in is recommended. Take extra care with your fridge installation — you will need to leave it upright in its new location for at least three hours before you can plug it in. This is roughly the time it takes for the oil, which may have escaped the compressor during delivery, to return to the cooling mechanism.
5. Explore the Community & Get to Know Your Neighbours
Getting settled into a new home is no easy feat — so when you feel you need a break, take a stroll or drive around to explore your new community. Familiarize yourself with the neighbourhood amenities, parks and schools, as well as local stores and places of interest that are sure to become your new go-to spots.
Another way to feel at home is to spend time getting to know your neighbours, either by knocking on their door to introduce yourself, or by downloading a community-focused app like Nextdoor to learn about the ongoings in your new location.
Want more resources for preparing for a move, or ways to make the most of your new community? Read our ultimate moving guide for tips to help you tackle moving like a pro, and discover how you can make the most of your leisure time at our community amenities in three fresh ways.
