You’ve finally taken possession of your new home! With so much excitement going on, it’s hard to know where to begin in the process of really getting settled. Here are a few tips to help get you started.
8 Things To Do On Your First Day In Your New Home
- Unpack Your Essentials
- Give Your Pets a Break
- Organize Your Boxes
- Take a Stroll
- Tidy Up
- Keep Your Energy Up
- Locate the Fuse Box and Water Shutoff Valve
- Set Up Furniture
Unpack Your Essentials
The first thing you’ll want to do is unpack your moving essentials box. This will ensure you have access to all the important things (toilet paper, cleaning supplies, extra clothes etc.) throughout the day without having to dig through boxes or run to the store.
Give Your Pets a Break
Just like you, animals are susceptible to moving-related stress. Once you arrive in your new home, give them a break from the noise, commotion and new smells. Put your pets in a separate room with familiar items such as their bed and toys. Make sure they have access to their food and water and let them relax while you go about organizing the house.
Organize Your Boxes
Speaking of organizing, before you begin the task of unpacking, you’ll want to make sure all your boxes are in the right place (labelling ahead of time is a lifesaver!). Focus on getting the majority of your belongings distributed to the right rooms throughout your new home. Keep in mind, a good moving company will be happy to do this for you – saving you time and your back!
Take a Stroll
Now that you’ve had a chance to get a little more established, give yourself a break and head out for a walk (if you have a dog, they’ll probably appreciate this too). This will give you the chance to do a little exploring and maybe even meet a few people in your community. At the very least, you’ll want to stop by your neighbours’ houses to introduce yourself – this will get your relationship off to a great start.
Tidy Up
Once you’ve finished moving in and organizing all your stuff, you’ll likely have to clean up a little. Moving often means a lot of foot traffic which, in turn, means a lot of dirt being tracked into your new home. While your moving company should take extra care not to make a mess, a little clean up will likely be unavoidable – especially if you’re moving in the winter. It’s a good thing you packed cleaning supplies in your essentials kit! Now you can give your floors and counters a quick wipe so they’re clean when you begin to unpack.
Keep Your Energy Up
Cleaning, organizing and unpacking will be a lot easier if you have the fuel to keep you going. Depending on what you’re able to tackle, it may be too early to do a full grocery run. At the very least, run out and grab a few snack items such as bottled water and granola bars to ensure you can keep up with the demands of the day.
Locate the Fuse Box and Water Shutoff Valve
Just in case. You’ll want to familiarize yourself with both the breaker box and the shutoff valve in the event of a mishap while you’re setting up your appliances, putting in light bulbs, testing your plumbing etc. You’ll generally find the main water valve on the outside of your home or in the basement.
Set Up Furniture
At the end of your busy first day, you’re sure to want to have a few places to sit down and relax. Make sure you have your bed(s) set up, as well as your kitchen and living room furniture. This will cover all your bases in terms of having somewhere to eat, sleep and unwind as you get settled. Here again, a good moving company will be happy to set up and arrange your furniture for you.
Enjoy a seamless home move with our super handy home moving checklist. From start to finish, we’ll walk you through everything you need to do to prepare yourself for the big day.