Moving into a new house or apartment can be one of the most exciting and liberating things to happen in your life. It is truly a milestone to be celebrated and enjoyed. It can also be a stressful and chaotic time, with appointments, phone calls, and endless forms to fill out and sign.
With everything else going on, it can be easy to overlook some of the essentials you’ll need once you have the keys to your new place and you’re finally on your own. Here are a few of the things you’ll need to consider for move-in day:
1. Be Sure to Change the Locks
If you’ve moved into an apartment or rental house, you will need to check with your leasing office before changing the locks to make sure you comply with any policies. However, no matter whether you’re buying or renting a house or apartment, one of the first things you’ll want to do is make sure the locks are changed and that you (and your landlord) have the only keys.
2. Check Pipes and Plumbing
While this should be done by your landlord or home inspector before you move in, it is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to checking for potential leaks. Since you’ll be responsible for anything that happens once you move in, a quick visual inspection of pipes and plumbing under sinks and behind toilets, as well as around the hot water heater, could save you a lot of frustration and money.
3. Do You Have Kitchen Utensils?
Something a lot of people take for granted when living with roommates or parents is that there is always a fork, spoon, or sharp knife when needed. And what about oven mitts? Or plastic wrap? You don’t want to be in the middle of making a celebratory cake before realizing you don’t own a measuring cup. Make a list of essential kitchen utensils and check it twice before you cook your first meal in your new place.
4. What About the Laundry?
Whether you have a washing machine and dryer in your new place, you’ll have to eventually do your laundry somewhere. That means you’ll need laundry detergent, fabric softener or dryer sheets, bleach, and at least one laundry basket or laundry bag to carry your clothes. Don’t forget about and iron and ironing board, unless you don’t mind the wrinkled look.
5. Get Organized
Was your closet a mess in your old place? How about the garage? The attic? If there was a part (or a whole room) of your old apartment or house that you dreaded packing because you weren’t sure what you might find, now is your chance to get organized. No matter what your preferred organizational method is, an empty house is a blank slate just waiting for you to make your mark. Take control of the clutter and start by implementing habits you can easily keep up with.