Moving into a new house is always a bittersweet mix of excitement and anxiety. Excitement because a new home is a new beginning and a fresh space and place; a chance to purge old possessions and start dreaming about new furniture, paint colors, and design style. And anxiety because often times a move often comes with a change of jobs, geography and more. To add to the emotional turmoil of moving, there’s the long list of practical items that have to be done beyond just packing everything up and hiring a moving company. So if you’re moving into a new house soon, check out our 8 things you should do that you probably haven’t thought of yet.

Make sure your new house is secure

Before moving into a new house, all security features should be up to date. One of the main security concerns new homeowners often neglect is replacing all existing locks with new ones. Even if the previous owners assured you they returned all the keys, it is impossible to know if they forgot about lost or stolen keys. This is also the best time to check smoke alarms to be sure they are properly functioning. If the house does not have a carbon monoxide detector, be sure to install one at every level.

Paint your new house

moving into a new houseRarely is any new homeowner satisfied with the wall color choice of the previous owners when moving into a new house. The absolute best time to repaint is when the house is completely empty. If you hire painters they may give you a discount for not having to move or cover furniture. Or, if you bribe friends with pizza and beer, they’ll be happy with less furniture to try and move around.

Redo floors

Just as an empty house provides the perfect opportunity to paint, this is also the best time to redo the floors. Whether you are replacing carpet or sanding and refinishing hardwoods, this is your best chance to do it with minimum disruption to your life. This is a particularly good call if there is a large amount of hardwood floors that need to be refinished as the process is dusty, smelly, and can take up to a week.

Forward mail

Forwarding your mail is a simple chore that takes five minutes but often gets put off until it is piling up at your old house. Avoid missing important letters or annoying the people that bought your old house by taking the time to forward your mail before you move the first box into your new home.

When you set up forwarding through USPS, you also get a bunch of useful coupons for stores like Lowes and West Elm mailed to your new home address.

Set up utilities

Many homeowners remember their first few days in a new house as an experience akin to camping. Stumbling around in the dark with candles and flashlights, running to the local convenience store to use the bathroom, and scarfing down a meal out of a can should not be the first memories you make in your new home. Get the utilities turned on well in advance of your move to make for a comfortable first night.

Remember, the previous owner of the house may decide to have utilities shut off the day of closing, which means if you’re not on top of it, you may be out of luck or even be stuck paying a reconnection fee instead of just a transfer fee.

Pet and child Proof

Establishing a safe, friendly environment for the smallest members of your family should take place before they set foot through the door. This will save a lot of headaches further down the road.

Moving into a new house doesn’t have to be stressful

Following these tips will take most of the headaches out of your move. The giant stacks of boxes to be unpacked can receive your undivided attention. If you want to take even MORE stress out of your move, though, go ahead and call Fox Moving to handle all of your packing and moving needs. 😉