Here are seven things to do before moving into a new house:
1. Double check the place.
Once the keys are in hand, head over to your new pad and check over all the rooms. Make sure everything that was agreed upon in the sale is still accounted for once you’re the new homeowner. You will want to be sure everything you expected to be there is still in the house.
2. Change the locks.
There is no way to know how many sets of keys to your house may be floating around. Give yourself peace of mind — hire a locksmith and have a set of new keys made.
3. Give your new house a deep clean.
While your new space may have had a cleaning prior to sale, you will still want to give it a good deep cleaning so it’s up to your standards. You never know what went down there before you moved in!
4. Change the toilet seats.
This may seem like a silly one, but the toilets are probably the grimiest spot in a house. Rather than spending your time cleaning them, remove them, clean under there and replace them with a brand new seat. You will have serious peace of mind, sitting on the brand new seats, knowing your family has christened them.
5. Pest control.
Make sure you and your family are the only ones moving into your new house. Hire an exterminator to come by and check for unwanted guests, plug holes for all pests and spray to deter any future uninvited home invaders.
6. Change your air filters.
Since you can’t be sure when they were last changed and you don’t want extra dust clouding up your newly cleaned home and carpets, it’s best to just start with fresh filters. Mark the date you installed them on the filter and your calendar so you can keep track and change them regularly.
7. Safety first!
While conducting that deep clean, take some time to make sure your home is safe. While in the laundry room, vacuum out that dryer vent. As you are clearing dust from walls and ceiling fans, change the batteries in your smoke detectors. When you clean out your kitchen cabinets, find a proper place to store a fire extinguisher.