Tasks to Tackle Before Moving into a New Home

Moving into a new home never ceases to be exciting; regardless of whether or not you are a first time buyer, moving your family into a larger home, or moving to a completely new location. However, there are certain necessary steps that everyone must take when moving into a new house, no matter if you are new to the home ownership world or a seasoned veteran. Keep this list from All My Sons Moving & Storage handy when settling into your new humble abode.

1. Locks. Always, always, always make sure to change the locks when moving. This way, you have complete and utter control over who comes in and out of your house, as well as total knowledge of who has a key to your home. You should even install deadbolts - you can do it yourself for about $10. However, if you do not trust yourself with such a task, then call the aid of a locksmith. The last thing you want to deal with, is a surprise visitor showing up to say hello!

2. Plumbing. When doing a final walk-thru of your new home, pay attention for any potential dripping faucets, running toilets, or leaking water heaters. While your home inspector should do this for you before closing, it never hurts to double check yourself. One way to check for a sure sign of a leak: look at your water meter at the beginning and end of a two-hour window, when no water is being used in the home. If you discover that the reading is different from when you first looked at it, then you most certainly have a leak.

3. Carpets. Before you move your furniture into your new home, steam clean your carpets. Whether you decide to do it yourself or pay a professional to handle it is up to you, but doing either one will get rid of any lurking dirt or pet hair from the previous owner. You want to make sure that you are off to a fresh start in your new home!

4. Cabinets. Especially when it comes to moving in your dishes and bathroom supplies, you want to do a once (or twice) over on the inside of your cabinets. Use a non-toxic cleaner to wipe it inside and out. After that, replace the contact paper; the last thing you want is uninvited bathroom germs making their way onto your belongings. No thank you!

5. Critters. Getting rid of any unwanted houseguests before you finalize moving, is a must. This includes, but is not limited to: roaches, termites, bats, rats or mice. If you want to get rid any of these creatures once and for all, then your best bet is to bring in a pest removal service.

6. Circuits. Figure out which fuses and switches control which part of the house, that way, if a light fixture in the bathroom breaks, you will know exactly where to go and what to do in order to fix it.