The house removals team at Kitsons Transport Ltd have witnessed, and help move, many people into their new home. With this comes first hand experience of the top tasks you should undertake when moving into a new home. Dont panic you arent expected to do all of these on the same day, especially not the same day as moving day!
Change The Locks
It may sound like you are starting off your life in your new home on a bit of a negative by changing the locks in the property but sometimes its simply better to be safe than sorry. You dont know the type of people who have the keys especially with older properties or properties that have been rented out a lot previously. Change the locks for all doors, windows and even the garage if possible.
Obviously this only really applies to a property that you own as you cannot change the locks of a rented property yourself, you would need to apply to the agent or landlord and give them a solid reason as to why you think it is necessary.
Tip: You should also be able to trust the locksmith that you hire, thankfully there is a website where you can find vetted and trusted locksmiths, Master Locksmiths Association
Clean The Carpets
If the property has been purchased then the carpets may not have been cleaned properly, even in rented properties agents/landlords often try to get away with not cleaning them. It is much easier to clean your carpets when you have no furniture or items in the house, with this in mind if you can do it before the removals van comes then that is the ideal time to get it done.
Use this opportunity to deep clean the carpets with a steam carpet cleaners, if you dont want to buy one or cant get access to one then have a look for a local cleaning company.
Tip: The cost of hiring a professional to do the job could end up the same price as buying a steam cleaner yourself but at less it will free up time to do other tasks. You should be able to find a cleaner in a Yellow Pages or similar directory.
Clean The House
So now the carpets are clean you should really also take this opportunity to deep clean the rest of the house, paying particular attention to the kitchen and bathroom where hygiene can be effected the most. Again try to do this if possible before the removals van comes, even better if you can do it a couple of days before the big move day to let the smell of bleach and cleaning chemicals settle!
TIp: We also recommend running a phantom load in the dishwasher and washing machines, even if they have come with you on the van, as they might have had dirty water settling in them.
Take Energy Readings
You need to make sure that the current provided of power (electricity and gas) get your readings as soon as possible so you dont end up being responsible for an estimated reading which will probably include energy used by the previous occupants. This is also relevant for water meter readings if possible. Not all properties are on a water meter so check all cupboards and even outside the property to see if you are being monitored for water usage.
Tip: The previous residents may have been helpful and left you information on who provides your energy but this is not always the case. If you are unable to find out who provides your energy there are a number of websites that have helpful numbers and contacts to find out for you including Uswitch.
Find Circuit Breaker and Water Stop Valve
We have seen it before (more than once actually¦) where someone moves into a property and the first thing they do is hang a painting on the wall with a big nail, straight into a water pipe flooding the house. In this unlikely, but clearly possible, event it would be good to know where your water stop valve is to stop the house from being completely ruined. This is often under the sink but can also be in a utility room or at the boiler space.
The circuit breaker is where you want to switch off electricity to certain parts of the house when electrical repairs need to take place or there is a fault on the circuit that needs to be investigated. We highly recommend testing the circuit breaker switches to see which part of the house they effect and then labelling them up accordingly.
Tip: If you pop a light bulb the circuit breaker will more than likely flick off electricity to circuit controlling the lights in that area of the house. Remove the faulty bulb and then flick the switch back up to regain lighting.
Unpack The Important Stuff First
Hopefully if you have read our checklists and other helpful moving guides you will have labelled your boxes properly so that when you get everything off the removal van you know where your essentials are stored.
It is very likely that the move in day itself has been a long and tiring day so dont try to do all of the unpacking at once. Unpack the essentials such as bed clothes, clothes for the next day, bathroom basics and kitchen basics.
Finally make your bed then get yourself a well earned rest and continue the unpacking tomorrow.