The day you sign the papers for your new home marks the beginning of a new chapter in your life. It’s hard to adequately prepare yourself for everything that goes into owning a house. From deciding which light fixtures to get to how often you should mow the lawn, there are many things to consider when becoming a homeowner for the first time or switching to a different home. Here is a list of the top nine items to be incorporated into your new homeowner checklist.
1. Schedule Your Home Improvement Projects
After buying your home, you likely want to make some improvements. You may want to update the flooring or paint certain rooms of your house. You can do several things with a little elbow grease and determination; however, some projects might require help from professionals for best results. For instance, adding a pool would require you to get a swimming pool contractor to receive good results.
Before starting any renovation or building work on your property, ensure that it complies with local building standards. Check with your city hall or municipal office if you are unsure about this. You should also hire professional help for all home improvement projects, including electrical work, plumbing, and insulation.
2. Go Through Your Home Inspection Report
When you first purchase a home, there are tons of tasks on your new homeowner checklist to make sure your house is fully livable. One of the most involved but necessary steps, especially if you plan on living in the home for a long period, is making sure all aspects of your house are working properly and are safe for your family. These aspects include the structure, electrical system, appliances, and even where your pots and pans are stored. This is why many people turn to a home inspector before closing on their new house to conduct 4 point home inspections.
By hiring someone to inspect the home you plan on buying, you can know how much work needs to be done once moving day arrives. While having someone else inspect your new home is good, it’s even better to walk through the inspection with them and hear their input firsthand. Not only will this give you a great deal of knowledge about your new property, but it can help arm you with information on some things that may need attention after moving in. For instance, you may be required to conduct roofing and gutters repairs if the previous homeowner had not spent resources on these areas.
3. Come Up with A Cleaning Schedule
New homeowners often struggle with their new homeowner checklist regarding what to do first, but it usually boils down to two things: getting the most important repairs taken care of and cleaning your house. As nice as it would be to relax after moving into a new place, you’re not living there until you’ve ensured that all the necessary systems are up and working (heating, ventilation system, etc.) and that the house is sparkling clean. After all, these are the things that affect your day-to-day life in a home.
Along with these two high-priority items, you may want to consider scheduling a few recurring chores. Creating a schedule can free up your time and make sure that your home stays clean during the few times when you’re not at home.
Find a cleaning routine that works for you and your family. Ideally, everyone should pitch in to help keep the house clean, but it is still important to have a specific day when certain house areas are cleaned thoroughly. For example, on Mondays or Tuesdays, you can do a deep cleaning of your bathrooms and wipe down counters throughout the entire house, while on Fridays, it is time to do laundry, wash the floors in the bathrooms and kitchen, dust all rooms of the home, and change your air filter. You may also opt to call for a tree trimming service to maintain your landscape once a month.
4. Unpack Your Possessions
Moving is stressful, no matter how many items you have to move or how far you’re traveling. There’s all the work of packing and organizing your possessions that can quickly turn an exciting time into a headache. A big part of making the transition into your new home as smooth as possible is taking stock of what you own and figuring out what needs to go where.
To have a fresh start, you should unpack as many things as possible right away to avoid clutter building up in your new home. You can do this yourself, but having professional movers take care of the big stuff allows you to focus on the smaller things, like unpacking your dishes and organizing your towels. Another benefit is that they’ll always know where they pack it, which means less time searching through boxes later. Therefore, do not forget to incorporate this essential aspect in your new homeowner checklist.
5. Schedule Water and Treatment Services
It would help if you took care of several things as soon as you move in to avoid any major financial or legal issues in the future. On that new homeowner checklist, one very important thing is getting water service and initial treatment for your drinking and non-drinking water at home.
Water is one of the most important resources on earth. Without it, we would not live very long. For instance, we cannot survive over three days without drinking water, and we cannot survive over five weeks without fluids in general. That is why you must make your water services a top priority after moving into a new place. For this case, ensure you schedule a visit from a water treatment service. They will test your water for bacteria and other contaminants, which you can read more about below. After they have been to your home, they will tell you if any form of whole house water treatment is needed for the water in your home. If so, they will provide you with the best treatment option for your home.
6. Lawn Care Equipment
Knowing what you need to buy as a new homeowner is not always easy. That might be even more difficult for those who are just looking into becoming homeowners. Many brand-new homeowners have no idea all the equipment they could need, even if they’re already experienced gardeners. This is why you must put together a new homeowner checklist as you look into buying a new house. That checklist should include lawn care equipment.
Your list should first have an appropriate lawn mower for your yard’s layout and size. A riding lawn mower might be a good idea for those who have curving lines in their yards or a lot of trees. Some come with a trailer, which is helpful if you maintain multiple properties. Riding mowers also tend to be more efficient and leave your lawn in better condition than other types of machines. Gas or electric? It depends on what you prefer; neither one is necessarily better than the other in terms of the result you get from using it.
If you’re looking for something to get into smaller spaces, a push mower is an answer. These are usually less expensive to purchase and maintain, but they are also less efficient. You might not be able to cover as much ground with one of these machines, which means you’ll have to spend more time out in your yard to get the same look as a riding mower.
If you’re not sure whether or not your lawn needs any of these specific pieces of equipment, ask around to other homeowners in your area. You might find out that one type of machine works for a particular lawn care service while something else is a better option for another different service. Before you buy anything, you must have all the information you need to make a smart purchase.
7. Connect the Utilities of Your Household
After you purchase a home, your next step is moving in. Along with sorting through boxes and decorating your new walls, don’t forget about connecting to all the utilities you need for your household; it is a vital service in a new homeowner checklist. Things such as the internet for your home alongside antenna installation are vital. It may sound daunting, but it can be easier if you plan.
To make the process run smoothly, you should understand how utilities work. Many utility providers serve different regions. It’s important to research these areas and determine what companies serve your location. In addition, not all utility providers offer the same services or rates in every city. If you’re starting from scratch, this means that it might be necessary to shop around for different services.
After you find the best providers, you can start connecting to them. Your local utility provider should be able to help you set up your new account and get started with services. You may need to establish a permanent mailing address or appointment time for an in-person meeting. Be sure to read the fine print on any contract before signing it because this will be a binding agreement.
Once you have a contract in place, most providers allow you to schedule services online or over the phone. If they don’t, you’ll need to set up an appointment with a customer service representative.
8. Change the Security Code of Your Garage
You probably would not want to miss this essential aspect of a new homeowner checklist. You will need to do many things when you purchase a new property, but one thing is for sure: ensure you change the security code of your garage. It is important to know that your garage door offers an easy pathway into your home. Thus, you should change the security code of your garage after you have moved in. Your property will need to be checked by law enforcement once it has been sold or passed on to new homeowners, so you mustn’t give out the security code to anyone.
You will also need to get new codes since the previous owner of your house might still have their garage door opener. It is good to replace all the old numbers with a new code for you and everyone in your family to know what it is. It is the best course if you do not want to be locked out of your garage. You can always give out this code to trusted neighbors or friends if you need them to borrow some tools from your garage.
It is also important to remember which number goes with each button on your remote. When you have a pool table in your garage, it is a good idea to have a third remote for the table. Since the room is made of wood and you play with heavy objects, you must secure this.
9. Invite Friends and Family for a Housewarming Party
As you step towards the future as a homeowner, there is no better benchmark than to have a housewarming party; it should not miss on your new homeowner checklist. To all your friends and loved ones that supported you through this new chapter in your life, thank them with an invitation to celebrate with you. Everyone who comes will be able to enjoy getting to know your new place, while you get to know them in a whole new way. You will be able to ask for help on anything they feel you might need, and it’s also your chance to let them know what additions or changes you would like to make.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money on the food or decorating either – most people are low-key when celebrating at someone else’s home so that you can stick to the basics. It is also your chance to set up the furniture in your new concrete patio in the way that works best for you.
Choosing the right items and services for a new homeowner checklist can make all of the difference in your new home. By prioritizing function over style, you will be able to create a home that’s perfect for you and your family. By buying quality over quantity, you will save money and time in the long run. And by having all of your items on hand before moving day, you can save yourself an immense amount of stress and prevent yourself from feeling overwhelmed.
