Things to do as soon as you have moved in to your New Home

Brent Palmer
Brent Palmer
Published on August 26, 2018

In all the excitement of moving and trying to get settled in your new home, the last thing you want is a ‘to do list’, right? Some things, however, shouldn’t be put off and need to be taken care of now.

Some of these things you can pre-arrange from your current home before moving in to save time when you do move in. Of course you want to set up as soon as possible and start living in your new home.

1. Change the locks

Although this isn’t really done in Nelson or Richmond, or even New Zealand, it is something that you really should consider. Do you really know how many sets of keys are out there still? Changing the locks is something we believe is really important for you to do for your security in your new home.

Chances are you are super busy setting up your new home, calling the electricity company, sorting schools, moving companies, pets etc. There are bound to be some things you have forgotten about or that just don’t seem super important right now.

Call your local lock smith and tell them the situation, you’re just moving into a new home that has ‘x y z’ type lock and you would like them changed please. They can book in a time that suits when you have moved into your new home and get the locks changed straight away.

Some people may even want to change the locks themselves. You can buy these from Bunnings or Mitre 10. Talk to the sales team there about what you currently have in place and they can show you the right locks to put in and what tools you will need for the job.

Now you know exactly who has keys to your house as well as being in charge of who gets them. Just remember to be safe with them, don’t go hiding one under the front door mat!

2. Locate your home’s water main and fuse box

The water main runs from your water meter and into your home. This measures the amount of water that the house uses and in turn how much you will be charged. It’s a great idea to locate it straight away and have a wee look inside to make sure there are no leaks, as this could be costly by the time it is discovered. It will also save you time knowing exactly where it is should you have any issues with the plumbing in your house in the years to come and need to shut it off in a hurry. Nice and easy to do this, there is just a small lever that you turn for off and on, all done.

The fuse box is another handy one to know. Should you have too many things plugged into an outlet and the power goes out you will know how to get it back on. Grab your torch and head to it, many are in the garage. Look at the switches and see which one is in the off position and flick it back on. It might pay to have a good look at it in the daylight and know what switches are in the on position to start with. Make sure you have unplugged what you were using. Of course it could always be a faulty appliance and not an overload so if there is any doubt be sure to give an electrician a call. Better to be safe than sorry in this situation.

3. Change the filters

If your new home has an HRV or smart vent system they might need the filter changing. Some panels will tell you when maintenance is due and when filters are due for a change. This will help to keep the air as pure as possible for you and your family.

Heat pumps will also need filters cleaned. Most can be taken out and vacuumed to remove the dust and other things clogging them. Get this out of the way as soon as you move in so when you need to use them you won’t have to give it a second thought.

Some extractor fans in bathrooms can need the same attention to work their best, it will also help it to run a little quieter if it’s not blocked up and having to work super hard to suck the steamy air out the bathroom.

Before moving in it might be a good idea to try to find out when the filters etc were last changed from the previous home owner. Or add it the list of questions if you are not yet at the final stage of your purchase.

Don’t forget about water filters if you have those too.

4. Change your address

Making sure that your mail moves to your new home with you is important and it is super easy to do. New Zealand Post have a super easy website to use to set it up, there is a small fee for it and you can pay with your credit card online. Follow the link above to create your account, be aware that you will need a NZ driver’s license or passport to complete the registration. You can choose a length of time for the redirect to be in place starting from as little as 12 months for $25.00, or free for senior citizens. If you do your re-direct online you will receive 30% off the total cost, awesome!

Make a list of everyone you receive mail from such as the bank, doctors, lawyers, dentist, warrant of fitness centre, children’s school, friends, family etc. Once you are done you have the fun task of ringing them all to tell them of your new homes address. While your re-direct is in place, make a note of the mail that arrives that was not on your list, give them a call straight away so you don’t forget about it.

5. Smaller members of the family

If you have pets coming on the journey with you they might need a little time out to begin with. Consider putting them in your usual cattery or kennel during the peak of the move to avoid disruption for them. It’s hard to move into a new home when you have to keep the door closed all the time so the cat doesn’t run away. They take a little longer to settle than us.

Happy moving day everyone.

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Brent Palmer – Professional Real Estate Consultant

About the Author: The above article on Things to do as soon as you have moved into your New Home was written and provided by Brent Palmer, a local leader in the field of Richmond and Nelson Real Estate sales, marketing, advanced technology for home selling, and social media. You can contact Brent Palmer here, or at 027 544 9921.

He has helped many people buy and sell homes in the Nelson, Stoke and Richmond areas for years, and would love the opportunity to help you as well.

Thinking of selling your home? I have a real passion for helping people sell their homes in our Nelson and Tasman Region, as well as the marketing, social media & advanced technology for home selling that goes along with it. I’d love to have the opportunity to sit down with you discuss how we can work together to get you the best price.

I help people buy and sell real estate in the following Nelson and Tasman  towns  & neighbourhoods: Wakefield, Brightwater, Hope, Appleby, Redwood Valley, Mapua, Stoke, Tahunanui, Atawhai and of course, Richmond and Nelson City. Connect with Brent on Facebook and pretty much everywhere else.

Know someone who needs help with real estate? Be rewarded and REFER them here