When you first move into a new home, there's much to focus on. From unpacking to setting up utilities, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with tasks. Rather than flitting from task to task, make a prioritized list of tasks. While a list on its own is great, a prioritized list allows you to focus on only the most important tasks first.
Divide your list into three sections; tasks that need to be done in the first week, tasks that need to be done in the next two months and tasks that you can complete in the first six months to a year of living in your home.
Tasks that need to be done in the first week include unpacking your items, cleaning, setting up utilities and securing your home. Priority two should consist of jobs relating to organisation, maintenance around your home and sorting out any final areas of the home you haven’t unpacked yet, like the garage, shed or attic. Priority three should be non-essential tasks that will improve your home. This list may include any renovations, landscaping projects, or larger purchases.
Most homes in New Zealand come with at least some chattels. It’s common that when you buy a home, your purchase will also include the dishwasher and fridge and sometimes the washing machine. Whatever chattels you’ve inherited, ensure you give them a thorough clean.
For dishwashers, it’s a good idea to run a cleaning agent through the empty washer. Pulling your dishwasher out and checking any connections is also a good idea. Leaks in the connector hose can cause problems if not caught early enough.
If your home comes with a fridge, pull it out and assess the refrigerator coils. Coils can easily get clogged with pet hair, dust and cobwebs. The cleaner the coils, the more effectively your fridge will run. The coils are found on the back or bottom of the refrigerator.
If your home chattels include a washing machine, clean the tub by adding white vinegar to your machine and running it on the hottest setting available. If you have a front loader, mix white vinegar with water in a spray bottle to clean the inside of the door and rubber seal. A microfibre cloth will help remove any buildup of washing powder. Considering buying second-hand whiteware? Read our guide first.
Another item you should prioritise cleaning is your ventilation units, fans or air conditioning units. Your bathroom likely has a ventilation fan in the ceiling to remove moisture from the air. Keeping these clean will ensure they work effectively and prevent moisture from building up and growing mould. Clean the vents with a damp cloth.
If your home has an air conditioning unit, it’s important to check the filters. Cleaning the air filters can improve air quality and efficiency. This is particularly important to keep up with if you have a pet or anyone in your family has asthma or breathing issues. A clean air conditioner is also cheaper to run.
Clean the plastic filters by popping them out and vacuuming them with a small brush attachment. If the filters are still dirty, wash them in warm water with mild detergent. Wait until they are completely dry before putting them back in.
Some units have removable louvres. Read the manual to determine whether you can remove these oscillating blades. Clean the blades and space behind them with a dry cloth or vacuum cleaner.
Minor changes to your home can make a big difference. Cleaning the hinges of a toilet seat is difficult. No matter what cloth or brush you use, there always seems to be lint and dust that gathers behind the hinges. You can remove a detachable toilet seat easily by twisting the hinge caps, allowing easy cleaning between the cistern and the seat.
If you’ve bought a home to flip, you may want to start renovating immediately. While that’s understandable, waiting a year before undertaking any major renovations can be a good move, particularly if you’re planning on living in your new home for many years.
Living in your home for a year allows you to experience all four seasons and see how your and your family’s needs may change throughout the year. You’ll also better understand which rooms you use most, which rooms aren’t utilised and why.
If you want to start renovating and can’t wait twelve months, try tackling outdoor or smaller projects first. You can improve the curb appeal of your home, which adds value, and give yourself more time to gain first-hand experience with how your home should change.
It’s always a good idea to know how to turn off the water in your home. Burst pipes can happen; in an emergency, you’ll need to locate your main water valve as quickly as possible. It can also be helpful to turn your water occasionally when you’re heading away for long periods. In New Zealand, there are two ways to turn the water off to your home; either at the water toby or an isolation valve.
A toby is a water valve that shuts the water off to your property. It should be located at the front of your home or near the perimeter of your property. Water tobys are covered with a plastic or metal lid and are usually labelled ‘water.’ They’re also usually located near an outdoor tap.
If you remove the lid, you’ll find the water valve a few inches underground. To turn the water off, move the valve clockwise all the way. The first time you turn the valve, check it is your toby. If you live in a unit or townhouse, your neighbour’s water mains could be in the same area. An isolation valve is found in areas that use water, like a sink or toilet. They are handy for shutting off water to one particular area.
While it’s best to wait a few months before remodelling your home, we also know that living in a home that doesn’t function the way you want it to can be frustrating. After you move in, focus on one room that doesn’t take too much effort to do up. Painting the walls your favourite colour or furnishing the room takes minimal effort but can significantly affect your mood.
Renovations can be expensive, time-consuming and stressful. Having one room that makes you feel calm, looks nice and is relatively finished means you can escape here when the rest of the house looks like a building site.
If you’re moving into a new home, introduce yourself to your neighbours as soon as possible. It’s always a good idea to know who you’re living next to. If you don’t know your neighbours, it’s hard for them (and you) to identify suspicious activity in either of your homes. For example, if you get to know your neighbours, they’re more likely to tell you about strange comings and goings at your home while you’re not there.
Establishing yourself in your neighbourhood is also a helpful way to benefit from being part of the community. You’ll have more people to recommend contractors, ask to water your plants when you’re away or invite to your next barbecue.
When your first move into a new home, it’s important to check and replace smoke alarms as soon as possible. Working smoke alarms help to save lives. In fact, homes without smoke alarms are more likely to have fatalities during a fire than those with working smoke alarms.
Check the batteries in your smoke alarms in the first week after you move in and install extras in any entranceways or bedrooms that don’t have them.
Hiding a key in a safe, inconspicuous place can save you from being locked out of the house. Consider placing a key somewhere away from the front door so that it’s harder to find. Avoid hiding it under the welcome mat. Try a flower pot or even taped to the bottom of a large rock.
Alternatively, get yourself a wall-mounted lockguard. These key holders have a pin combination that keeps your key safe and are handy if you ever have guests stay while you’re away or ask a friend to check on your home. They can unlock the guard with the pin code, remove the key and put it back easily and there’s no chance that they’ll forget to return the key to the right spot.
These 10 things will help you organise your home and ensure that things run smoothly even after you’re unpacked and settled in. Need a hand with moving? At Wise Move, we make it easy to find an affordable mover, no matter where you’re located.
Please notify us of any violations. This information will be kept confidential and shared only with Wise Move.
