10 Things to Do When You Move Into Your New Home

I was inspired by a recent post from houzz.com that asked readers "what do you wish you knew when you moved into your first home?" Loving all the comments from the readers, I decided to create a post based on top things to do when you move into your first home, or third, fourth or fifth for that matter.

1. Consider hiring move in cleaners. These miracle workers will come in and clean your house before you move everything in it. This is especially a good idea if you are buying a used home that may have had a messy owner. It will save you a lot of time and trouble, so that you can focus on moving instead of cleaning right off the bat.

2. Invest in Window Coverings. Before you even move into your new home, purchase or create the window covering you need for your home. Even being prepared to hang up just a sheet over a window for privacy is better than scrounging around for whatever you can find to cover that window.

3. Know Your New Terrain. It is a lot easier now with Google maps available, but it can be helpful to know where all the basic stores and restaurants are in your new area. Do a little research before moving day via Google maps, or even drive around the area yourself if at all possible.

4. Create an Emergency List. The address and phone number of the hospital, police, emergency service, pizza delivery, whatever may be needed, you never know. Create a contact list online or offline to make sure you can easily access these numbers in your new area.

5. Re-Do Things. If you plan on redoing the floors, painting or any of that jazz, it is a lot easier to do it before you've moved all your stuff in the house. You can even consider temporarily moving most of your stuff into self storage while these projects are underway.

6. Set Aside Emergency Funds. You never know when an emergency is going to pop up, so if at all possible it is imperative to set aside at least a little money. This can be really hard to do after a down payment, but try to tighten the belt to make it happen.

7. Be Prepared for Buyer's Remorse. It is not uncommon to move into a place and regret the decision. It is a little too late now to back out of your decision, so don't spend time dwelling on all the negatives of your home. Instead start making plans on all the cool things you are going to fix and renovate in your home to make it really nice.

8. Groceries. Get some basic groceries that do not need much preparation. It can be tempting to just eat out the first couple weeks of unpacking and organizing, but this bill will quickly add up. Keeping around simple food supplies will supply you with meals and snacks that won't cost too much.

9. Set up somewhere to sleep. Have sheets, blankets, pillows, bedding all easily available. You are going to need a good nights rest after moving day.

10. Celebrate. Moving into a new home allows a new beginning. Make sure to celebrate your new home with wine, pizza or whatever it is that makes you happy. Moving is a big pain in the butt, so you definitely deserve a treat after all that hard work.