So, you just moved into your new home. How Exciting! This is an exciting new journey for you and your family that can establish some of the most amazing memories. If this is your first time owning a home, you may not know what to expect. There a few differences to be aware of with home ownership that doesn’t often come with renting. Here are a few first steps to get you headed in the right direction:

Inspect your Home

Before moving your things in, the first thing you’ll want to do is inspect your home. Check for signs of pests or damages that you may have missed upon your initial inspection. Use this alone time with your new home to dig into the intimate details of the house. Locate the house essentials. Make sure you know where items like your fuse box and main water valves are. Label and take photographs of things you didn’t see before that you’re seeing for the first time in the house. If you have questions about these things, later on, you can show the photographs to a professional or to the previous homeowner to ask them

Install your new Utilities

Before doing anything else, you’ll want to make sure you install your utilities. What good is a new house if you can’t see inside of it? Determine which utilities need to be installed, such as gas, water, electricity, etc. Also use this time to set up other amenities such as internet, cable, security services, trash services and anything else you regularly need in order to be comfortable.

Unpack and Reorganize

This part of moving in can be fun for some of us, or too tedious for others. Think of this new space like a blank canvas. You can literally do whatever you want with it now. Use this time to establish new homes for old items. Whether you have gained space or lost space, you can now become really creative with the new space you have. Use this time to take advantage of that. If you lack the creative bug, there are plenty of resources available online for home organizing.

Create a maintenance schedule

As a new homeowner, there is a level of maintenance required in home owning that you may not be used to as a renter. When you’re renting, the landlord or property owners usually handle most maintenance activities like lawn care, gardening, and the replacement of utilities, and appliances. Now that you own this home, gone are the days when you can just call someone to take care of it for free because it was a part of your lease. Whether you choose to outsource this labor or take care of it yourself, you’ll want to make sure you make a list of regular tasks that need to be done for the upkeep of your new home and schedule them accordingly.

Get Comfy

Finally, you’ll want to make sure you make yourself at home. Sometimes moving into a new place can take some adjusting. While exciting, moving can require more work than play. Once everything has been set up, take some time out to take in your new home. Add some sentimental elements that make you feel proud to call this new place home. Add elements of your personal style to create a welcoming environment for you and your family.