Moving houses can be stressful. There are endless things to do, such as packing your belongings, contacting movers, and arranging paperwork. Though you’ll be rewarded for all your efforts once you’ve settled in, it doesn’t change the fact that moving houses can still be challenging.

During this process, Verywell Mind thus recommends focusing on the positives—like making new friends—and staying organized to manage stress. Being organized, such as by making checklists, helps you manage the overwhelming feelings of moving.

Aside from listing your tasks or each of your boxes’ contents, this includes checking the state of your new home. Doing so means you can discover and deal with the stress of maintenance issues or repairs before you finish moving in.

To get started, you can refer to this property checklist of your first tasks in your new home:

Change The Locks

Safety should be your number one priority when moving into a new property. The previous homeowners or renters may still have the keys or codes, and the locks may need repairs. If you’re moving into a brand new home, it’s also crucial to see if the locks and knobs are working correctly.

Before bringing your belongings inside, inspect and measure the locks on the entrances of your home. Make a quick trip to the hardware store to get replacements with the information you have. If you’re in a new home, check if the keys or codes given by your agent or landlord are compatible with the locks. If not, contact them immediately.

Inspect the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Ensuring safety in your new home also requires inspecting your home’s smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. These are vital for detecting early signs of fires and carbon monoxide buildup.

Check if all the detectors have working batteries. You can then press and hold their test buttons to see if they beep—meaning they’re responsive to threats. From here, your carbon monoxide alarms may require closer inspection. Medical Xpress reports that some alarms sold online—specifically those under GLBSUNION and CUZMAK—are fake.

It’s dangerous to have these, especially since carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless. As such, it’s essential to use carbon monoxide detectors from reliable brands and replace them if needed.

Check The Aircon Units

After guaranteeing your safety, focus on your new home’s ventilation or air circulation system. This will involve checking if the units are clean and in working condition before turning them on.

The multiple guides on Aircon Experts share a few simple steps for cleaning an aircon filter to improve airflow and remove contaminants: simply access the filter behind the front panel of your aircon unit, take it out, then vacuum or rinse it depending on the dust it’s acquired.

If your units aren’t working, call a maintenance or repair service to check them out or troubleshoot them by checking if the fuse is blown or the drainage is blocked. Doing this before moving in fully allows you to do the necessary maintenance tasks before settling in more comfortably.

Deep Clean The House

Now that you’re safe and comfortable, it’s time to deep clean the house after all the maintenance checks and repairs you had to do. This will eliminate debris or dust during the initial processes mentioned above, preparing your home for furnishing, painting, or arranging your belongings.

Our article “6 Tips for Cleaning Your Rental Before Moving In” recommends starting your cleaning from the ceilings, so you can sweep anything that falls from the ceiling in one go later. You should also remember to thoroughly clean high-traffic areas—like hallways—and high-contact items, such as doorknobs, to remove all the germs that can make you sick.

While moving in is tedious and stressful, you’ll soon enjoy the fruit of your labor once you’ve settled comfortably into your new space. Use our checklist above to ensure you experience this as you move houses. For similar articles, check out our other work here at Triumph Property Management.

Article contributed by Rhea Jeanette Exclusively for Triumph Property Management.