The First Things You Should Do Once You’ve Moved Into Your New Home

Moving to Sarasota is exciting, but before you hit the beautiful beaches there's a few things you should take care of upon arrival in your new home. To help you prioritize what should be done before anything else, Sarasota moving company has come up with a list of important to-dos. Cross them off quickly to ensure a successful move to Sarasota.

1. Change the Locks - At this point, who knows how many people have keys to your new home? From previously homeowners to real estate agents, to anyone who has worked on or visited the house, there could be dozens. Change the locks yourself by purchasing new deadbolts at your local hardware store or call a locksmith to do it for you. Being the only one with the keys to your new home will give you piece of mind and put you in control of who has access.

2. Clean the Carpets - If possible, try to do this before you move any furniture in. Empty rooms are easier to clean because nothing will get in your way. You can either rent a carpet steamer from a hardware or grocery store or hire a professional to do it.

3. Check all Plumbing Fixtures - Make sure you have no plumbing leaks as soon as you move to Sarasota and into your new home. Flush each toilet and watch for any water that may leak from its base. Inspect all water pipe fittings for cracks or breaks and call a plumber right away if you notice anything suspicious. It's always better to pay for a scheduled servicing fee than make an emergency call in the middle of the night because a water pipe burst.

4. Get Rid of Insects and Rodents - If you have a pest problem, address it right away. Rodents and bugs have a tendency to quickly multiply if not controlled, so this is a top priority. There are several home remedies to get rid of pests, but if you want to hire a professional it will cost you anywhere from $100-$300. Whatever you decide, do it and do it quickly.

5. Get to Know Your Circuit Breaker - Understand which fuse switch goes to what part of the house before you have an outage or need to replace a broken light fixture. Properly map out your circuit breaker and keep a copy of it on the inside panel. The easiest way to do this is to use two people. One person will need to man the control panel and switch the fuses off and back on while the other stands in a room and waits to see which fuse trips that part of the house.

6. Clean Out All Cabinets and Drawers - Even if they seem spotless, use a cleaner to wipe out cabinets and drawers before placing your belongings. You'll want to pay special attention to the areas in your kitchen as this is where you will be placing dishes, cutlery and anything else you use to eat with.