First Week in Your New Home

Stage 2 of 4 · Days 1–7

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Day 1: Livable

Unpack the essentials box first

Toiletries, medications, phone chargers, a few changes of clothes, coffee maker. Dig through boxes for daily necessities before anything else.

Set up the beds

Assemble frames, place mattresses, make beds with fresh sheets. Nothing is more demoralizing than arriving at bedtime with no place to sleep.

Stock the refrigerator

Water, coffee, basic snacks, and one easy breakfast item. You'll be exhausted tomorrow, make your morning effortless.

Make bathrooms functional

Hang towels, shower curtain, toilet paper, soap, toothbrush holder. A hot shower on move-in night is non-negotiable.

Get WiFi and internet working

Set router central, create a new network name and password, connect priority devices first. Smart home gear can wait a day.

Days 1-2: Safety

Install a fire extinguisher

Every home needs at least one ABC-rated extinguisher. Mount one in the kitchen (not next to the stove) and ideally one per floor.

Plan fire escape routes

Two exits from every room. Meeting spot outside. Practice with the whole household. House fires spread in under 5 minutes.

Childproof and petproof hazards

Outlet covers, cabinet latches, secure heavy furniture, move toxic plants and chemicals, check fence gaps. A new home has unknown hazards.

Post an emergency contacts list

911, poison control (1-800-222-1222), nearest ER, utility emergency numbers, neighbors' numbers. Tape it to the fridge.

Days 3-4: Learn

Learn the thermostat

How to set temperature, program schedules, enable vacation mode. Smart thermostats usually need a WiFi reset now that your network changed.

Label the breaker panel

Flip each breaker one at a time while someone walks the house noting what goes dark. Write it on the panel door, not on a piece of paper that disappears.

Test every appliance

Run the dishwasher, washer, dryer, oven, and garbage disposal on a throwaway load. Find broken appliances now, not during Thanksgiving.

Set up trash and recycling

Find your pickup day, learn the rules (bin placement, sorting), locate bins, get recycling schedules. Missing day one costs a week of stink.

Days 5-7: Settle

One big supplies shopping trip

Cleaning products, light bulbs, batteries, basic tools, first aid, pantry staples. Ten small trips waste a weekend, one comprehensive trip saves hours.

Update delivery services

Amazon, prescriptions, subscription boxes, grocery delivery, food apps. Your first wrong-address package is a pain; your third is a nightmare.

Install window coverings for privacy

Temporary paper shades or inexpensive blinds. Moving boxes visible from the street is a theft signal; privacy matters before style.

Unpack one room per day

Finish a room completely before starting the next. Bouncing between rooms creates chaos; room-by-room gives you usable spaces faster.

Take breaks and celebrate

Order pizza on the floor. Walk the neighborhood. You just pulled off a major life event, the boxes can wait, your mental health cannot.

New homeowner timeline

Stage 1

Before Move-In

Closing to move day

Stage 2 · Current

First Week

18 tasks · Days 1-7

Stage 3

First Month

Settling in

Stage 4

First Year

Full annual cycle

First Week FAQ Seasonal Maintenance All Checklists