First week in new home checklist

Day one priorities after your interstate move

• Unpack your labeled first-day box before anything else
• Test smoke detectors and replace batteries if needed
• Locate the main water shutoff and circuit breaker panel
• Confirm all utilities are actually working as scheduled
• Relabel the circuit breaker panel if the labels are missing or wrong, so you're not guessing during a future outage
• Do a quick walk-through with your phone camera, photographing any pre-existing damage or issues for your own records
• Set up a simple lockbox or designated drawer for passports, birth certificates, and other documents you can't easily replace, rather than leaving them in a random unlabeled box

New home security basics

Consider changing the locks regardless of what the previous owner or landlord tells you. You cannot verify how many keys exist or who might still hold copies from years past, and rekeying or replacing locks is a relatively low-cost precaution that most people handle within the first day or two after moving in. The small expense compares favorably to the uncertainty of knowing a former tenant's friend, a past dog walker, or a maintenance contractor from five years ago could still access your home. If changing the locks is not practical, such as in a rental where the landlord controls all hardware, ask directly and specifically whether the locks were changed since the last tenant moved out. If you encounter resistance or delay, a simple door or window alarm from any hardware store serves as a reasonable lower-cost alternative while you sort out permanent security.

Get oriented in your new neighborhood

• Locate the nearest pharmacy, grocery store, and urgent care within the first day or two
• Note the fastest routes to work, school, or other regular destinations
• Register with a local doctor, dentist, or other providers if you don't already have ones near your new home
• Find the nearest hardware store and a 24-hour pharmacy specifically, since these are the two you're most likely to need on short notice in the first few weeks
• Learn visitor and street parking rules if you don't have a private driveway or assigned spot, so you're not caught off guard by a ticket or a tow

Unpacking priority order

Focus on rooms you use daily before worrying about decorative items or spaces you rarely enter, such as the garage or guest rooms. The kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom should take priority because you need to cook, sleep, and get ready for work regardless of whether your wall art is hung. It is completely normal to have some boxes still unpacked weeks after an interstate move; there is no practical need to rush through everything in a single weekend. Set a loose target instead of a rigid deadline, like having the kitchen operational for basic meals and the bedrooms set up for sleeping within the first few days. An overly strict schedule tends to add stress without actually accelerating the process, and you will likely find yourself repacking poorly placed items later if you hurry.

Follow up on any move-related paperwork

Confirm your mover's delivery inventory matched what actually arrived, and file a claim promptly if anything was damaged or missing — see our claims guide for the process and deadlines, since waiting too long can affect your ability to file at all. It's also worth keeping your bill of lading and any move-related receipts together in one place for at least a year, in case a dispute or an insurance question comes up later.

Get familiar with the home's systems, not just its layout

• Locate the HVAC filter and note its size, so you're not searching for it later when it needs replacing
• Set aside closing paperwork, warranties, and appliance manuals in one folder or drawer rather than letting them scatter into random boxes
• Learn the trash and recycling pickup schedule, parking rules, and mailbox setup for the new address
• If there's an HOA, read through its rules early rather than finding out about a violation after the fact
• Test all major appliances (stove, dishwasher, washer/dryer) in the first few days rather than assuming they work, so any issue is caught while it's still fresh and easy to raise with a landlord or seller
• Locate the water heater and note its age and type, especially if it isn't immediately visible, since it's a common source of a future emergency call
• Note where the outdoor water spigots and main irrigation shutoff are, especially useful before the first freeze or during a dry spell

(Source: West Homes)

Set up connectivity and smart-home devices early

Getting Wi-Fi running is worth prioritizing in the first day or two — it makes everything else on this list easier, from looking up nearby services to reconnecting smart thermostats, doorbells, cameras, and locks that don't work properly until they're back on your network. (Source: West Homes)

If your internet provider requires a technician appointment to establish new service, schedule it as early in the moving process as possible. Technician availability often runs several days out, particularly during high-move months like May through September when lease cycles peak and new home purchases close. Nearly everything in a modern household depends on a working connection, from streaming entertainment and remote work video calls to smart-lock apps, security camera systems, and thermostat controls. Having internet functional early also lets you research local services, register for utility accounts online, and handle address changes without burning through mobile data.

Introduce yourself to your new neighbors

Meeting your neighbors pays off in ways that are hard to anticipate during the chaos of moving. Neighbors are often the fastest source for practical details that no listing or city website will tell you, like which trash day actually applies to your specific street, which paving contractor to avoid after a bad driveway job, or which local diner is worth the wait. Beyond information, having someone familiar nearby matters when you need a package held during vacation or a last-minute favor like watching a pet during a delayed flight. A brief introduction early on also makes it easier to ask small but immediate questions, such as where exactly the bins go out on collection morning or which utility company services your particular block, sparing you an online search or another call to a leasing office.

Test for radon early, even in a newer home

The EPA recommends testing every home for radon after you move in, including new construction even if radon-resistant features were built into the foundation. Radon test kits are inexpensive and widely available at most hardware stores and home centers, so this is a realistic first-week task rather than something to defer indefinitely. Testing itself is straightforward: place the kit in the lowest lived-in level of the home, typically a basement or ground floor, leave it undisturbed for the manufacturer's specified time, then either mail it to the lab listed on the packaging or read the results directly from a digital monitor. Given that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and levels vary significantly even between adjacent homes, the small effort of testing provides concrete information about your specific property rather than relying on regional averages or a builder's general assurances.

The action threshold is 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L): at or above that level, the EPA recommends fixing the home with a mitigation system. Levels below 4 pCi/L aren't risk-free either — the agency notes they can still be worth reducing in many cases. If your test comes back elevated, a qualified local radon mitigation professional can install a reduction system, commonly a fan-assisted vent. Retesting periodically, especially after any renovation that changes the home's foundation or ventilation, is also reasonable even if an initial test came back low. (Source: EPA)

Frequently asked questions

Related resources

• All moving checklists
• New home walkthrough checklist
• Change of address checklist