Step 9: Get Settled in Your New Home

  • Departing issues -- any unfinished tasks
  • Debts
  • Close accounts (banks, safe deposit box, pharmacy, insurance, lawyers, stores, water, electricity, gas/oil, trash/garbage, lawn care, telephone, newspaper)
  • Mortgage
  • Other properties you may own
  • Medical/dental records
  • Legal records
  • Medications for the duration

    Getting acquainted
  • Neighborhoods (you buy a neighborhood first)
  • School (minors in your care, continuing education)
  • Housing
  • Church
  • Finding a transition helper (friend of a friend)

    Adapting your home
  • Home inspection
  • Get insurance (title, renter’s/homeowner’s, auto)
    Settling in
  • Pet care, veterinarian
  • Lawn care
  • Additional furniture
  • Cars, boats, RV’s
  • Valuables -- safe deposit box
  • Bank (account, loan)
  • Lawyer
  • CPA/Tax person
  • Insurance
  • Doctors/Dentists
  • Licenses, wills, medical records
  • Trash/garbage pickup
  • Water, electricity, gas/oil, telephone, newspaper
  • Mail
  • Safe deposit box
  • Pharmacy

[Download and print this Checklist]

After the move . . .

Please read this now! After the move, your notes may be buried somewhere in an unpacked box. Our experience is that your attitude toward your new home will make all the difference. Remember, you like it! You chose it carefully and knew what you were looking for. Sure, there will be disappointments. Not everything will be exactly as you expected. There will be some things you didn’t even think about. In the long run, you will feel better about your new location if you focus on the positive side, remind yourself what you like about it, and tell yourself and everybody else what a great decision it was to move there. If you don’t think you can do this, you may want to consider not making the move in the first place.

Best of luck. We hope this process has helped. Enjoy!!!