Congratulations. You bought a house.
You now own walls, a roof, probably a suspicious number of keys, and every strange noise the house decides to make at 2:00 a.m.
The first few weeks of homeownership can feel overwhelming because there is a lot to think about beyond unpacking boxes and figuring out where the coffee maker went.
This checklist covers 30 practical things worth doing after you move in. Some protect your family, some protect your wallet, and some simply make life easier later.
You do not need to finish everything this weekend. Your house is not going anywhere.
Safety First
1. Change or rekey the exterior locks
You have no idea how many copies of the old keys may exist.
Previous owners, relatives, cleaners, contractors, dog walkers, neighbors… your front door key may have had a more active social life than you.
Replace the locks or have them rekeyed.
While you’re at it, decide whether a smart lock makes sense for your home. They can be convenient for families, guests, cleaners, and anyone who regularly wonders, Did I lock the door?
2. Test every smoke detector
Press the test button on each smoke alarm.
If you do not know how old the batteries are, replacing them is cheap insurance.
Also check the manufacture date printed on the detector. Smoke alarms do not last forever, so older units may need to be replaced entirely.
3. Check your carbon monoxide detectors
If your home has fuel-burning appliances, a fireplace, or an attached garage, carbon monoxide detection is especially important.
Test the existing detectors and replace old or questionable units.
If you are unsure where detectors should be located, check the manufacturer’s instructions and your local requirements.
4. Buy fire extinguishers
At minimum, have an appropriate fire extinguisher somewhere easy to reach.
The kitchen and garage are common places to consider.
Do not hide one behind 14 boxes of Christmas decorations. A fire extinguisher is considerably less useful when you need a treasure map to find it.
5. Find the main water shutoff
Do this before you have a plumbing emergency.
Find the main shutoff valve and make sure the adults in the house know where it is.
If a pipe bursts someday, you do not want your first Google search to be:
“HOW DO I TURN OFF WATER TO MY HOUSE PLEASE HELP.”
6. Find your electrical panel
Locate the electrical panel and see whether the breakers are clearly labeled.
If the labels say helpful things like:
Bedroom
Great.
If they say:
Bob’s room
Old office
???
you may want to relabel them.
Knowing which breaker controls what can save a lot of frustration later.
7. Find the gas shutoff, if applicable
If your home uses natural gas or propane, know where the shutoff is located.
You should also understand when not to touch it and when to leave the house and call the utility company or emergency services instead.
Gas leaks are not a DIY experiment.
Learn How Your House Works
8. Locate your HVAC equipment
Find your air handler, furnace, heat pump, thermostat, and outdoor condenser.
Write down the model numbers if possible.
Knowing exactly what equipment you own makes future maintenance, filter purchases, and service calls much easier.
9. Replace the HVAC filter
Unless you know the filter was just replaced, start fresh.
Check the size printed on the existing filter before buying replacements.
Then put the replacement schedule on your calendar.
How often you need to change it depends on the system, filter, pets, dust levels, and household conditions.
10. Locate the water heater
Find out:
- whether it is electric, gas, heat pump, or tankless
- approximately how old it is
- where its shutoff is
- where its breaker or gas control is
A water heater quietly works every day until the exact morning you are running late.
Getting familiar with it now is easier.
11. Find your appliances’ model and serial numbers
Take pictures of the labels on major equipment such as:
- HVAC system
- Water heater
- Refrigerator
- Dishwasher
- Oven
- Washer and dryer
- Garage door opener
Save them in a folder on your phone or cloud storage.
Future-you will be extremely grateful when ordering a replacement part.
12. Learn where your outdoor utility connections are
Locate things such as:
- electrical meter
- water meter
- gas meter
- irrigation controls
- outdoor cleanouts
You do not need to become a utility technician. You simply want to know what is where.
Prevent Expensive Water Problems
13. Check under every sink
Open every kitchen and bathroom cabinet and look underneath the sinks.
Check for:
- dripping
- moisture
- swollen cabinet material
- staining
- corrosion
- strange smells
A tiny leak today can become a very expensive cabinet replacement later.
14. Inspect toilets for leaks
Look around the base of each toilet.
Check for moisture, movement, or staining.
You can also listen for toilets that seem to refill themselves randomly. A constantly running toilet may be quietly wasting water while pretending nothing is wrong.
15. Check your washing machine connections
Inspect the supply hoses behind the washing machine.
Look for cracking, corrosion, bulging, or leaking.
A washing machine hose failure can release a surprising amount of water very quickly.
16. Consider water leak sensors
Small leak sensors can be placed near areas such as:
- water heaters
- washing machines
- sinks
- refrigerators
- dishwashers
Many smart models can send an alert to your phone.
This is one smart-home product that can actually earn its keep.
17. Check the exterior drainage
Walk around your house after heavy rain if possible.
Look for water pooling near the foundation or areas where water appears to flow toward the house.
Water should generally be encouraged to move away from the structure.
Water is wonderful at the beach.
It is considerably less charming inside your walls.
Check the Outside of the House
18. Walk around the entire exterior
Take a slow lap around your property.
Look for:
- cracks
- damaged siding or stucco
- missing caulk
- damaged screens
- loose trim
- signs of moisture
- pest entry points
Take pictures of anything questionable.
You are creating a baseline of what your home looked like when you moved in.
19. Look at the roof from the ground
You do not need to climb onto the roof.
In fact, unless you know what you are doing, please don’t.
From the ground, look for obvious issues such as damaged or missing roofing materials, displaced flashing, debris, or sagging.
If anything concerns you, have a qualified professional inspect it.
20. Check gutters and downspouts
Make sure gutters are not obviously clogged and downspouts direct water away from the house.
A $10 downspout extension can occasionally prevent a problem worth thousands.
Not everything in homeownership needs to be complicated.
21. Inspect exterior doors and windows
Check that exterior doors and windows:
- close properly
- lock securely
- do not have obvious gaps
- have intact weatherstripping
- have reasonable caulking around exterior openings
Air and water have a remarkable talent for finding tiny gaps.
Make the House Easier to Live In
22. Set up reliable Wi-Fi
Before buying random Wi-Fi extenders, test coverage throughout the house.
Walk around and check:
- bedrooms
- office
- garage
- backyard
- smart TV locations
Larger homes may benefit from a mesh Wi-Fi system.
This becomes especially important as you add cameras, doorbells, thermostats, speakers, and other connected devices.
23. Create a basic homeowner tool kit
You do not need a professional workshop.
A basic starter kit should cover common tasks.
Consider:
- hammer
- screwdrivers
- adjustable wrench
- pliers
- utility knife
- tape measure
- level
- flashlight
- drill
- stud finder
Owning a house has an interesting way of creating reasons to use a screwdriver.
Not sure what is actually worth buying? See our 15 Things Worth Buying for a New Home and 10 Things You Can Skip
24. Buy a good flashlight
Actually, buy more than one.
Keep one somewhere easy to reach.
Your phone flashlight is useful until the power goes out and your phone has 11% battery.
25. Get a sturdy step ladder
You will use it for:
- changing filters
- replacing bulbs
- checking detectors
- reaching storage
- cleaning
- minor maintenance
Please do not become the homeowner who balances a dining chair on top of another dining chair.
Get Organized
26. Create a home information folder
Create one physical or digital place for important house information.
Include:
- closing documents
- inspection report
- warranties
- receipts
- appliance manuals
- contractor information
- paint colors
- maintenance records
This becomes your home’s operating manual.
27. Save your home inspection report
Do not let the inspection report disappear into your inbox forever.
Review it again after moving in.
Separate items into:
Fix soon
Monitor
Future project
Your inspector already gave you a personalized maintenance list. Use it.
28. Create a home maintenance calendar
Add recurring reminders for things such as:
- HVAC filters
- smoke detector testing
- dryer vent cleaning
- gutter cleaning
- HVAC servicing
- pest inspections
- irrigation checks
- seasonal exterior inspections
Home maintenance becomes much easier when your calendar remembers it for you.
29. Start a home repair fund
Even a newer home will eventually need repairs.
Appliances break.
Air conditioners stop conditioning.
Garage doors decide they have had enough.
Instead of treating every repair as a financial emergency, start setting aside money specifically for the house.
30. Make a prioritized improvement list
After moving in, you will suddenly notice approximately 847 things you would like to change.
Do not do all 847.
Create three lists:
Need now
Safety, damage prevention, necessary repairs.
Want soon
Organization, convenience, comfort.
Maybe someday
The outdoor kitchen, movie theater, wine cellar, golf simulator, and other things Pinterest convinced you are basic necessities.
Live in the house for a while before making expensive changes. What seems essential during your first week may feel completely unnecessary three months later.
Your First-Week Priority List
If 30 items feel overwhelming, start with these:
- Change the locks
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
- Locate the main water shutoff
- Locate the electrical panel
- Replace the HVAC filter
- Check under sinks and around toilets for leaks
- Inspect washing machine hoses
- Buy a fire extinguisher
- Save appliance and equipment information
- Review your home inspection report
Once those are handled, work through the rest at your own pace.
One Final Piece of Advice
You do not need to turn your house into the perfect home immediately.
The first few months are about learning how the house behaves.
Which room gets hotter?
Where does rainwater collect?
Which door sticks?
Which outlet mysteriously controls something on the opposite side of the house?
Living in the home for a while will teach you what actually needs attention.
Smart homeowners don’t fix everything first. They figure out what matters first.
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