How to prepare yourself and what’s completely normal!
Congratulations!! You just moved into your brand new home!! You have been waiting for this day for what feels like forever, and now here you are! I totally feel for you, and it is such a wonderful feeling. I moved into my brand new home almost a year ago now, and it’s still a dream to be sitting in that gorgeous new living room that you got to pick and choose the design for.So let’s start off by being brutally honest…you’re reading this because you are most likely getting ready to move into that new home, thinking about buying a new construction home, or better yet, you finally took possession of your dream home and you are, in fact, living the dream! No matter the stage you are at, there are different things that it is nice to be prepared for. The biggest one I wasn’t ready for is DUST!
Your worst enemy, dust!
You have everything packed in the vehicles, and the storage bin is right outside ready for you to move everything inside. You walk in, and the first thing you notice is the smell. It smells new, yet also very dusty. This isn’t your average “sitting too long untouched” kind of dusty though. It’s called new construction dust, and trust me when I tell you, it’s going to be your enemy for most likely the next month.When new homes are constructed, they are cleaned many, many times. During construction, they need big cleanups (especially after the drywall stage, as well as the trim/casing stage and everything in between). Your new home has had no shortage of cleanups. So why then you ask, after having a heavy duty vacuum, dust and washing everything kind of cleaning, did I walk into a dusty smelling home? And why aren’t my brand new floors sparkling?!Here’s the biggest reason, your HVAC system. Those registers you see at almost every window and in every room were constructed during the very early stages of construction at the “rough in” stage. And even though they get covered as soon as possible, they can get filled with drywall dust, debris, sawdust, and heck, even pieces of carpet fibers, trim shavings and more! Those registers get vacuumed out thoroughly on the final cleaning, but….the HVAC system often needs time to blow all that sh** out. So, don’t be concerned if you get a bit of a sore throat especially in the first week of sleeping at your new home. I promise this is normal and it will get better. But until then, you can certainly help the problem by vacuuming those registers as often as possible along with the rest of the house. You will also notice the return air vents to be constantly dirty, same problem, so keep dusting and vacuuming.
Don’t panic, just turn on the air!
This is another completely random tip that I am very thankful I learned. Especially if your new home was under construction during some of the Winter months, (or even just had a lot of rainy days during the beginning stages of the build) then it is very likely that some of the material like the wood framing, subflooring and especially that concrete poured foundation will have a bit of moisture in them.Before you panic and go running back to your builder, please realize that this is SOO normal! Especially in a place like Ontario where you witness all the wonderful seasons. But just because it’s normal, doesn’t mean you can’t help. So it is very recommended that you turn your central air control to ON (not just auto) and let it run constantly. This will help everything settle and dry properly.
Do you like when the sun shines bright into your room?
This may be a no-brainer for some, but especially if you have kids, you will want to have either a temporary solution, or just have purchased the blinds or curtains you need for the windows and be ready to put them up before your first night. Most of the rooms can wait, but if your kids are sensitive to light then your first morning rising is going to be very early! Haha, don’t say I didn’t warn you! Blinds and/or curtains are also just needed for privacy in many rooms, depending on your proximity to neighbors and roads, etc.
Where will you sleep?
Now this goes along with blinds and curtains in the sense that it’s something you want to prioritize for moving day. There are a lot of items that can wait until later (don’t even think about hanging pictures on day 1!). But if you have no other plan or place to sleep, then get those beds (or at least mattresses) put into rooms and the appropriate bedding for a somewhat good night's sleep. It’s just a small detail that makes life easier and less stressful. Either that or you are struggling to make some sort of bed work in the late hours of the night after being exhausted from unpacking.
Planning the necessities, like food
Speaking of things to not wait on, the kitchen is your place to eat, and with that human need is the need for groceries and cookware. During the move, this can be one of the biggest overlooked items. What are you going to eat during the hustle and bustle of that moving day? If you can, one of the best ways to make it nice is to have a family or friend pick up some necessities for you either the day before or day of the move. I found even things like garbage bags, paper towels and toilet paper to be so awesome to have handy right from the start!While we are discussing Kitchen, I think it’s also good to note that using your new kitchen for a few days before completely unpacking everything can actually be helpful. Why might you ask? Well it’s hard to know where you want to put everything until you’ve lived there a bit and found a flow you like best. Also, it is totally ok to use paper plates for a few days.
Get your utilities connected
If you have the option to do this before you move in, then don’t hesitate. But if not, and depending on the season you're moving in, make sure you get your electricity, gas, water and internet set up as soon as possible. If you don’t know the providers for the new area you are moving to, then this is a great question to ask your realtor (if you used one).The last thing I want to leave you with, are some wise words. “You’ll have the urge to get everything decorated and “done” right away…Resist!” Enjoy this new chapter of your life and remember that it only lasts so long. Take those much needed breaks, order a pizza and make it a fun time. All the best!
