What to Do After You Move: Ways to Settle In and Save

Article overview

After moving into a new home, there are several steps you should take to help you settle in.

• Update Your Address: Notify the post office, IRS, Social Security Administration, DMV and other important organizations of your address change, including updating voter registration and online shopping accounts to ensure continued service and avoid penalties.
• Secure Your New Residence: Check all locks and windows, test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, consider installing a security system, update insurance policies and implement child/pet-proofing measures as needed for safety.
• Settle In: Inspect items delivered by movers, prioritize unpacking essentials like toiletries and bedding, set up utilities and Wi-Fi, learn the local trash schedule, and gradually work through remaining boxes to make your new place feel like home.

No matter how long you lived at your last home, moving to a new place can have you feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety. While there are plenty of online checklists that offer guidance for a trouble-free exit of your old residence, once you’ve arrived at your new home, you’ll have more to do than just unpack boxes and call it a day. That’s why we’ll focus here on what to do after you move, with useful steps to take at your new residence.

The guide is broken into three sections: The first has information to help you report your new address to places like the DMV and postal carriers, the second has tips to make your new home a safer place, and the last covers some of the odds and ends that will help you settle in, no matter if your new residence will be an apartment, condo or standalone structure. Because of the way the information is organized and depending on your specific moving arrangements, each section has some tips (like checking smoke detectors and inspecting boxes delivered by movers) that may need to take a higher priority than others and happen sooner. 

Update your address

Notify the post office. Misdirected mail can lead to missed bills and lapses in service, so don’t wait to alert the post office of your address change. Go here for step-by-step instructions of how to get the USPS to forward mail to your new residence for up to one year for free. Need it forwarded longer? Extended mail forwarding can be purchased for an additional 6 months ($24.50), 12 months ($36.50) or 18 months ($48.50). While updating your address, consider signing up for Informed Delivery—it’s a free service that lets you digitally preview incoming mail and track and manage packages.

Alert federal and state tax agencies. You can fill out a federal IRS Form 8822 to let the Internal Revenue Service know your address has changed, or go here to see other ways you can inform them. For state taxes, visit the government website of the state in which your new home resides to get directions on how to update your address.

Give the Social Security Administration your new address. You can report your new address by phone or in person, but the administration recommends making the change online. If you have a personal “my Social Security” account with your old address, log in and update your contact information. Don’t already have an account? Visit the official SSA website and create one with your new information.

Change your car registration and get a new driver’s license. To update your car registration with your new address, visit your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles or search for it here. Note that some states may require you to update the registration within 30 days of your move to avoid penalties. If your move is permanent, you’ll also need to get a new driver’s license from your state DMV, usually within 60 days of moving.

Update your voter registration. The post office includes this as an option when you inform them of your address change, as noted above. Alternatively, you can download, fill out and mail in the National Mail Voter Registration Form (accepted for all states except New Hampshire, Wyoming and North Dakota).

Change your address at online shopping sites. Avoid having parcels sent to an old address by updating your mailing and billing information at sites like eBay and Amazon. Delete old addresses if you won’t be returning, or simply set your delivery preference to your new address.

Notify any other businesses of your new address. If you haven’t already done so, update your address with your financial institutions (including credit card companies), third-party payment apps, your child’s school, the doctor’s office and your employer.

Transfer your AAA Membership to your new state. If you move from one state to another, it's easy to transfer your AAA Membership and maintain your AAA benefits.

Secure your new residence

Check locks and windows. If you’re moving into an apartment or condo, make sure you have keys that work for all locks on the premises, including doors to common areas. If you’re moving into a house, consider installing new locks for added security. Some brands of doorknob locks and deadbolts, like Kwikset and Schlage, can be reset by the homeowner to work with a new key, rendering any old keys inoperable, and even allowing all locks to be set to a single key. Check all windows in the new home to make sure they can be easily opened, then confirm that they can be fully closed and securely locked.

Test smoke, natural gas and carbon monoxide alarms. Any problems with the operation of the smoke detector, the carbon monoxide detector or the natural gas detector need to be corrected right away. Unless batteries have been marked with an installation date, you should probably replace them with new batteries and note the date. The U.S. Fire Administration advises homeowners to replace any smoke alarms that are 10 years or more past their date of manufacture. The National Fire Protection Association has a guide with information on installing and maintaining smoke alarms.

Install a security system. Give yourself peace of mind by adding a home security system to your residence. Many wireless options can be connected by the homeowner; others may require professional setup. A big choice you’ll have to make is whether to get a system that sends alerts to a dispatcher at an alarm-monitoring center or to get one that alerts you directly (skipping the monthly or yearly subscription cost that comes with a professionally monitored system).

Child- and/or pet-proof the residence. A home with small children or pets will need some additional safety features to keep them from getting into places they shouldn’t. Stairways may need gates (at top and bottom), cabinets and stove knobs may need to be secured with locks, and breakables should be kept out of harm’s way. If you have pets, show them where the water and food bowls will be, and make sure they see where you put their litterbox.

Update your home and car insurance policies. Get in touch with your insurance agent to share your new address. There may be changes—such as how far you drive to work or where you park your car—that will affect your rates. Review all the security measures you have in place to verify you’re getting all the discounts you qualify for. Regardless of which company your insurance is with, consider getting a free policy review from AAA, or read more about how you can get the maximum discount on your premiums.

Settle in

Inspect professionally delivered items. Once the movers have finished unloading boxes, furniture and anything else you didn’t move yourself, check for dents and dings, paying particular attention to items that are delicate or easily broken.

Check the utilities. Have utilities turned on (if not already done) and locate the home’s fuse box and water shut-off valve so you’ll know where they are if you need to get to them.

Stock your home and save. Once everything is unpacked, you’re likely to need a few things you don’t have. Purchases for your new home—everything from furniture to entertainment—can be made using your AAA Membership at the AAA Dollars Online Mall.

Prioritize your unboxing. Seldom-used items, out-of-season clothes and things like photographs that are purely decorative can wait to be put away. Focus on the boxes with everyday items and essentials such as toiletries, food and a change of clothes. You don’t need to get all the furniture arranged on your first day, but you will want to assemble your beds before the first night in your new home.

Set up your Wi-Fi network. Whether you need it for work, school or entertainment, an internet connection is essential. Here’s how you can easily set up wireless internet in your home.

Learn the trash and recycling schedule. After you’ve unpacked, you’ll have a lot of trash to get rid of, including cardboard boxes and other moving supplies. Find out which day of the week is your trash pickup, or if you’ve moved to an apartment or condo, locate the property’s dumpster.

You won’t check everything off your move-in to-do list in a day or two, but each completed step on the above lineup will make your new residence feel a bit more like home.