Becoming a homeowner in a new home is such an exciting accomplishment. However, you might find getting settled in a bit challenging. Since the home you just purchased likely fits into your lifestyle and has your preferred amenities, the next step is making it your own.

Here are some tips that can help you turn your new house into your home:

Address Change

As a new homeowner, you should officially change your address through the postal service. You also need to redirect magazines and similar subscriptions to your new home. While you might not want monthly bills to come, make sure they get sent to the correct address so you can keep up with your monthly payments.

Transfer Services

While taking care of your bills and new address, do not forget to have service turned off at your old house and connected at your new one. If you are moving to a similar area or somewhere within service boundaries, then you might just need to have your water, electricity, internet and cable services transferred. You should also set these dates in advance as it can be difficult to schedule them out at the last minute.

Task List

When packing and moving, make sure you keep a list of things you need to do upon arriving at the new home – this helps you avoid forgetting important tasks. Be as detailed as possible and be organized for easier unloading and unpacking.

Furniture Arrangement

Movers are likely to offer to place your furniture where it is needed. Keep in mind that moving heavy pieces around can be difficult to do on your own. Some prepared homeowners take measurements in advanced and compare them to the new home’s floor plan to make sure that movers place furniture pieces in the right spots.

Safety First

Before moving to your new home, you are most likely aware of its safety features. However, you still need to ensure that the locks have been replaced – previous homeowners, family members or friends might have duplicate keys of the old locks. It is also best to have the gate, garage and security system codes changed for optimal safety. Have the batteries in carbon monoxide and smoke detectors changed, too.

Unpack and Unwind

Moving day can definitely be stressful – you may benefit from getting a full day’s rest before starting to unpack. After unloading all the boxes and getting items situated, celebrate your homeownership by going out to dinner or better yet, break in the kitchen with a family meal.