The move is not over when the truck leaves. Use this checklist for the first week in your new home.
Day one
- Check your inventory as boxes and furniture come in. Note any loss or damage on the delivery paperwork before signing.
- Locate essentials: bedding, toiletries, chargers, medications, and a few changes of clothes.
- Confirm utilities — power, water, heat, internet — are on and working.
First few days
- File any damage claim promptly; you have a limited window, and documentation from delivery day is your strongest evidence.
- Finish your change of address with the postal service, banks, employer, and subscriptions.
- Update your driver's license and vehicle registration if you moved to a new state, and check the deadline to do so.
First week
- Register children at their new school if you have not already.
- Find local essentials: pharmacy, grocery store, doctor, and the nearest emergency services.
- Test smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors and locate your water shut-off and breaker panel.
- Meet a neighbor or two — local knowledge is the fastest way to settle in.
Don't forget
- Keep all moving paperwork until any claim is resolved.
- Re-establish routines quickly to help kids and pets adjust.
A short, deliberate checklist turns the overwhelming first week into a series of manageable tasks — and makes sure you do not miss the deadlines that matter, like filing a claim.