Moving into a new home is an exciting and stressful time with a ton of things to take care of. Staying calm, cool and organized can make the move a lot easier, so here are some tips to help make the moving process a smooth one:

1. Find out where the water main emergency shut off valve is
The time to find your emergency shut-off valves is now, not when you need it. Find out where your water shut-off valve is and inspect the hot water tank. If it looks old or dodgy, replace it because when a water tank breaks, it will leak water everywhere.

2. Find out where the fuse box is
Like the main water shut-off valve, it’s important to know where this is before the lights go out. Stumbling around in the dark looking for an electrical panel sounds dangerous. Make sure to note what type of electrical panel it is and check the circuit breakers.

3. Safety Check
If you have kids or pets, install safety latches or locks to cupboards and drawers that hold dangerous items like cleaners or knives. You may also want to consider having the locks and alarm system security code changed. Moving into a house means that your locks may have multiple keys out there. If you’re renting, you must get permission and provide the landlord or property management company with a copy.

4. Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
Dust and dirt can interfere with proper detection, so make sure the sensors on your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are clean. Change the batteries if needed, or purchase new detectors if yours seem old or faulty.

5. The Bare Necessities
Before the moving truck arrives and unloads everything you own, unpack your box of necessities such as toilet paper, soap, light bulbs, paper towels, paper plates, cups, and utensils.

Unpacking. Finally!
SO. MANY. BOXES. This can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to unpack everything in one day. If you are doing your own unpacking, take it in stages. Moving can be hard on kids so getting their bedrooms set up will make them feel better and should be a priority. Then, start with the kitchen then work your way through the other rooms, in order of importance. For the first night in your new home, unpack bed linens, towels, and a change of clothes for the next day.

You’ll probably only ever move a few times in life, so relax and enjoy the process. These are the things that memories are made of.