@Shash 123, you're right, I misread it. After "etc." a new sentence started. Since sentences and abbreviated etcetera, both end in a period, I only read it as an abbreviation, not an ending sentence, as well. I read it as, "The first things we do are change all locks and security alarms, codes, etc. Weeks before we close, but after the contract is signed ..."

@Sashaboyd, Sorry for the misunderstanding. That answers my question though. As for your retort, I completely understand why you don't normally post comments in forums.

Open a bottle of champagne

I make sure there's toilet paper in all the bathrooms. Seriously.

Well, at least the other people posting were kind and had good thoughts and ideas.

Hey, they asked lol! I'm not making this up - that's what I do!

I bought a historic 1840's home and began by throwing out old kitchen cabinetry and inefficient gas furnaces and capping the gas lines. Then I had four wood floors refinished, and three floors covered in vinyl. I painted baseboards next and had a central heat and air unit installed. As soon as they finished with the ac install on Sat. afternoon, we moved in, setting up beds first and hanging a shower curtain. It took me 36 hours to paint the 32 foot hallway three weeks after the move in. It was 8 weeks after the move in before the custom made kitchen cabinets were installed. It was a year before all walls were painted and wall papered. So did I have a routine, tradition, or something else which made the move in personal? No, necessity dictated the whole beginning process, with the traditions and personalizing coming a little at a time in the following weeks. BUT, I love the idea about changing the toilet seats first. Wish I would have thought of that one!!!

I FIRST THING I DO IS CLEAN THE BATHROOMS AND KITCHEN, SET UP BEDS ETC...

We painted the whole house and cleaned it thoroughly prior to moving in!

Stock the fridge with diet coke, change the toilet seats and make one bed.

is it just me, or does changing the toilet seem neurotic? Not to mention wasteful, unless you are going to reuse them again for your prize winning thoroughbred ?

plant new garden

Order take out

CLEAN

@Sherihoho, I think it's more of a quirks thing, but one that's more common. We all use toilets in our friends' and family's houses, and think nothing of it. It probably has to do w/ the germs you know, vs. the germs you don't. LOL...

Although, I did change out two toilet seats and completely threw out another, (along w/the whole master bath & closet layout) I did it because I wanted soft closing seats, not because I didn't feel like they were disinfected enough.

I have a friend of mine that has a thing w/ sinks. Whenever he moves into a new house, he has to change out every sink in the place. Something about washing his hands in someone else's sink grosses him out. LOL...

Plug in the phones, put towels in the bathrooms, order pizza, and try to find the coffeepot for the next day. Put in new shelf paper in the kitchen and bathroom cabinets the second day or so.

Refinish wood floors and paint!

I noticed a lot of people mentioned ordering pizza. Before I move in, I get the take-out/delivery number of at least two places, then ask them to bring menus when they deliver.

I also leave delivery menus, of my favorite restaurants, in the place that I left. I remember how it nice it was, to find delivery menus in my new place, after moving all day. I was so exhausted, and realized that everything, even my food, was still packed up. I was so appreciative, that the previous residents, thought to leave those out for me, and also that these places were already tried, and most likely their favorites.

@solraven How thoughtful! We too keep an alphabetized accordion folder with paper menus in it. Not just for fast food but for nicer restaurants as well.

When I move, I try to leave a small supply of the necessities for the new owners: a few rolls of t/p and paper towels, make sure there are light bulbs in the fixtures, a case of bottled water, soap in the bathroom soap dishes and at the kitchen sink, some paper and something to write with, and some trash bags. Kind of a care package so they don't have to dig through their boxes...

sorry - that was a little off-topic, kind of...

We just bought our first home, and we decided to paint the whole house, it was so much work but well worth it. Also had new floors put in. Congrats on your new house, it's so pretty!! Have fun making it our own.

Hang pictures and art on the walls.

What a lovely looking home

First, bless the house and give thanks. Then, start making bedroom and bathroom feel like home. Next, it is off to make the kitchen somewhat functional.

Set up the kids rooms, so they can see everything they love came with us and it feels familiar to them.

Enjoy the new surroundings and live in it for a while before making any changes.

GIven the number of times I've moved in my adult life (over 50 -- I was something of a gypsy in my "youth"), before I do anything, I go through the whole house and the yard and do a spiritual cleansing. Get rid of all negative energies that are left behind, enhance the positive, and surround the whole with protective white light. (Not suggesting anyone else should or would; this is what I do.)

Then I find the toilet paper (oh, yeah!), put out food and water for the animals, find the coffee pot, put food in the fridge and generally make it possible to function for a few days. (I will have already cleaned.)

Then I wander through all the rooms with a cup of coffee and stare, and sit and stare. Have another cup of coffee. I've already made lists till I'm sick of lists, lost the lists, redone the lists, packed the lists and forgotten which box the lists are in. (When I find the lists, I throw them out and start over!)

Then I give up and start unpacking boxes. It's the only way I'll find those lists!

I'm very fortunate to have not lived in a home that someone has lived in before me.
All homes/cottages and even our first apartment was brand new but what I do is clean everything even tho it already has been cleaned. I also clean, clean, clean the home I am leaving and say "goodbye" to the house.

I clean then unpack then live in it for a few weeks and then I paint and pick colors. I prefer to get a feel for the home before I "dress" it

Like most of you , I clean, it is so much easier to do in n empty house. Then I sort boxes to right location and start with beds and curtains and the COFFEE MAKING STUFF!! Next time, and there will be at least one more,..I shall be calmer and mature enough to remember.."wannadiferentlook" to compile and leave an awesome welcome basket for the new owners of my old home........unless they stiffed me on the purchase price!

Make the bed.

Whenever we move, there is always that box placed in the trunk or back of the truck, labeled open first.....it's the coffee maker, coffee, sugar and creamer and 2 mugs. It's always the very first item carried into the house, before the paint, before the cleaning, before the boxes and furniture........the coffee is first..........no if's, ands or butts about it.

The only alteration to this tradition is if there is a barn and we have horses on the way or with us.............then the coffee maker goes in the barn. The barn is cleaned, made safe and the needs of the horses comes first...............then the house. Have spent more than a couple of first night in a hay loft bed.............priorities.

CLEAN THE TOILETS!!!

Just bought a house and closed yesterday! I think the scenario dictates what you do FIRST! My new house has been a rental and not taken care of. We saw a lot of potential with this house and have many ideas, but not everything can be done at once. We have already made some major purchases and scheduled deliveries. So lots done prior to evening closing. Mainly making this house habitable is a priority. Literally just got back from cleaning the kitchen very well and working on windows. Have someone coming tomorrow to help clean bathrooms, remainder of kitchen and windows. I would love the luxury of beginning to unpack, but needs to be CLEANED first. Prior to moving in we will replace all flooring and paint. Otherwise bedroom set up so you have somewhere to sleep and kitchen unpacked so you can eat are the main priorities! The rest is fun.

I just moved into a new house in August. We're crammed in the 2nd and 3rd floor while the 1st floor (basement) is being finished. So far we've replaced the kitchen counters (they were pine green laminate! Ew!) with butcher block. We're in the process of painting nearly every room (the former owners thought pastels were cool). We replaced the bathroom backsplash which had been a terra cotta southwestern nightmare which I dubbed "From the Remember the Alamo collection" with river rock tiles. In the ensuite bath, we got a new sink and vanity and new taps. In fact, we got new taps throughout the house. I like a good faucet. Downstairs we drywalled, added two new windows, painted, installed lights and I just found out we need to have concrete work done on the uneven slab before we can lay down flooring and move in. D'oh! The house has good bones, wonderful ocean / mountain views but the finishings really needed updating.

Whatever you plan to do to your new home, count on it costing twice as much and taking twice as long as you think it will. That's rock solid advice.

Amen!

New toilet seats, sand trim that needs more than a scrub so I can paint when settled, professionally scrubbed, cleaned, mark walls for pictures, tools moved, tp, washer/dryer hook up, sheets on bed, bathroom organized so after long hours working in new place we can crawl in!

This last move I was changing states, and had an attack of diverticulitis (brought on by stress), so teh first 3 days, I was sick as a dog. I was incredibly blessed to have a wonderful friend who had cleaned the house, had the yard cleaned, mowed and trimmed, stocked the fridge with basics, and on my arrival, her husband had already unloaded the moving truck! All I did was make the bed and get in it! This time I didn't care about the lists!

-clean, clean, clean
-paint, paint, paint
-line the cupboards

Change the toilet seats, the door locks and the alarm codes for me. great ideas all

Paint it and reenforce the front and rear doors.

October 2013 post

Bunch of fresh flowers, champagne with crisps&dips/ cheese/ antipasto platter for lunch (the kind of thing you eat on new years), and then Chinese takeout food for dinner. Celebrate!!!

Also, the first thing to set up is always the beds!

Light my candles, put out the salt, open the doors and windows, turn on music, then clean clean clean...before the movers come...

First box unpacked is essentials like bedsheets, wine bottle opener, coffee maker and cups, and toilet paper.

Once movers leave, I clean again...

I like to pray and bless the house before moving anything inside. Then, I change toilets seats, locks, alarm codes, and start the deep cleaning. Even if the previous owner cleaned, I would still have to deep clean.

Never occurred to me to change the locks or the toilet seat but such a great idea!

I'm not even a neat freak but my mom has managed to train me to CLEAN on moving in to a new place, especially the kitchen and bathrooms. These days due to health I hire someone to do it, but the full deal - wiping out the inside of cabinets and everything.

I don't normally stress about other people having used the house first, but with kitchens and bathrooms you just can't know how good things like food safety habits were, and who wants to deal with food poisoning or similar right after moving?

Clean it top to bottom!

My wife is from the Philippines, and I guess they have more customs and traditions than we have over here. When we moved into our new apartment in San Francisco, she inserted brought in a container of salt and sprinkled a few quarters on bookshelves and windowsills. My best guess is that the coins are for prosperity and the salt is for good health.

1) Show the cat where I've set up her litter box and her food.

2) Arrange my many plants near sunny windows so they start to feel at home.

3) If there aren't window coverings in the bedroom and bathroom, those go up right away.

4) Make my bed, and set up the coffee pot.

I find it never feels like "home" until I wake up there the next morning, no matter what else I do.