It’s no secret that moving into a new home is an arduous task. From packing up your possessions to the stress of transporting them all, you have a lot of things to finish in a small amount of time. However, if you want to make your move as simple as possible, you should reserve some of that time for key renovations. No one wants to think about taking on additional projects during a move, but doing so helps get your new home ready for you to live in. These are five vital home improvements to complete before you move in and their importance to your long-term comfort.
Change the Locks
When you’re changing properties, the first thing any homeowner should do is switch out the old exterior locks. After all, you never know the condition of the previous models or whether someone else has a copy of the key. Installing new ones before you’re officially living there will increase your overall security during the move and going forward.
Paint Interior Walls
It’s also best to paint your interior walls before you move your things into the home. Starting the process now will eliminate the need to move furniture or work around large items while painting. It streamlines the process—making both the painting and the cleanup afterward much easier. That way, your home will be move-in ready much faster.
Remove Popcorn Ceilings
Another important home improvement to complete before you move into your new home is to scrape away any old popcorn ceilings. Popcorn ceilings are a design trademark of the early- to mid-1900s, making them an eyesore to those who favor a more modern aesthetic. These surfaces have the potential to be dangerous as well. In fact, many of them use lead paint and pose a safety risk should these particles enter the body. As such, you should bring in a professional to remove them for you.
Finish the Attic
You’ll want to give your new attic some attention as well. While these spaces are wonderful for storing many of your extra items, not all attics can withstand that much weight. If you want to use it for this purpose, you should first learn how to upgrade your attic space and make it more suitable.
Upgrade Your Electrical Lines
Make sure that you devote some time to working with your new home’s electrical lines too. Utilities tend to go out of date quickly, increasing the risk of a house fire. This is especially the case if you recently purchased an older home. Waiting to move into your home until you’ve done a thorough job upgrading these pieces of equipment will make it a safer place to live.