21 Ways to Enjoy Your New Home

Few homeowners ever forget the first time they unlocked and opened the front door to their new home. It’s in that moment, after the paperwork has been signed, the keys have been collected from the REALTOR®, and the household goods have been packed and transported, that the true joys of homeownership begin.

Before you start to unpack and get settled into your new home, take at least a few minutes to relax, unwind and make some special memories for your loved ones and yourself. While every family has its own traditions, here are 21 suggestions of the first things you might want to do to enjoy your new home:

1. Order pizzas from a local delivery service and use your unpacked cartons as tables. The pizza boxes make great paper plates too!

2. Write welcome notes signed "from your new home" to each of your children and leave the notes in their bedrooms.

3. Hang your favorite artwork or family photos on the walls. Even if there’s not a piece of furniture in sight.

4. Bring in cut flowers from your new garden and place them in vases throughout the house.

5. Make up all the beds with new or freshly laundered sheets.

6. Turn on your new lawn sprinklers and then run across your new lawn and get sprinkled!

7. Display a meaningful flag or a colorful banner outside your new home.

8. Let your kids and your pets run wild throughout the entire house. If it’s after dusk, flash the lights on and off.

9. Light up your new barbeque and grill whatever edibles you have on hand. Or just light’er up even if you’re not going to grill anything!

10. Hang new curtains in your new bedroom.

11. Stock your new kitchen with your favorite snacks and beverages.

12. Run your new dishwasher, trash compactor or other appliances, even if they’re empty.

13. Pop open a bottle of champagne and toast your new home even you haven’t unpacked the flutes yet.

14. Get romantic with your spouse or sweetheart in your new nest.

15. Climb up into the attic and introduce yourself to any rumored or resident ghosts.

16. Memorize your new address and telephone number. Check your new mailbox for cards and letters with your name on them.

17. Take "before" photos of your new house before you unpack your belongings. Boot up your laptop and send the photos to your friends and family.

18. Invite your friends and family over to tour your new home and help you unpack.

19. Measure all your new rooms and create floor plans on graph paper before you settle your furniture into place.

20. Play your favorite CDs or find a new local radio station that plays the kind of music you enjoy.

21. Equip your new bathrooms with toilet paper, soap and maybe new toilet seats. Take a hot shower or a long luxurious bath!