After the swap: Checklist for your new home

Checklist: Everything you need to do in the first weeks in your new home

Congratulations on your successful home swap and your new home! Now begins an exciting new phase where you need to settle in, sort out all the practical details and make the home your own. This thorough checklist will guide you systematically through the first important weeks.

Immediate tasks (days 1–3 after moving in)

These things need to be sorted straight away - they cannot wait:

Check that all utilities are working:

• Confirm that electricity, gas and water work throughout the home
• Officially register your move-in with all utility companies with the correct date
• Check that heating and hot water are working satisfactorily
• Test all power outlets, switches and circuit breakers in every room
• Make sure all utilities are registered in your name - not the previous occupant's

Internet and communication:

• Order internet if you have not taken over the existing subscription
• Check mobile and data coverage in all rooms
• Set up the wifi router and test the speed
• Update any streaming services with your new address

Safety and preparedness:

• Test all smoke alarms thoroughly and replace batteries as a precaution
• Locate any fire extinguisher or fire blanket
• Find out exactly where the main electrical switch and water shut-off valve are located
• Save emergency numbers for the building manager or property management in a visible place
• Check that all locks work and that you can lock yourself in and out

Keys and access:

• Systematically test that all keys work in all relevant locks
• Consider making an extra set of keys for emergencies
• Store a spare key safely in another location (with family, a friend or in a key box)
• Learn any code locks, intercoms and access systems

Priorities in the first week

Administrative tasks that cannot wait:

• Check that your move is correctly registered on borger.dk (this is a legal requirement)
• Confirm that mail forwarding from PostNord is working
• Update your address with your bank, insurance company and pension provider
• Switch to a GP in your new local area via sundhed.dk
• Update your address with any unemployment fund, trade union and educational institution

Documenting the home's condition - extremely important:

• Systematically photograph all rooms from multiple angles
• Note and document all existing faults, damage and wear
• Check that any move-in inspection has been carried out and documented by the landlord
• Store all documentation securely - both digitally and, optionally, physically
• Send the list of existing damage to the landlord in writing with photos attached

Practical everyday matters:

• Find your nearest supermarket and other grocery shops
• Locate the nearest recycling centre for bulky waste and special waste
• Learn the waste sorting and recycling system in the building
• Find out the laundry room times and booking system if there is a communal laundry
• Locate the letterbox and check that you are receiving post correctly

Document the home's condition thoroughly

This is critical for protecting your deposit in the event of moving out:

Go through the home systematically, room by room:

1. Photograph each room from all four corners
2. Take pictures of all windows and doors (both open and closed)
3. Document floors, walls and ceilings in every room
4. Take clear close-up photos of all visible damage, scratches and stains

Specific things to look for and document:

• Scratches, marks and stains on floors
• Holes in walls from nails, screws or wall plugs
• Cracks in ceilings, walls or around window frames
• Stains, discolouration or damage to paint, wallpaper or walls
• Missing, loose or damaged skirting boards and panels
• Rust, limescale or damage in the bathroom and kitchen
• Functional problems with doors, windows or fixtures

Report faults and defects to the landlord professionally:

• Contact your landlord or property manager in writing (email is best)
• Describe all existing damage precisely and objectively
• Attach relevant photos as documentation
• Ask for written confirmation of receipt and acceptance
• Save all correspondence in a dedicated folder

Get to know your new neighbourhood

Use the first few weeks to actively explore and get to know your new area:

Daily needs and practical amenities:

• Find the nearest supermarkets and specialist shops
• Locate the nearest pharmacy, doctor and dentist
• Find a post office, parcel shop or parcel locker for deliveries
• Find the nearest petrol station or electric car charging station

Public transport and mobility:

• Learn the nearest bus stops, metro stations and train stations
• Try the route you will use to work or school
• Download the Rejseplanen app and save your new regular routes
• Investigate whether a season ticket would save you money
• Find the best cycling routes to your daily destinations

Leisure, recreation and quality of life:

• Explore parks, green spaces and nature trails nearby
• Find the nearest gym, swimming pool or sports club
• Discover local cafés, restaurants and cultural offerings
• Locate the library, cinema and other cultural amenities
• Find playgrounds if you have children

Build positive relationships with your new neighbours

Good neighbourly relations make your everyday life significantly better and safer:

Good first steps to becoming part of the community:

• Introduce yourself in person to your nearest neighbours - those on the same floor and those above/below
• Say a friendly hello when you meet people in the hallway, on the stairs or in the courtyard
• Attend any residents' meetings, general assemblies or social events
• Respect the house rules consistently from day one - it gets noticed
• Be approachable, friendly and open

Practical tips for good neighbourly relations:

• Ask neighbours for their tips and experiences of the area
• Find out about informal rules and practices (parking, laundry, waste, quiet hours, etc.)
• Be generally approachable and friendly, but respect others' privacy
• Offer help if the opportunity naturally arises (carrying things in, watering plants, etc.)
• Inform neighbours if you expect noise (moving in, parties, tradespeople)

If conflicts arise:

• Raise problems early, directly and in a friendly manner
• Communicate personally and calmly before involving others
• Document in writing if the problems continue or escalate
• Contact the board, property manager or landlord for persistent, unresolved problems
• Always maintain a constructive and solution-oriented approach

Complete checklist for the first month

Before the first month is over, all of these should be in place:

Administrative tasks:

• Address updated with all important institutions and authorities
• Insurance reviewed and adapted to the new home and its contents
• GP changed to one in the local area
• Any public subsidies updated (housing benefit, childcare subsidies, etc.)
• All automatic payments checked and updated

Practical matters:

• Internet running reliably at a satisfactory speed
• All utilities working and registered in your name
• All keys working for all relevant locks and areas
• Waste management and sorting understood and functioning

The home itself:

• Move-in inspection completed and documented
• All existing damage reported in writing to the landlord with documentation
• Smoke alarms tested and with fresh batteries
• You know where the main electrical switch and water shut-off are located

Social matters:

• Greeted and introduced yourself to your nearest neighbours
• Know the area's most important amenities and shops
• Know who to contact for practical problems
• Feel fundamentally safe and comfortable in the area

Tips for settling in and feeling at home

Actively make the home yours:

• Unpack the most important and personal items first
• Hang up pictures, artwork and personal items as soon as possible
• Establish your daily routines and habits in the new setting
• Give yourself time and patience to adjust to the new place

Be patient with yourself:

• It always takes time to feel completely at home in a new place
• Everything doesn't need to be perfect or finished from day one
• Small improvements and additions over time make a big difference
• Enjoy the process of gradually furnishing and making the place yours

Keep in touch with your old network:

• It is natural to miss the old neighbourhood and neighbours at first
• Maintain contact with friends from the previous area
• Invite people to visit so they can see your new home
• Use the move as an opportunity to reconnect with people

Final thoughts and next steps

You have now completed the entire journey from idea to a successful home swap - congratulations! With this thorough checklist, you are well equipped to settle in and thrive in your new home.

Want to read more about home swapping or need to brush up on some of the steps? See our complete guide: How to swap your apartment in Denmark.

Enjoy your new home - may you have many wonderful years there!