First time living alone checklist
In the first week of living alone, test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, find the water shutoff and the breaker panel, check every lock and ask whether the locks were changed, put a flashlight and a first aid kit where you can find them in the dark, set up renters insurance, and give a spare key to someone you trust.
You just moved into your own place.
Why it matters: It is the moment most people start searching from, and a list makes the first week calm.
Steps
- Test every smoke and carbon monoxide alarm and note their locations.
- Find the main water shutoff and the breaker panel, and label them if they are not.
- Check every door and window lock, and ask the landlord whether the locks were changed or rekeyed for you.
- Put a flashlight by the bed and a first aid kit in the kitchen.
- Buy or check a fire extinguisher suitable for kitchen fires and read its instructions.
- Start renters insurance on move-in day.
- Give a spare key to a trusted friend or family member, not under the mat.
- Save the landlord's or building manager's emergency number in your phone.
- Introduce yourself to one neighbor.
Common mistakes
- Hiding a spare key outside the door.
- Assuming the previous tenant's keys were collected and the locks changed.
- Leaving alarm tests and shutoff hunting until something goes wrong.
Teach this to someone
A one page sheet for showing a friend, a teenager or a parent: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.
Teach: First time living alone checklist
What to say
In the first week of living alone, test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, find the water shutoff and the breaker panel, check every lock and ask whether the locks were changed, put a flashlight and a first aid kit where you can find them in the dark, set up renters insurance, and give a spare key to someone you trust.
What to show
- Test every smoke and carbon monoxide alarm and note their locations.
- Find the main water shutoff and the breaker panel, and label them if they are not.
- Check every door and window lock, and ask the landlord whether the locks were changed or rekeyed for you.
- Put a flashlight by the bed and a first aid kit in the kitchen.
- Buy or check a fire extinguisher suitable for kitchen fires and read its instructions.
- Start renters insurance on move-in day.
- Give a spare key to a trusted friend or family member, not under the mat.
- Save the landlord's or building manager's emergency number in your phone.
- Introduce yourself to one neighbor.
Check question
Where should a spare key live?
Answer: With a trusted person. Hidden keys by the door are the first places anyone looks.
Your checklist
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Quick quiz
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Related skills
Sources
- US national fire protection guidance on smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, 2026. Reviewed September 28, 2026.
Written in our own words from the sources above. It is general information, not advice for your situation; where a professional, your doctor or your lease says something different, follow them.
Last reviewed . First published .