The move is done: How to set up your new home

Lukas Draheim · Real estate expert at rentcard

Published June 12, 2026 · Updated June 12, 2026

5 min read

The keys are in your hand, the moving van is empty, and you're standing in a flat full of boxes. What now? The first two weeks decide how smoothly you settle in. Get the obligations out of the way first, then furnish by a clear priority system, and you will save yourself a lot of stress.

Before the first box is unpacked, there are three things you must do immediately. First: the handover report (Übergabeprotokoll). Walk through every room with the landlord or property manager and document every existing defect, every scratch on the floor, every dent in the wall. Photograph everything with a timestamp. Without this report you may later be held liable for damage you did not cause.

Second: meter readings. Note the current readings of your electricity, gas, and water meters immediately. Photograph the meters with the display clearly visible. You will need these numbers when the energy supplier issues their bill, and when you move out and need to prove how much consumption occurred during your tenancy.

Third: check that your name is on the letterbox. This sounds trivial, but it is not. Without a nameplate you will miss post, official letters, and parcels. Get it done on day one.

Registering your new address at the residents' registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt) is legally mandatory in Germany, governed by the Federal Registration Act (Bundesmeldegesetz, BMG § 17). You have 14 days from your move-in date. Missing this deadline risks a fine of up to €1,000. You need: your ID card or passport, the landlord's confirmation form (Wohnungsgeberbescheinigung, which your landlord is legally required to provide within two weeks), and the completed registration form, which you can often download from your municipality's website in advance.

Why does registration matter so much? It is a prerequisite for almost everything else: your employer needs the new address for payroll tax, your bank for account management, and without a registered address you cannot renew a German driving licence. In larger cities, appointments at the office are usually only available online, sometimes with waits of several weeks. Book as early as possible.

Electricity and gas often continue automatically after you move in if the previous tenant used the same provider. The energy supplier will usually contact you within a few days with a contract transfer. You are not obliged to sign it: you can choose freely and switch directly to a cheaper provider. Comparison via Verivox or Check24 is worthwhile, as the difference between the basic supply tariff and a competitive rate can easily be €200 to €400 per year.

Internet is the area that catches most people off guard: a new connection in Germany typically takes 2 to 4 weeks, sometimes longer in certain areas. Order as early as possible, ideally before you move in. Check first whether fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) is available in your building. Telekom, Vodafone, and 1&1 are the largest providers; in the fibre network there are increasingly affordable municipal utility alternatives as well.

You do not need to actively register for the broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag, commonly called GEZ). Once you are registered at the Einwohnermeldeamt, your data is forwarded to the Beitragsservice automatically. You will then receive post with a contribution number. If you already had a number at your previous address, update it directly at beitragsservice.de to avoid double payments.

Renter's contents insurance: worth having from day one

Renter's contents insurance (Hausratversicherung) protects your personal belongings against burglary, fire, burst pipes, and storm damage. This is not the building insurance that your landlord takes out. The Hausratversicherung covers your own furniture, electronics, and clothing. Typical costs range from €5 to €15 per month depending on floor area and location. Anyone living in a city or owning expensive electronics should have it. Providers such as Getsafe, Hepster, or established insurers like ERGO and Allianz offer straightforward online sign-ups.

The most common mistake when furnishing: trying to finish all rooms at once and ending up halfway in everything after a week. A clear priority principle works much better.

Bedroom: finish this first

The bed is the most important thing. If you sleep badly, you are useless the next day. Put the bed together on moving day before you start stacking boxes. The mattress should always be bought new: second-hand mattresses are problematic for hygiene reasons. A solid IKEA slatted base and a good mid-range mattress (€250 to €500) is perfectly adequate. The wardrobe and bedside table can wait a few more days.

Kitchen: functional before decorative

The kitchen needs to work before it looks good. Hob, fridge, and crockery take priority. If the kitchen was not included in the rental, IKEA is the most sensible entry-level solution: a KNOXHULT or ENHET kitchen costs between €500 and €2,000 depending on size and can be assembled in a day. Decorative elements like spice racks, magnetic boards, or new handles come only once everything else is in place.

Home office: plan it early

If you work from home, set up your workspace early, by the second week at the latest. A stable desk, an ergonomic chair, and adequate lighting make a bigger productivity difference than any app. If there is no separate room, use a corner of the living area and visually separate it from the rest with a bookcase or room divider.

Furnishing a completely empty flat to a functional standard realistically costs between €2,000 and €5,000 if you rely on IKEA basics and use second-hand for non-essentials. The biggest single items are the mattress and bed frame (€500 to €1,200), kitchen without appliances (€500 to €2,000), and sofa (€300 to €800 for a good second-hand find). Appliances such as washing machine and fridge run at €300 to €600 each for a solid entry-level model.

The right approach: buy what you need now at adequate quality, then upgrade selectively over the next 12 to 24 months. Furnishing a flat completely in one go often means investing in pieces that no longer match your taste a year later. If you are still in the middle of searching for a flat and do not yet know how much space you will have, the article on creating a Bewerbermappe is a good read so you arrive optimally prepared on move-in day.