Checklist for the first week of a long stay
A practical first-week checklist for a stay of a month or more, covering what to confirm before you leave home, what to check on arrival and a light schedule for the days after.
The first week of a long stay decides how the rest of it feels. Use it to confirm that the place works, to sort out basic supplies and to set up a routine before ordinary days begin.
Treat the list as a reference rather than a test. Not every item applies to every place, and some will take longer than a day. The aim is to find problems while the host or landlord is still easy to reach, and before your plans depend on the answers.
Before you leave home
Most arrival problems can be prevented with a few confirmations made in advance:
- Confirm the check-in time, how keys or access codes are provided, and the name and phone number of the person to contact on arrival day.
- Save the address in an offline map, and write down how to reach the entrance in plain words, such as which door to use or where a gate code is posted.
- Keep copies of the booking confirmation, the signed agreement, your insurance details and a list of emergency contacts. Store the copies somewhere separate from the originals.
- Look up the local emergency number for the country you are visiting. It differs between countries, so do not assume the number you know at home will work.
- Pack enough of any regular medication for the full stay plus a margin, keeping it in its original packaging. Some countries restrict certain medicines or the quantities you may bring, and may require a prescription or a doctor's letter, so check the destination's official rules. Ask your doctor about any questions on carrying medicines abroad.
- Arrange for mail, deliveries and recurring payments at home to be handled while you are away.
Make a short note of any item that is not yet confirmed, and treat it as the first task on arrival. A confirmation that takes one message before you leave can save an evening of uncertainty when you are tired and in a new place.
Essentials on the first day
Start with access and safety. Test the lock and the key or code, and confirm that you can open the door without help. Ask the host to show you where the water shutoff is, and find the electrical panel and the breaker or fuse for the kitchen and bathroom. Press the test button on each smoke alarm to confirm that it sounds. Where there is a gas boiler, stove or other fuel-burning heater, check that a carbon monoxide alarm is present and working, and ask the host for one if there is none. If you ever smell gas, do not use switches or flames: leave the building and call the emergency number or the gas emergency line from outside.
Next, check the systems you will use every day. Run the hot water faucet for a minute to confirm that the water heats, and try the heating or cooling controls even if the weather does not call for them yet. Check that the refrigerator is cold. Take dated photographs of each room, including existing marks and damage, before you unpack, and send them to the host the same day so the record exists in writing. Note the meter readings for electricity, water and gas, if the place has them, on the same day, so the first bill can be checked against a known starting point.
Then buy the basics. A few days of food, toilet paper, dish soap, cleaning supplies, trash bags and a basic first-aid kit are enough to start without a trip to a large store. Find out where the nearest grocery store, pharmacy, laundry facility and clinic are, and note their opening hours. Some shops close early or for a midday break, and it is better to learn that on day one than on the evening you need something.
Setting up daily basics and the first week
The first week works best with a light schedule. Each day has one main focus, so a delayed task does not block the rest. The table below shows one way to arrange it. Adjust the order to fit your work commitments and the place.
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| Day | Main focus |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Access, safety checks, supplies and photographs of the condition |
| Day 2 | Internet speed test and work setup, with the first work block |
| Day 3 | Walk the errand route: grocery, pharmacy, post office and laundry |
| Day 4 | Set working hours and one daily anchor, such as a walk or a fixed meal |
| Day 5 | Review open questions and send any remaining requests to the host |
| Day 6 | Explore one nearby area without a plan |
| Day 7 | Review the week: what to keep, what to change and what to buy |
The schedule is deliberately light, and some items will spill into the second week. If the internet or your work equipment fails on day two, you still have most of the week to fix it before work depends on it. Keep the review on day seven short. Write three lines: what is working, what is not, and what you need to buy or ask. Those three lines become the starting point for the next week.