So you’ve come to that part of your life when you’re finally moving places. Whether it’s just for a mere change of environment or a step towards your independence, or starting a family, moving to a new place is a big step. It also comes with its perks and of course, responsibilities.
Checklist of What to Do When Moving to a New House or Apartment
It is not unusual for a person to move from one place to another. It doesn’t make it easier, though, as there are a lot of things to take care of when you find yourself changing places, and you might feel overwhelmed with how much you should do. Read our checklist in order not to forget anything when moving to a new place.
Find your dream house
First, make a list of what you’re looking for. Think about things like location, size, amenities, and budget. This will help you narrow down your search and make it easier to find the perfect accommodation.
If you’re looking for properties for rent, a great place to start is online property search websites such as Renthero. They have a wide range of listings for both short-term and long-term rentals in England.
Move to a Clean Space
No one wants to move into a dirty place, no matter how cheap the rent or beautiful the neighbourhood is. But, of course, not everyone has the time to clean out their new living corner, so assistance in clearing out the space, such as that of Richmond Cleaning Services can always be hired.
Cleaning your space will also let you discover nooks and crannies that you can use to put your things in when you finally move in. As you clean, you will also be well-acquainted with your floor plan and where you will want to put your favourite couch or your hamper. You can even decide whether you need to improve some parts of your new home.
Carefully Organise Your Stuff
All your important things like your documents, may it be your birth certificate, passport, diploma, and other significant papers should be thoroughly assembled in a safe folder. Other valuable or fragile items like jewellery and figurines should also be placed in a box dedicated to those groups of items.
The box should be labelled and, preferably, systematically arranged in order for you to be able to check it when your moving-in date comes. It’s also advisable that you take pictures of all of your items before you move so that when you transfer, you can check your pictures and be sure that everything is delivered to your new place.
Activate Your Utilities
Notify your provider before you move in so they know when they should activate your utilities such as:
- Water
- Gas
- Electricity
- Internet
You may not have a say in who your provider will be since it will also depend on your new house’s location, but it’s better to be prepared, so you don’t get to move in a place that’s void of any of your essential needs.
Be Sure to Update Your Address
To keep your letters, subscriptions, and important bills such as that of your bank or insurance, make sure to change your address to the new one. It will also save you the inconvenience of lost documents or contacts that may be important.
Inform Your Boss
Moving in is rarely a one-day activity as sometimes you still have to wait on other people or services to make sure you have everything you need to start your life in your new space. The average time to move house is estimated to be about 6-10 weeks. If you have an employer who will be affected by your move, make sure to tell him the details of your transfer, so he isn’t surprised with you needing time out of your daily job obligations.
It not only begs for their understanding in advance but will also save you the trouble of explaining to him why you need to be absent and reduces the stress of your already stressful move.
Schedule Packing and Unpacking
Before your official move-in date, it’s best to have everything packed and ready, so you don’t fall into the pit of packing in a hurry and forgetting a lot of things from your old home. It’s always a bother to travel from your new place or ship from your old space to retrieve whatever stuff you forgot. You can ask for help from your family and friends and even ask them then if they’re willing to help you unpack in your new place as well.
Get Familiar with Your New Space
With 17.4% of people wanting to have a better place than the one they moved in, you should be careful in choosing your new home. As you come to your new home, you should know where the circuit-breaker, the valves, the pipes, the smoke detectors are, and anything else that needs to be checked to prevent dangerous incidents. At this same time, you should also make a home maintenance checklist so it’ll be easier to go through your systems next time.
