Table of Contents
Have a thorough look at the new place
Check out the entire property thoroughly before moving into a house. This will help you plan where to put your new recliner sofa and other belongings. You can even take the rooms’ measurements and decide what furniture size will fit them. As you prepare a mental image of the interior, you can check if the house needs any repairs. You don’t want to move into a new house and then discover that it has a number of pending repairs.
Make it safe for your children and pets
If you are moving to a new house with children and pets, you must ensure it is safe for them. From securing open doors and windows to getting rid of hazardous items, there are plenty of things to take care of. If you have a dog, make sure they do not play with packaging materials, confusing them for a chewing toy. Also, file down the sharp edges of tables, doors, and other items so your kids or pets do not hurt themselves.
Unpack in stages
You should use separate boxes to pack different categories of items. It will be easier to unpack when your clothes, electronic gadgets, medicines, and other items are packed separately. Once you arrive at the new house, start unpacking in an orderly fashion instead of opening those packages randomly. Get the essential things first, then move on to the other packages based on your priorities.
Set up utilities
The next thing on the checklist is to set up all the utilities you will need at the new house. That includes electricity, water, gas, WiFi, and others. You need to ensure that the place has easy access to all these facilities before you decide to move there. However, you may need to adjust some of those things according to your requirements. Having contact details for people who can help you set up those utilities will be better.
Invest in essential items
If you are moving to a bigger house or have decided to leave the furniture pieces at the old home, consider spending on some essential items. Furniture pieces like beds, sofas, tables, and chairs can be considered necessities. However, you should avoid buying unnecessary items that are not considered essentials. You must stick to the budget and leave some items for later.
Deep clean
You should have a thorough cleaning of the property before unpacking things. Even if the place looks clean, you should still run a deep cleaning session in every corner of the house. Do not leave any carpets, window sills, or even the ceiling. You can hire a professional team to get the deep cleaning done. Also, running through a pest control team and checking the house for potential pest infestations may be a good idea.
Learn about the neighbourhood
When you arrive at the new place, you should get acquainted with the people in the neighbourhood. Making new connections in a new place can make the transition easier. Also, if you need help setting up any utilities, you can ask for help from your neighbours. These practices will help you become a part of the community much faster.
Organise crucial documents
It is easy to lose important documents while moving to a new house. To avoid that, you should sort through papers and documents and keep the important ones in your bag. Obviously, you will have to discard a lot of papers since they will no longer be useful. But do carry academic certificates, your birth certificate, tax papers, passport, financial papers, insurance documents, government-related documents, etc., with you while moving. Don’t give them to the movers, as they may misplace it.
Stop buying groceries
If you are moving to the new place within a week, you only need groceries that will be enough to last the next 6-7 days. If you have more than what you need, you will either have to carry it with you or put it in the bin. So, it is better to stop buying groceries once you are only a week away from the moving date. Try to use all the remaining fruits, vegetables, and cereals to prepare meals so that there is no waste.
Disconnect and pack the appliances
While you can pack most of your electronic gadgets in a box, you need more time to disconnect and prepare the large appliances for shifting. You cannot just pull the plug and pack them in a box. Defrosting, cleaning, and packaging appliances like refrigerators, air conditioners, and washing machines take a lot more time and care. Also, you should consider taking pictures of the connections and settings of these appliances before pulling the plugs. This will help you set up these appliances in your new home more efficiently.
Check your rooms before moving out
Before you lock the house and leave, you should take a thorough look at all the rooms and see if you are leaving something important behind. It is also recommended to check the cupboards, shelves, and drawers to ensure you have not missed any important things while packing. Lastly, ensure all the switches are turned off when you walk out and lock the old house.
Inspect goods for damages
There are plenty of things to look after once you reach the new place. While some of those things can wait, you do need to check the goods that you brought to the place when the movers are still there. If you find damages to your goods or some of the items go missing, you can directly speak to the movers and file for an insurance claim. Apart from checking the physical conditions of the goods, you should also plug in your appliances and see if they are working properly.
Update your address
Once you have settled, you need to update your address on all the necessary documents and inform major service providers. This means you need to visit the banks, financial firms, utility providers, post offices, vehicle licensing agency, and more. You also need to update your address details on the eCommerce websites you use. Of course, the first few days will be hectic as you need to move from one service provider to the next. But once it is done, you won’t have to worry about returning to the old address to collect a crucial document or courier.
Conclusion
Moving to a new house can be challenging, but you can easily navigate this phase with a plan. Keep your priorities straight and follow the tips above for a smooth transition.
