Whenever you move, you’re leaving a familiar environment and entering a new one. This transition can sometimes be overwhelming, especially when you’re used to living in your house.
On one hand, however, it’s an opportunity to start fresh, transform your living space, and establish roots in a new location. On the other hand, the rush of unpacking boxes and settling in can make you overlook essential tasks that can have massive future consequences.
Here is a deep dive into several crucial steps to ensure a seamless transition:
1. Do a Comprehensive Walk-Through
Many people barely leave their houses in mint condition when moving out. As such, take a walk around and inspect the entire home and find breakages or leaks that require to be addressed. Also, check whether the fixtures and outlets function properly. Read the manuals and warranties to get acquainted with the coverage and operation of installed household items. This is the only surefire way to settle comfortably without worrying about costly unplanned expenditures.
2. Deep Clean the Property
Even if the house looks clean, ensure everything is done perfectly and nothing is left untouched, especially the hard-to-reach areas. The previous owner may had furry critters or perhaps did the cleaning in a rush. If you or one of your family members has any pet or fur allergies, poor cleaning of the surfaces could trigger a reaction.
Furthermore, cleaning your home helps keep away cockroaches and other pests that thrive in dirty and cluttered environments. If the home is big or you don’t have enough time to do this, consider hiring cleaners.
3. Acquaint Yourself with Your New Neighbors
Interact with your neighbors and give them your contacts. A good relationship with them can help you improve your security and convenience in the neighborhood.
Furthermore, since your neighbors have likely lived in this neighborhood for long, you can always turn to them for help. They can assist you in finding grocery stores, parks, gyms, and other things you might need.
4. Update the Utility Information
Contact your local service providers and ensure that the internet, cable, and gas are in your name. This will save you from unnecessary service disruptions because of mixups or delays in updating your billing information.
When reaching out to your new service providers, be sure to mention your move-in date and updated payment details so that your billing cycle starts on time. It will also help avoid delays due to billing challenges.
5. Take Your Time to Unpack
Unpacking can be tedious if you don’t have a plan. Take time and subdivide your home into manageable unpacking zones. Proceed to unpack gradually as you transition from one room to another.
You can start with unpacking toiletries and transition to kitchen supplies and other essentials that would make your stay unbearable in the short term. Labeling your items ahead of your move makes settling in fast and easy since you can tell what every box contains without having to open it up.
6. Update Locks and Access Codes
You can’t gamble with your valuables, so consider reinforcing your new home’s security by replacing the locks or access codes to restrict unwarranted entry. Though the previous owner may have returned their keys, they may have also shared a copy with their friends or family members.
Consider checking for legal claims that can affect property ownership and cost you money through unnecessary charges like liens and judgments. Understanding the reason behind the previous owner’s decision to sell or lease the property may help you avoid legal battles down the road.
7. Handle Mail Forwarding Properly
Fill out USPS change of address forms as soon as possible to ensure you don’t experience any delays and confusion with your mail. Fundamental services, including utilities, subscriptions, and memberships, prefer mail communication for account management and even billing.
When you update your contact information, you ensure the continuity of essential services. You also avoid potential disruptions, missed opportunities, and even legal issues resulting from missing deadlines.
8. Update Crucial Legal Documents
Some states may require you to update voter, driving, and professional records. These documents act as your proof of residence and contain your address information. Punishment for failure to make these updates can range from small fines to revoking your license.
On the positive side, up-to-date information will certainly help you in case of accident reporting, enrolling your kids in schools, and accessing government relief.
9. Reverse Search the Address
If you don’t know who lived in your new house before you, you can easily find this out. By reverse searching the address on Nuwber, you will learn about previous residents and even the property itself, including the year it was built and its dwelling type and home owner probability model.
What’s more, a reverse search address will show you information about the properties within a one-mile radius. You will know how many households there are, the oldest and newest buildings in the area, and more.
10. Handle Home Insurance Needs
Your new home is likely different in size, location, and value than your former. This difference means that your existing policy won’t appropriately cover you in case of an accident. Ensure you transfer and update your policy so your new house is fully insured. Review the coverage to make sure it takes care of all the valuables and amenities in the new home.
11. Develop an Emergency Plan
If you’re moving into a neighborhood with a history of natural disasters, create an emergency evacuation plan to safeguard your family. Look around and identify secondary escape routes and potential assembly points for a fire emergency. This will also ensure that everyone in the home understands what needs to be done and avoids complications or confusion, which can be fatal.
Conclusion
Whether it’s your first time moving or not, there’s always something new to learn that can make your transition easy. With so much to do, anyone can be forgiven for failing to do everything right on time. Lucky for you, this blog post has broken down some of the essential things to ensure you settle down effortlessly.
