Moving to a New Home

What Are the Most Important Things to Do When Moving Into a New Home?

You might be wondering what the most important things to do are after you relocate. Once you move in, you get the exciting opportunity to forget all the past mistakes and start a different chapter. We understand that you might feel exhausted from all the hard work that’s been going on since the beginning of your move. That’s why we made a list that will help you stay focused and organized by knowing what to do when moving into a new home. From securing and inspecting to unpacking and meeting your neighbors, you will find useful information about every step you should take.

Check Out the Neighborhood and Make Some Friends

The question that often occurs is what do I need to do when moving to a new neighborhood? If you are informed about rent prices, business opportunities, and good schools in the area, it is significant to know how to make friends in a new state. Once you are finally settled in your neighborhood, you might start feeling relocation depression, especially if you are lonely. Don’t let this happen and try to make some friends. They can give you some useful tips on great places in the area, advise you on where the best places to shop are, and maybe even accompany you to some local events.

1. Inspect the Whole Place and Make an Inventory List Before You Change or Move Anything

You may be wondering: What is the first thing to do when moving into a new house? Our advice is to walk through every room and hallway, inspecting every detail and noting it all on paper (taking pictures with your phone would be even better). This is important if you notice any damage to the floors, walls, or furniture. Also, compare every part of your contract with the actual household inventory list – for example, if a washing machine was included in your deal, make sure it is still there and working correctly. You don’t want owners to blame you for any of the previous tenants’ damage just because you decided to sign a contract without inspecting the place. With that said, check if switches, outlets, and fixtures are in working order.

Change Your Locks and Secure The Place

You should think about the security of your apartment before having any unpleasant surprises. That’s why we strongly recommend that you change all of the locks as soon as you can – this is one of the main tips for stress-free moving. You don’t have to worry knowing that some of the previous owners may have made an extra copy of keys for their friends or partners. If you do this in advance, you can feel completely peaceful and comfortable knowing that you and your family are safe.

Check out this video for tips on important stuff to inspect in a house.

2. Check if All of the Items Got There and Unpack the Essentials

If you want to know what to buy when moving into a new home, you should probably check if everything from your packing list got there in the first place. Moving essentials are usually items you use daily, such as clean clothes, toothbrushes, and other hygiene items. If you didn’t want to bring half-empty bottles of shampoo, you should buy this first.

3. Locate the Fuse Box and Main Water Valve if Possible

If anything in your new place is potentially harmful or you notice any potential hazards, make sure to child-proof and pet-proof it immediately. You should locate water and electricity sources as soon as you move in and secure them as well. It is good to be aware of any potential leaks and prevent them. If the power goes out at any time, you should know what and where to check first.

Set up Utilities and Change Your Home Address

Getting organized to move includes changing your address and all of the utilities. You should fill out the official USPS “change of address form” in advance once you decide the time of your move. Utilities in your house should also be transferred to your name. Consider making some arrangements if you need additional utilities like the internet or phone.

4. Clean Before Setting Up Furniture and Unpacking

How clean should a new house be before moving in? In most cases, the previous tenants or owners will leave it in good condition for the newcomers, but it won’t do any harm if you do a deep cleaning before setting everything up on the move-in day. This could also be helpful if you didn’t have time to inspect everything properly – during the cleaning process, you will check every detail and make sure everything is in order. If anything needs to be repaired, this would also a great time to do that. For example, you don’t want to set up your kitchen appliances and then find out that some of the main outlets there don’t work. You’ll need extra time to move everything, repair the outlets, clean, and put everything back in the right place.

Recycle Moving Boxes and Other Packing Materials

You maybe haven’t thought this through, but after you unpack all of your belongings, you will have a bunch of packing paper for moving and other materials for packaging fragile items lying around your floors. From boxes and plastic wrap to any other supplies you used to secure your items, it would be a waste to throw it all away, especially if it’s still in good and usable condition. Maybe you don’t have enough storage room or garage space to keep it all there, but this might be an excellent opportunity to do something for the environment. Consider recycling all of the excesses or giving it to someone else who’s planning a move.

5. Hire an Efficient Cross-Country Moving Company When Moving to a New Home

The best way to handle your move successfully is to hire professional cross-country movers. Moving across the country can be much more comfortable with dedicated long-distance movers who are specially trained to answer all of your needs and requirements. We recommend that you do research on long-distance moving services and see if anything works for you. Cross country moving services usually include insurance, so you can feel comfortable knowing that all of your possessions will be secure during transportation. If you need packing services or additional packing supplies, or even storage facilities, you will be surprised by the advantages of hiring a professional cross-country moving company. If you need auto transport for your long-distance move, that can also be arranged.  You may want to know the estimated price of services you might need when moving interstate. Companies usually give you a free quote of your potential expenses, so you can see that they are trustworthy and reliable. At the end of the process, you should take some time to write a review if you are pleased with the services.