- Make your move to a new living space easier with the help of a handy moving to a new house checklist. It’s not only psychologically satisfying to cross off items you’ve accomplished, but having a to-do list also saves time and energy and relieves anxiety. Moving to a new home is one of life’s most stressful events. Make it less stressful by being prepared and knowing what needs to be done before, during, and after the big move.
1. Packing for the Move
Take your time and begin packing many weeks ahead of time, if you can. Your professional Greenville moving company may offer efficient packing services and specialized boxes that will go a long way toward relieving anxiety and saving you loads of time. Wardrobe boxes, for instance, make closet moves a cinch!
2. “Open First” Boxes
Be sure to store the essentials you’ll need when you first arrive at your new home. Pack items like cleaning supplies, eating utensils and pots, bed sheets, toilet paper, and towels in a few boxes and label them “Open Me First.” You’ll be happy to have the things you need to help you get through that first evening without hunting down soaps and paper towels.
3. Notify Utility Companies
As soon as you know the date you’re moving, call the utility companies on both ends of your move to schedule a service switch. You may need to make a few calls to separate electric, gas, phone, cable, and other companies. You won’t want to be charged for services after you’ve moved out, and you do want utilities in place when the moving truck pulls up to your new home.
4. Place Child and Pet Safety on the Moving to a New House Checklist
If you have young children, hire a babysitter for moving day or set up an overnight stay with friends or relatives. Your dog or cat needs a safe place to stay, too, during the mayhem and confusion that accompanies moving. Consider pet daycare for a day or two while you get things in order.
5. Notify Everyone of Your Address Change
This sounds like a no-brainer, but letting everyone know that you’ve moved and providing the new address can often be overlooked. You may forget to inform some important companies or service providers. Don’t forget to pass on your new home address to:
- Loan providers
- Credit card companies
- Banks
- Payroll management at work
- Newspaper and magazine subscriptions
- Family and friends
- Any online deliveries you receive on a regular basis
- The post office (ask them to forward your mail for up to one year)
- Insurance companies, including auto insurers, especially if moving out of state
6. Safety First
Your furniture and boxes are all in place, but there are still things to do before you begin unpacking or taking a nap.
- Test all of the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. If they’re not working, you may just need to pop in a new battery. Otherwise, you might have to run out and replace a non-working detector.
- If there aren’t already fire extinguishers in the home, purchase one for each floor of the house.
- Hire a locksmith to come over on moving day to change all of the entry locks. Get a couple of extra keys to hide or to have for service people who may need entry to your home.
- Reprogram those garage door openers!
- Find where the home’s main circuit breaker, water shut-off valve, and gas shut-off valves are located.
7. Take Some Photos
While you’re checking the location of the safety valves, look at the electricity, gas, and water meters around the home. Take a quick photo of the reading on these meters, in case a dispute arises concerning your first bill of usage or to determine whether there’s a water leak.
8. Inspect Like a Detective
Take a good, close look in every corner of your new home, including the outdoor spaces. Use a magnifying glass to really inspect things. Look closely at rugs for any insect infestations and at corners of walls for signs of water damage.
9. Label Items
Whether the home has a fuse box or circuit breakers, if they’re not labeled as to which rooms they control, now’s the time to get that done. Identify and label each circuit breaker; you may find the previous owner has gotten them wrong.
10. Childproofing
If you have little ones running about the house, one of the first things you’ll want to do is childproof your new home. Begin with the nursery, bathroom, and other rooms in which your child will be spending the most time. The easiest items to put into place are outlet protectors, but there are plenty of other safety issues to consider when childproofing your home.
11. Motor Vehicle Issues
If you’ve moved out of state, don’t neglect registering your vehicle in your new state and transferring your driver’s license. Most states have a strict deadline for accomplishing these tasks, so check with your local DMV office as soon as possible after making your move.
12. Get Some Privacy
It’s likely that the previous owners or renters of your new living quarters took some or all of the window treatments with them. If there are any bare windows, especially in a bedroom or bathroom, you’ll want to at least put up some temporary shades. You can quickly tack up some bed sheets or use temporary paper shades from a hardware store to get the privacy you need before committing to purchasing the window treatments you want.
13. Meet Your Neighbors
Although you may have some friendly neighbors who stop by to welcome you to the neighborhood, remember that you can be proactive and go to them first. After all, if you’re unfamiliar with the area, you’ll want some guidance about places to dine and shop, local activities, and physician recommendations, and this will also give you an opportunity to meet new friends.
You’re Home Now!
Finally, it’s time to celebrate your accomplishments by relaxing with your favorite beverage in hand. Sure, there’s still plenty of work ahead with dozens of boxes to unpack. For now, though, you can breathe a sigh of relief that you’ve thought ahead to prepare that moving to a new house checklist, and it’s all done.
