The whole relocation process can be very time-consuming and exhausting, especially so when that moving day finally comes around. You’ve been planning the entire relocation for a long while, but it’s not over yet, there are some important things to do after the move is done. The hardest part of the moving process is done, all of your belongings have been safely transported. But, now you’ll find yourself standing in your new home, with lots of moving boxes that need to be sorted out and unpacked. Of course, if you have settled in late in the evening, you should have a snack and get some rest, but otherwise, it’s very important to have a good start for the period after the relocation is over. This is why Long Distance Moving Experts has gathered some tips for what things to do after the move is finished.
1) Check and document utilities and major appliances
It’s very important to check your new home as well as any appliances which you’ve just transported cross country. If you’ve relocated a washer, stove, or any electronics, you should first check that everything is working properly, in case something got damaged during the relocation, since the time you have to make a claim on your insurance might be limited. After sorting out the items you brought with yourself, you should check out your new home. This means checking for any damage, documenting it or any other things that you might find unusual. Don’t forget to do this especially if you’re renting the place. Lastly, make sure that all of your utilities, like water, gas, electricity, etc. are in order, and if not, do contact the necessary utility companies. You don’t want to spend your first couple of days in your new home without water or in the dark.
2) Prepare the most necessary items
Unpack the most essential of your belongings first. If you have prepared properly, all of the most important items must be in your “essentials bag.” This means everything that you’ll need in the very first couple of days, from items important for personal hygiene, diapers, and wet wipes if you have a baby, a change of clothes for all of your family members, any necessary medications, electronics, etc. Among the things to do after the move, this is very important, as your belongings might be unavailable to you for quite some time, for example, if you’ve arrived at your new residence long before your other belongings. This will make the entire process of settling in so much easier for yourself and your family.
3) Get ready for the unpacking
If you’ve just moved, it’s late in the evening, you’re exhausted from all the work and stress of relocation, you can put off unpacking for another day. But, before you begin with the unpacking, you should prepare all of the moving boxes and check all of your belongings. You should make sure that every one of your items has arrived safe and sound, and even more importantly if they’ve arrived at all. So go through your moving checklist or home inventory, if you’ve made one, and make sure all of your belongings are in the same state as when you packed them up. Like we’ve mentioned before, you might have a time limit in which you can call your insurance company and make a claim.
4) Setting up the essentials
You should take the time to assemble the most important of your furniture pieces. You can’t lie down and relax just yet, not only because you haven’t finished yet, but your furniture is disassembled as well. So the main priority when it comes to your furniture will be the beds, chairs, and the kitchen table. You shouldn’t wait till you’re already falling asleep to get all of your bedding arrangements in order. So make sure that you have a place where your family can eat and sleep before you write the rest of the moving day off. If your furniture hasn’t arrived yet, you should think outside of the box, and figure out where a good place to sleep would be.
5) Don’t forget about security
One of the most important things to do after the move is to put security among your main priorities. You should start by changing the locks in your new home, as you have no idea who might have the keys to your new house. Contact a locksmith, and get it sorted out, it shouldn’t be too expensive to get the locks changed, new keys made, and install extra security if needed. If you’re really concerned with security, you might want to have a home security system installed. Perhaps your new home already has one installed, so the security company can just activate it. Just make sure to change all of the security codes, and don’t forget to redistribute them to your family members.
6) Get linked in
After you’ve taken care of the most important things to do after the move, your belongings are ready for the unpacking, the essential items your family needs are prepared, and they have a place to eat and sleep, now you have to handle the paperwork. It’s time to start registering and getting linked in, from finding a good school for your children if you haven’t already, registering for voting, registering your vehicle, and so on, especially if you’re moving to another state. Then you should find the services and the contacts you will need to have in your new home, say, a new doctor, and a vet if you have a pet.
Hopefully, our moving tips for things to do after the move will prove helpful to you. Don’t forget that you don’t have to do everything in one day, take all the time you need to properly finish up your relocation. If you’re looking for professional movers to help you out, consider hiring Long Distance Moving Experts. We can provide you with some of the best moving services all across the United States. You should always feel free to contact us if you’d like to learn more about us. We also recommend visiting the American Moving and Storage Association’s website, to read more about moving in the US.
