While moving long distance is often hectic, and we feel stressed out throughout the process, the aftermath of your cross country move doesn’t have to be. Settling down in your new home can be a complicated task, but by creating a checklist for your responsibilities, you’ll save yourself some trouble! Here we have compiled a checklist of things to do after moving with additional tips.
What To Do After Moving into a New House?
You’re probably wondering what do I need to do after I move? Well, there are several steps that you could follow to make this process much easier and less time-consuming. The following are our suggestions:
- Creating a checklist
- Checking the condition of your new home
- Setting up your utilities
- Unpacking after the move
- Cleaning
- Meeting new neighbors
Create a Checklist for the Things to Do After Moving
After you have sorted out all of previous responsibilities such as organizing your budget, finding the right moving services, and getting your possessions packed, set aside some time before the move and create a list of your overall tasks. When you finally arrive at your new home, you’ll have a lot to do, from arranging furniture to checking on your possessions and unpacking. Overall, you’ll be swamped with work. A good idea would be to have a pre-planned manageable list so that you could keep track of the tasks you have already completed and those that are to follow. A good plan will save you some time!
Assess Your New Home
Inspecting your new home should be at the top of your list. Whether you move to a house or an apartment, it is necessary to check every inch of it. You need to know if there is any damage, such as pipe leakage, or maybe the smoke detectors aren’t working. You also need to assess if the furniture that comes with your place is usable or you need to change it.
If you’re moving into a rental apartment, you’ll pay the deposit to your landlord beforehand, so a good idea would be to take pictures of the rooms and furniture as proof of their condition. There is no need to pay for damage that had already been there before you moved in.
Additionally, evaluating your home will help you get a general idea of how to organize and decorate it in the best way possible. You should also use this opportunity to check the locations of the fuse box and water valve, so you don’t end up going on a wild goose chase in case of an emergency.
Set up All of Your Utilities
Taking care of your utilities is something that you usually do before the actual move. But in case you forgot, this is the prime time to do it. You’ll get a new address, so you should inform all of your providers of your address change. You should know that sometimes, different neighborhoods have different providers, so always check online before your relocation. Remember to cancel or transfer your utilities.
You have to inform tax agencies and post offices of your address change as well. Your insurance company will also need your address as problems might arise during the move. Once you complete all of the administrative tasks, be sure to share your address with your friends and family!
On the moving day, you need to make sure that all of your utilities are working properly. You should make sure that gas, electricity, water, heating, cooling, internet, and similar are set up and running.
Unpacking Your Belongings
Unpacking is probably the most chaotic part of a relocation and takes a lot of time. Once your stuff arrives from storage, you won’t know where to start! You should try to unpack step by step. Here are some tips that you can follow:
1. Inspect Your Moving Boxes
You should always check your boxes for any damage. Usually, moving companies will compensate you for any losses if you file an insurance claim.
2. Create an Inventory List and Sort Your Boxes
The practical idea is to have an inventory checklist that will help you unpack in a more orderly fashion. In addition, the best way to organize your boxes would be to sort them according to their respective rooms. It would also be useful to label the boxes before the move to help you sort them out. If you’re not sure what the best way to mark your boxes is, here is a helpful and creative video with a few tips!
3. Unpack Your Most Needed Possessions First
Start with unpacking your most essential items first. While packing, you probably separated a box containing all of your essentials. This box usually includes documents or medication, sometimes even cleaning products. After this, you can start to unpack room by room.
Unpacking can be as bothersome as packing, so it might be useful to hire a moving company that includes packing services. No need to stress about it and waste time on unpacking!
4. Recycle the Packing Material
After you have finished unpacking, you’ll have an excess of packing material. If you’re not sure what to do with it or don’t plan on storing it for later, a good idea would be to donate it.
If you didn’t know, there are websites such as Freecycle, where you can give away your recyclable materials and contribute to the green initiative. Keep the planet clean and change the world!
Make Your New Home Fresh!
One crucial step is to clean your house before placing your furniture. Whether your home is a brand new apartment or an old house, you need to make sure that everything is clean. When unboxing, there also might be a lot of dust and garbage, so it’s just practical to clean it all up before you continue with your room arrangements.
Meet Your Neighbors
It might be useful to familiarize yourself with your surroundings. Some people are afraid to intrude, while others are friendly and will even bring over plates of freshly-baked cookies. Overall, it might be a good idea to introduce yourself to the neighborhood and make a good impression on the people next door.
We hope you find this checklist helpful once you move long distance to your new home. Best of luck on your cross country journey.
