Things You Need to Do Before Moving to a New Home

June 30, 2021 / Posted in Before the Move
Julie Grace

Originally from The Golden City, Julie has explored the ins and outs of moving and has written all the tips down.

We all want to make cross-country moving to a new home effortless and less stressful. Don’t worry – it is possible with good planning and organization. Knowing that an average American moves about twelve times in a lifetime could make you feel better and less anxious. However, you don’t have to neglect the fact that there will be many tasks to do. So, prepare yourself and get started.

house in suburbs on a sunny day
We all want stressless relocation, and a checklist can help you with that

However, a bit of luck can’t hurt anyone, and you can do something about it. So, if you wonder what is the luckiest day to move into a new house, the answer would be Thursday. This day is considered to be the luckiest day to move in. True, being superstitious isn’t something you should cherish, but if it’s going to make you feel less stressed about your relocating out for the first time, so be it. Have this in mind while you’re going through our guide to help you get organized and start your relocation process on the right foot.

One of the First Things to Do When Moving Into a New Home Is to Find a Reliable Long Distance Moving Company

When wondering what is the first thing to do when moving into a new house, surely it is to get organized for the move and find trustworthy long-distance movers. There are enough tasks and steps you need to take, so let the professionals take care of all long-distance moving services that will also include the packing service and insurance of your belongings? If you think you have to look for a separate auto transport company that will safely get your vehicle to your future address, you’re wrong. The best relocation companies can do both relocation and car shipping. So, start researching online for that one relocating crew and have a stress-free relocation.

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No matter your reasons for relocating, if you move for love or decided to have a fresh start and move to another state alone. One thing is sure – you have to find a relocation team that you can trust. To do that, you should first ask for recommendations from your family and friends who moved recently. Another good method is to go online and check the reviews and comments clients left on the companies websites. Don’t forget there are, unfortunately, relocation scams, so be careful and know how to recognize fake relocation reviews. And, the last step is to call more than two companies and ask for a free quote for your move. That way you can compare the prices and decide what suits you best.

Woman sitting on the floor with a laptop
Check online the reviews of the relocation companies

What to Do When Moving Into a New Home – Make a Checklist and Start With Planning the Whole Process on Time

The most important thing is to start planning early on and avoid a last-minute move. However, if you have to move in a hurry because you got an amazing job offer, everything is possible with a good organization and plan. Relocating for a job is a common reason, and you shouldn’t miss a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity because you’re afraid of relocation stress.

To have everything under control and to be constantly updated on every little task you have to do, create a list of everything related to your relocation you can remember. This way, you won’t lose track of time, and everything will be done correctly. This is one of the relocation tips that will ease the whole process for you and help you avoid relocation mistakes people tend to make without a checklist of tasks.

A to-do list on a calendar
We can't remember every task, so it's best to use a checklist

Check Your Future Neighborhood When Moving to a New Home

The place you’ll call home should satisfy all of your needs, no matter if you’re wondering how to get a job before relocating, or you’re relocating with family and want them to have all they need. Visiting your new house before the relocation day is a great way to ensure there’s everything you want and like. However, it can be difficult and quite expensive, depending on how far you’re relocating. Luckily, you can use the internet, check everything you want on the city’s site, or just go on Google Maps.

This whole process could be quite hard for some people, especially when dealing with saying goodbye to your friends and family. On the other hand, you have to keep in mind your goal and the reason you’re relocating. This will encourage you to move forward, and in the end, you’ll get to meet your future neighbors. You never know when or how you can meet your future BFF.

Check and Ensure the Place Has Everything You Need

So, if you can’t visit your future place in person, the internet got you covered. If you’re relocating with kids, be sure to check if a neighborhood has a good school district and explore if a place is family-friendly. A similar thing stands for the scenario if you’re relocating with pets. Be sure there are enough greenery and parks where you can take your furry friends for a walk.

Bird's eye view of houses
Nowadays the internet can help you with many stuff

Some Things to Do Before the Relocation Day That People Often Forget

The relocation process requires a lot of time and energy since you need to do many things. In the whole chaos, you can easily forget some crucial steps that can cause more significant problems as relocation progresses. With a list of every step, it will be much harder to forget something, so here are steps you should take before the relocation:

Plan the Budget and How Much You’ll Need for a Relocation

After you decided where you should move, the best thing to do is to set your budget. It might seem like the most obvious step in the relocation process, but with so many worries and tasks you have to finish, it can slip your mind to actually figure out how much money you’ll need. This is a step you can’t avoid if you’re planning to move out of state on a budget. So, take some time to remember all the services you’ll have to pay, how much is the cost of living in your future city, and similar stuff. Don’t forget to have some cash with you when the relocation crew comes to load your boxes into the truck because you’ll probably have to tip movers.

Know Some Useful Packing Tips and Be Prepared to Pack Like a Pro

The most tedious part of the relocation is indeed protecting and packing your belongings. However, with proper tips on packing easily, you’ll be finished in no time. It’s best to start with decluttering your house room by room. Set aside everything you don’t use anymore, give it away to charities on the website Goodwill or sell them in the garage sale. That way, you’ll have so much fewer items to pack and unpack as well.

After the decluttering part comes the actual packing. The same method you can apply as you did with the decluttering – do it room by room and remember to label the boxes. This is a nifty trick to use because you’ll know exactly what item is in what box when you start unpacking.

Gather All Important Documents and Organized Them

Having all important documents organized and in one place is essential when relocating. Don’t wait until the last minute to gather them in one place and safely protect them because you surely won’t deal with this task when professional movers come to pick up your boxes. So, collect documents like medical and school records, driver’s license, and insurance in one pile and put them in a protective plastic pouch. For more fantastic tips, watch the video below.

Set Up Utilities and Ensure They Will Be Turned on Once You Move In

No one wants to be in the apartment without electricity, water, or heat, especially if relocating in winter. So, make room for calling utility providers on your checklist and arranging to transfer utilities before you move. Contact each company by phone or online and let them know you’re changing your address. Ask them if you can just transfer the utilities, or you have to turn them off. In case they have to be turned off, you’ll have to check with companies one week before moving if everything will be turned on in your future home and turned off in the old one.

A hanging turned on the bulb
Call utility providers two weeks before the relocation

Inspect and Clean Every Corner of the Future Place

Even though your new place had a deep clean once put on sale, the cleaning part is essential. So it’s best if you clean it yourself. If you can’t visit your home before the move, you can clean it afterward, so don’t worry. When cross-country movers unload your boxes, don’t start unpacking right away, but take a look at every corner of a place and start cleaning. You can pack a bag with just cleaning supplies and have it with you, so you don’t have to look for that one specific box in the truck.

Another important thing to add to your list is to clean your old place, too. You should leave it in the same condition as you found when you moved in.

Pro Tips – First Clean and Then Unpack

The most upsetting thing in this whole process would be cleaning the same place twice. You will be tired from the move, and you’ll put your last atoms of energy to clean the place, right? But, what about all that dust that will come from each box you put in the room? That’s why you should leave the floors for after packing. After you unpack and put aside packing materials, start wiping the floors, and dust won’t be your greatest enemy.

A man and a child cleaning the floor
Don't skip the cleaning part

Steps You Shouldn’t Avoid After You Move In

Once you organized your move and you’re sure there is nothing left behind, give yourself some relaxing moment to think about your future life and what to buy when moving into a new home. However, remember that there are still some tasks you should do after the move. Let’s see those tasks and how to get them done:

  • Replace locks on the front doors – this is something you can do after the move and unpacking.
  • Change your address – you can change the address by going online on the USPS website,
  • Update your driver’s license and car registration – you can also do it online, and it will be done in a few seconds,
  • Baby-proof the place – if relocating with a newborn or relocating while pregnant, you should babyproof your place.
  • Check security and smoke detectors – although it is listed last, it doesn’t mean it’s not essential. So, as soon as you move, do this step and feel secure.

After everything you had to to make this relocation successful, you deserve some rest. So, as soon as you mark all of your tasks as completed, start enjoying your place. In the beginning, it can be challenging, but give yourself time to adjust to the change and embrace all opportunities this adventure offers you.

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