Things to Consider When Moving to a New Home

Hey people, how was your weekend? Mine was restful and I had time to finish today’s post. I had wanted to share it some weeks back but for some reason it was left in my draft until a friend of mine who just got a house buzzed me few days ago and said she needed some tips as she is finding it almost exhausting moving to her new place so, I promised to share and I hope you did find it helpful!

Truth be told, moving into a new home can be overwhelming but at the same time exciting knowing that your new home will soon bring you all the joy, space and privacy you hoped for. What makes moving stressful basically is the million and one thing to remember. If adequate planning and preparation is not made, you will end up more exhausted than envisaged.

Here’s a checklist to guide you while moving to a new home:

Organize

-          Once you know the date you are moving, start making arrangement for transportation; trailer, pickup, van or your car, etc. Are you hiring for a fee, is a friend lending his/her own? And if you are using your car, is it in good shape?

-          Plan meals for the remaining days/weeks before you move and ensure you clean up your refrigerator to avoid soiling precious items with leftovers

-          Take a look at what your new home needs before moving in. Does your new home need carpet or tiles? Does it need some paintings, cabinet fixing or other major work? Doing these preliminary changes before moving in can save you a lot of work later on

-          Hire someone to clean up the new home before you move in
-      Have a rough idea where your furniture and every other belongings are going to be before you move in. This will reduce the stress and speed up the moving process on the day

-          Check water sources, plumbing, electric wiring, metre box, etc. Ensure they are working and within reach

-          Don’t forget to tell your children well in advance. Notify the old school and make arrangement for a new school

-          Ensure you collect all your spare keys and keep ready for the landlord.

Packing and Storage

-          Start early enough to pack everything you will need. Begin with infrequently used items, this is also the time to throw away the “junks” Trust me, it will save you some money!

-          Pack the essentials close to the moving date. Ensure you keep a storage box for your personal and financial records. For example, cheque book, certificates, passports, family albums, etc. You will not want to look for that special family photo when you get to the new house!

-          Do not forget food storage for at least, the first few days in the new home until you are able to locate the closest grocery store.

Services to Cancel/Transfer

-          As you leave the old home for another, be a good citizen, pay up your electricity bills! You will not want another tenant to incur all that bill do you? For those using a pre-paid subscription, you have the option of transferring the service to your new home or leaving the card for the new owner if the meter is not bought by you but ensure you are not transferring the bills as earlier mentioned!

-          Ensure to cancel subscriptions such as gym membership, delivery services, etc

-          Let your doctor know you are moving and register with a new one. When it comes to medical care, proximity is key!        

Moving day

-          It may amaze you to know that a day isn't enough for moving. It would be nice to take some days off work to enable you move and settle in smoothly in your new home!

-          Moving to a new home can be stressful for kids. Get someone to look after them for the day to let you move in first, unless they are grown up enough to help out.

-          Make copies of keys prior to moving day, at least enough so that you and your movers aren’t locked out on moving day, just in case!

-          Conduct final cleaning and dispose of trash. 

-          Turn off switches

-          Lock all doors and windows

-      Hand over all the keys to the landlord. If the new tenant decides to change all the keys, let it be their own discretion.

-          Make sure you have cash to tip movers/friends/family members that helped with the moving. Treat them right when you are done, if not you may end up friendless afterwards!

Change of Address

-          Not everyone will know straight away that you have moved and there is every chance that you may forget to tell someone important, like: 
Banks/Financial Institution
Family & Friends
Church members
Neighbors
Place of work
Schools
Doctors
Customers/Clients
Subscriptions
Association/Professional bodies

I know this is a long list to read but hey, don't forget to thank me later!

Photo credit: Google