Not-So-Obvious Things to Do When Moving to a New Home

You’ve bought your dream home and the countdown is on to move in. You have many checklists for all the tasks ahead, including packing and organizing. There might be some things you have forgotten or hadn’t thought of. We’ve listed some not-so-obvious tips for moving to help your move from one house to the other more seamless.

Turn on the lights. That is, set up a date to turn on the electricity, gas, and water. The same goes for phone, cable, and internet services.  You don’t want to move in and find yourself in the dark or cold the first night. If you’re moving locally and using the same utility companies, it will be as easy as transferring your accounts between addresses.  If you’re moving further away, don’t forget to cancel utilities and services at your old house.

Once you get the keys to your new home, get rid of them. You never know who has a copy of the former homeowner’s key, so for safety’s sake, it’s best to change the locks. That will be one of the first things you should do after the closing. Similarly, change the keycodes to garage doors or gates.

Provide a change of address. What used to be a real hassle is easier in the digital age: informing people that you’ve moved. While it can be done online or through email, the trick is to remember everyone who needs to know. Aside from friends and family, make sure you notify your bank (order new checks, too!), credit card companies, subscriptions, insurance provider, employer, and any other company or organization that communicates with you by mail. And the post office! Make sure you submit a forwarding address to the U.S. Postal Service.

Test the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Don’t trust that the batteries are in working order; you don’t know how long it’s been since they were changed. Install detectors where there aren’t any.

Clean while the new house is empty. Chances are, floors have merely been swept and the counters wiped down. Carpets might not even have been vacuumed. If you don’t have time to do a deep clean yourself before boxes and furniture fill up the rooms, hire a cleaning service. Paying for the convenience will be worth it when you’re moving into a freshly cleaned home.

Make repairs. Look around at the minor fixes you want done before you move into your new home because those are the things you’re likely to put off once life gets busy. This is another opportunity to pay someone else to do the work if you can.

Make sure your new home is covered. By insurance. Transfer your policy to the new home. If you’re moving into your home from a rental, your insurance broker can help you with purchasing homeowners insurance.

Schedule your move for a Friday. You can bet Fridays are a popular moving day because it gives you the weekend to unpack, run errands, and start to settle in. No matter which day you move, don’t forget to request at least one day off from work.

What’s your favorite moving tip? Tag us on Twitter or post a photo and tag our Facebook page to let us know what should be added to our list!