It is very important to make a new home checklist when you are planning to move. There are many things to do before moving and many more once you moved to a new home. Of course, the new home journey can be overwhelming.
But, when you didn’t plan properly, it can be exhausting as well. You will be in excitement to start a new life but you will never know that you need lifetime preparation for making this move a smooth transformation.
You need to stay organized and make all the important to do things in a checklist. Even though you will be busy on that big day, take time to check all the important things.
Table of Contents
#1, The New Home Checklist: part 1
There are two main parts of the checklist. One is pre-move essentials and the other is post-move essentials. Before even you move, you need to take care of several things. These are considered as pre-move essentials. Let us look into a few of the pre-move essentials.
#2, Transferring Utilities
Before even you think of moving to a new place, it is very important to take care of physical utilities in the new place. It can be electricity, gas, and water. Even though these are taken into consideration by utility companies, it is very important to check all of these before you move in. In case if they are not timely, then you need to do your job of reminding them.
#3, Internet and TV connections
Without the internet, space will be like a dead zone. Before moving into a place makes sure the internet and TV are working fine. It is very important to do your homework about pricing and the service providers available in that place. After choosing the right plan and service provider, you need to schedule the installation at least a week before you move. This will help in making sure all the services are activated before you move and promptly.
#4, Address Updates
In the majority of the cases, people forget that their address is connected with many other aspects. They don’t think about his before moving and miss out on all their mails. You need to update your address in important parts like credit card and to the bank. It can be checkbooks or insurance, always make sure everything is pointing to the new address.
#5 ,Documents Collection
Before starting any other packing, you need to check and gather all the important documents in your cabinet. Organize all the certificates, medical records, social security cards, and insurance policies. Even though they may not be required for moving in, you have to carry them along with you. So, gather all your important documents without missing anything in your old place.
#6, Valuable Items
Always have a gallery of important and valuable items in your house. This will help even in the future. When moving, you need to have a list of valuable items that should be moved along with their photos. It can be an antique mirror or your monitor. Everything is important and when you make a gallery of these items, they will be in your record. Even though you have booked a professional company, accidents are unpredictable. So, this record will help in tracking all the valuable items moved.
#7,Researching Necessities
There are many things to research in new surroundings. You will need a doctor nearby and a store for your groceries. It can be anything from a spa to a hairdresser. You have to enquire about all types of local businesses in your new area. You need not go and enquire about all these by yourself. You can easily depend on apps for searching for all the local businesses nearby.
#8,Ask Leisure
You may need at least 4-7 days off from your work. You need to check with your employer and request they leave priory. You need to spend time unpacking things and get to know about the new place. If you try to work and manage all these things, you will get tired and exhausted. So, even though you have some helping hand at home, it is very important to take off for a few days till you get settled in the new place.
#9,Cleaning
You have to plan for cleaning the new place. Schedule this at least two days before moving. When you are moving, make sure that the new place is ready for unpacking. If you schedule the cleaning after moving, then you will find it hard. Once the house is ready, then you can move and the unpacking goes smoothly in the cleaned place.
#10,Scheduling for home improvements
Repair, cleaning, and alterations are part of moving in. There is nothing to get panic about all these. The repair work may come on you or you can request it with the previous owner. You can also give it in the hands of the Property Management Company. It all depends on how you talk about it but repairs and alterations are necessary for every home. The only thing you need to make sure is, everything is done before you move to the new place.
#11, Packing preparations
You may have many things in your house which are unnecessary. Anyway, you have decided to move now and start donating the things which are not needed when you are packing. You will check out all the things when packing so it will not be difficult to decide if something is necessary or not when packing. You need not spend too much on boxes. You can ask the local store for free boxes. For a few items, you can make use of the existing bags and boxes in your house. You can make use of a laundry bin, large bags in your cupboard, and suitcases. There is one thing you need to pack and that is food. Yes, you have to keep separate luggage which contains all the necessary items like water, snacks, clothes, and fruits for 24 hours.
#12, The New Home Checklist: Part 2
Now, you are ready to move. You have to start planning things about your post-move essentials as well. Once you move, you will have hundreds of things to execute along with unpacking. So, you have to be clear about post-move essentials as well.
Consider this checklist as the second part of your move.
#13, Plan unpack
Unpacking can be tiresome. So, you need help with this and you can recruit your friends and family for helping you with unpacking. In some cases, unpacking can take a few days. So, you can make it smoother by requesting some helping hands. You should have perfect and logical plans for unpacking. You can start with the kitchen and then end in the living room. Have a perfect plan and you can number the boxes accordingly.
#14, Check the locks
You will not know about what the previous owner has done with keys. Either you can hire a locksmith to check everything or you can reinstall them. It is better to be safe and sure than sorry. So, if you are not comfortable with the existing locks, then you can change everything.
#15, Have a check on shut-off valves
There will be one or another situation where you may have to shut-off water valves. So, you need to have all the minute details about the new place and get to know about valves. There can be many cut-off points and you may have to use them for stopping the water source. So, there will be hundreds of things to get familiar with in a new place.
#16, Know the circuit-breaker
Yes, this is uncommon. But, there is no harm in getting to know about this since there will be some situations where you need to reset the circuit breaker or replace the fuse. In case if there is a power outage, there is no need to start searching in the dark. Usually, the circuit breakers will be either outdoors or in the basements. In some buildings, they will also be in hallways or storage closets.
#17, Home security system
Check for a home security system in the new home. If it is already there, then you have to update the information. In case if they have not installed in earlier, better to go for a new installation. It is important to have a home security system in place and do this as soon as possible.
#18, Have a check on smoke detectors
Smoke detector installation is very easy but it is very important to have the best system in place. This can save your family from an emergency. But there are many cases where a smoke detector failed when needed. So, always have a check on the smoke detector and make sure it is working fine.
#19, Conclusion
Above is the list of important things to be added to your checklist when you have decided to move to a new place. But there can be many more items to be added to the list. It all depends on your needs and requirements. But these basic things should be checked in and they can make your job easy and comfortable.
