Moving into a New House is exciting. There’s a certain thrill and joy it brings. Thinking about new adventures, new possibilities, and blank slates gets the creative juices flowing. But you know what isn’t exciting? Executing the move. Mundane tasks can suck the life out of creative minds.
A good checklist keeps you on track and helps you weed through the mundane. We curated this article to reference as you move into your new home so you can stay on track and free your mental capacity to dream of new possibilities while navigating the move.
Before the Move:
- Declutter: Go room-by-room, looking through every cabinet, drawer, shelf, and closet. Look under every piece of furniture and check under pillows, cushions, and mattresses for hidden treasures. Give yourself plenty of time for this process. Look at your schedule and decide which days you can dedicate to decluttering. Once your load is lighter, you can move on to the next steps!
- Professional Movers: If you plan to hire professional movers, it’s important to do this after decluttering your space. You’ll have an excellent idea of everything left that needs to be moved to your new home. Professional movers help streamline the process and take a huge mental load off. They can customize a moving package for you, so you don’t end up paying for services you don’t need. Whether you want full-service that includes packing and unpacking or want them to pull up, load up, and unload, talk through the specifics with your moving company to ensure you get a package that suits your needs.
- Utilities: We’re sure you thought of electricity, water, and internet services at your new place, but just in case you didn’t, this is your reminder that you will need running water and electricity when you show up to unload your furniture and boxes!
- Change of Address: This is a simple step that can be done online for a minimal fee. Mail sent to your old address will then be rerouted to your new address. Don’t miss any important correspondence by forgetting to change your mailing address!
Packing Tips:
- Organize, Organize, Organize! It’s time to decide how you want to organize your boxes. Will it be most helpful to organize the boxes by room or by item type (bathroom, clothes, bedding, toys, etc.)? A combination of both methods will likely work best for most people. For example, pots and pans would go in a “Kitchen” box. But it may be helpful to have a box for bathroom stuff that includes all the bathrooms in your home or an office supply box for stray pens, pencils, and paper clips as you run across them. Decide how you want to organize before you begin packing, and it will keep you from creating “doom” boxes without a specific home in your new place.
- Labeling: Label your boxes! If you have friends, family, or a moving company helping you, knowing where to take the boxes saves you a lot of stress and time.
- Take Pictures: Snap some pictures of electronic setups, wires, and anything else you have to disassemble. This will help you reassemble everything correctly.
- Essentials: Remember to pack your essentials! Even if you plan to go straight from point A to point B, ensure you have an overnight bag with hygiene items, chargers, phones, tablets, documents, etc. If you have children or pets, pack an overnight bag for them too! You will be exhausted after moving, so think ahead and prepare. Give yourself some peace of mind by being proactive.
Moving Day:
- Start Early: The earlier you start, the more time you have to navigate unforeseen circumstances. Start early and pad your schedule with time to take a breather when necessary.
- Final Walkthrough: Before closing the door for the last time, do a final walkthrough. Open every cabinet, check every shelf, and look in every drawer. Check the attic, walk through the backyard and porch, and look in the storage areas of your home and garage.
- First Aid Kit: Accidents never happen when we expect them. Headaches happen, body aches are likely, and bumps and bruises could occur. Regardless of the potential situation, it’s a good idea to keep a first aid kit handy and accessible, just in case you need it.
- Essentials: Remember to put your essentials box in an easily accessible place. Double-check to ensure you have everything you need, as well as any contracts, government IDs, insurance, etc., on hand.
Settling In:
- Unpacking: If you hired a moving company or have friends and family to help, it’s a great idea to begin unpacking while people bring boxes in from the truck. Loading and unloading are tasks anyone can do, so leave that work to your helpers and start setting up your new home immediately. The sooner your house feels like a home, the quicker you will recover, begin adjusting, and settle in.
- Home Safety: Locate the main water shut-off valve, check your smoke detectors, and change your locks so no one who lived there before you can gain access to your home.
- Meet the Neighbors: It’s time to introduce yourself to the neighborhood! Having good relationships with your neighbors is a friendly gesture and could be an excellent resource for local information and help.
Each move is unique, and the list above isn’t exhaustive. However, it will be a good starting point to get you on your way and provide some tips about things you may not have considered while preparing for your move.
AB Moving and Storage is a top-rated moving company in Dallas/Fort Worth. If you need help with your move, whether local or long-distance, full-service or DIY, we can help you get a customized service package that reflects your needs. Call us for a free quote today and experience the peace of mind the professional difference makes.
