10 Important Things To Do Before Moving Into a New House

Moving to a new home is both an exciting and daunting prospect. The big change of moving to a new home brings with it a lot of important things to do before moving in. This will ensure your first weeks in the new property are happy ones.

Moving requires a lot of organization, with things that need to be done that you might not have considered. We review some of the tasks that can get forgotten in the excitement of a new home and a fresh start and created a “moving to a new house checklist.”

Things to Do Before Moving Into a New House

1. Transferring Utilities

Two to three weeks before your moving day, you need to organize your utilities. You’ll want to make sure you aren’t left without electricity or other utilities once you’ve moved your furniture in.

Utility companies will need some advance notice to schedule an appointment to install their service at your new home. If you are moving at a busy time in real estate you need to do this earlier as they will have more demand from other customers. Plus, it’ll give you an opportunity to find and compare the best electricity rates.

2. Connect TV and Internet Services

Just as your utilities are going to be essential in your new home, you don’t want to be left without internet or TV for weeks when you move especially if you work from home. That’s why at the top of your list for “things to do before moving” should be connecting these services.

While you might be happy with your current provider, take this opportunity to check out what other options are available. You might find that you can make a good saving by switching to another provider. It is pretty easy to compare your options online before your move, so you find a service that best suits your needs and your budget. Like the utilities, you should get this completed two to three weeks before moving day.

3. Updating Your Address

You will have a lot of companies that will need to be notified of your change of address. If you miss some of these or leave it too late, you could find things go missing, delayed, or unnecessary costs. So it should be at the top of your list of things to do before moving.

Your bank and credit card providers, along with insurance companies you have policies with, will need to be informed of your new address. Your driver’s license will need to be updated with your new address, though a trip to the DMV might be avoided if you can update online.

Then there are all the other companies that you have given your address to. Make a list and go through it. You should make sure your mail is forwarded by filling out a change of address form with the USPS. This oftentimes can be easily be done online or at a post office.

4. Make Repairs

If you know there are some repairs needed on your new home, it is better to get the work completed before you move in if possible. The home inspection might have uncovered some minor issues that aren’t going to be the responsibility of the seller, and you will need to take care of them.

Perhaps, you know that some things should be fixed, and if you leave them until you have moved in, they might never be addressed. If it will require removing your stuff from a room, it is easy to put off doing these repairs. So this is one of the many things to do before moving and it should be at the top of your list.

5. Painting

If you want to change the colors the previous owner chose or have an accent wall painted, it is better to have this completed before you move your belongings. This avoids you needing to move your furniture again, and will be easier for you or your contractor.

You also won’t have to put up with the toxic paint smell or the hassle of having a contractor in your home. If you have the option of doing this before moving day, you should take it.

6. Carpet Installation

New carpets will off-gas toxic chemicals used in their manufacture after installation. So to avoid being exposed to these toxic chemicals you should have carpets installed prior to moving in. It will also make your life easier without the need to move all your furniture again.

There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to moving and here are 10 important things to do before moving into your new house. #moving Click to Tweet

7. Hire a Cleaning Crew

Additional things to do before moving is hiring all of the necessary cleaning people. You will want to make sure your new home is spotlessly clean before you move in. While the seller might have done some cleaning, likely, they won’t have done a thorough deep clean of the home.

Hire a cleaning crew to clean every part of your new home. They will have the experience to clean the property so that it looks new, which will improve your experience of living in the home.

If you aren’t replacing the carpets you may have to hire a carpet cleaning company. They will have a machine that does hot water extraction carpet cleaning. This method, often incorrectly referred to as steam cleaning, sprays hot water along with cleaning solution into the carpet before sucking it back into the machine. This removes most of the dirt and is recommended by carpet manufacturers.

8. HVAC Servicing

You’ll want to make sure your air conditioning and heating system is working correctly. Filters may need replacing, lines could need flushing, or evaporator coils cleaned on your AC unit. Odds are you already know what needs to be addressed from your home inspection. However, it never hurts to have an AC technician take another look to sort out any problems before you move in.

9. Change Batteries

Keep your family safe by replacing the batteries in smoke detectors. Check that they work by lighting some matches or use a smoke test aerosol for every sensor. While you can certainly replace them as needed sometimes it’s easier to replace all of them prior to moving in to make sure they’re working properly.

10. Creating a Homeowners Journal

A homeowners journal is one of the many things to do before moving. It will make sure you keep all the important documents and information somewhere you can find it. Prepare a ring binder with dividers so that you can file information for each part of the home.

Store manuals, permits, warranties, receipts, and service records for items in the home. For example, whether you have a new roof or you have documents for the one already installed, if they are in the binder, you can easily find information/warranties when needed.

It will also be a good place to put fabric and paint choices so they can be matched later. You can store contact details for contractors and service engineers in the binder as well. Put your insurance information in there so that you can lay your hands on it when you need it.

Final Thoughts

There are a lot of important things to do before moving to a new house, but there are also things that need to be done during and after too. People who think they’re organized quickly realize they may not be as organized as they thought. This is why it’s always wise to have a moving checklist, which is sure to eliminate unnecessary stress.

You can either have one big checklist or multiple checklists broken down to before, during, and after the move. Creating a moving into your first house checklist will not only remove stress but it can make things move a lot faster and smoother.

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There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to moving and here are 10 important things to do before moving into your new house. #moving Click to Tweet

About the Author

Top Wellington Realtor, Michelle Gibson, wrote: “10 Important Things To Do Before Moving Into a New House”

Michelle has been specializing in residential real estate since 2001 throughout Wellington Florida and the surrounding area. Whether you’re looking to buy, sell or rent she will guide you through the entire real estate transaction. If you’re ready to put Michelle’s knowledge and expertise to work for you and make a move to Wellington call or e-mail her today.

Areas of service include Wellington, Lake Worth, Royal Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, West Palm Beach, Loxahatchee, Greenacres, and more.

10 Important Things To Do Before Moving Into a New House