Change is never easy, but it is inevitable. Life will always bring us to points where we have to start all over again, and sometimes moving houses can feel exactly like that.
Have you gotten a new job, or has your spouse’s job transfer landed you in a new city? Do you have a baby on the way and are looking for a bigger home?
Whatever the reason, the entire process of planning a move and getting everything you own from one home to another can cause you decision fatigue. So to help you out, this article will discuss the five most important things you need to do before moving houses.
1. Declutter your Home, Room By Room
It’s always better to prepare ahead of time and declutter your home, one room at a time. If you own things you don’t need anymore, now is the perfect time to get rid of them.
Go through your clothes and discard the ones you stopped wearing long ago. Donate or pass them down to the needy in your community. Throw away the kitchen items that are used very seldom.
Clear off your bathroom counters and medicine cabinets of all expired items. If you have time on your hands, schedule a garage sale and give away old furniture and second-hand goods before you relocate.
2. Hire Professional Removalists
Packing up everything you own, loading it onto trucks, and driving away with it sounds easy enough, but it isn’t. So, the first thing you need to do after decluttering is to hire professional removalists.
With their expertise and experience, your move will be stress-free. They will pack up your place, load your belongings properly, and transit them safely to a new place.
Selecting a trustworthy removal company is essential. You need to know that your possessions will be handled with care and that the moving company you hire will do all it takes to make your relocation go smoothly.
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3. Create a Home Inventory
A packing list will provide you with an itemized record of all your clothing, furniture, electronics, appliances, kitchen equipment and utensils, jewelry, artwork, and other household items, which you can tick off when unpacking your boxes.
Creating an inventory can be as simple as writing all the items down in a notebook or using a mobile application. You can also take photos or capture videos of everything in each room.
You may choose whichever approach is most convenient for you. Just make sure you don’t leave out anything. As we mentioned earlier, you’ll need this list as a reference to check whether all of your belongings have made it to your new home or not.
4. Calculate the Costs
If you plan to rent a home or an apartment in the new city or town, you’ll most likely be responsible for a down payment. But your moving costs don’t end here. Here are some of the expenses you can expect during the move:
- Hiring professional movers and packers (optional)
- Buying packing supplies
- Hiring move-out and move-in cleaning services
- Commute costs for running more errands than usual
- Necessary home repairs and upgrades
- Transferring utilities like electricity, gas, water, cable, and Wi-Fi connection to the new home
- Forgotten, uncancelled memberships (if any)
You’ll be too tired to go grocery shopping or cook during the first few days of your move. Remember to include the estimated costs of takeout and online grocery orders in your moving expenses list.
5. Cleaning up
It’s reasonable to presume that you’re renting or selling your previous residence. Either way, you’ll need to thoroughly clean the place before handing the keys to the new owners or renters.
Preparing your home for sale also requires this. Prepare yourself by stocking up on supplies and setting aside enough time to give the house a thorough cleaning in advance.
Cleaning is also in order regardless of whether you are moving into a previously owned or brand-new property. Both freshly built and previously occupied homes require thorough cleaning due to microscopic particles of dust and trash lodged in crevices and air ducts. You need to remove the dust and other pollutants before settling in to reduce the risk of allergy attacks.
Our Final Thoughts
A new city, new house, new job, and new neighbors; can all feel daunting, especially when starting everything from scratch.
But you don’t need to worry. These five tips can be a good start if you plan on moving houses. Prepare a moving checklist. It will help you stay organized while you move.
Figure out how you want to move. If you decide to hire a relocation company, don’t forget to verify that it’s licensed and insured. It is so that you can rest assured that your move is in good hands. Whatever you do, don’t let the process of moving to overwhelm you. There’s nothing better than a fresh start in a new home. So enjoy it while you can!
