Moving house is one of the most stressful things that a person can do. Not only do you have to worry about transporting all of your belongings, but you then have to settle into somebody else’s home and make it your own. The process of buying a new house can also be very stressful, especially considering the ongoing cost of living crisis and the soaring prices of houses all around the world.
If you are planning to move to a new house and are concerned about all of the stress that goes along with it, then this post will offer a few tips that’ll make things easier for you:
Property Walkthrough
Before agreeing to purchase a new house, you need to make sure that you are confident that you like it. The most effective way of doing this is to physically visit the property that you are buying and explore it in person. Since the pandemic began, a lot of property viewings have been conducted online. Thankfully this is no longer mandatory and virtual viewings are only optional. Seeing a property in person can give you a better idea of whether or not it’s suitable for you.
Furniture Storage
Sometimes when people are moving house, they have to move out of their old house before they can move into their new one. If this is the situation that you are in, then you will probably need to put your furniture in storage in the interim between moving out and moving in. According to one company that offers storage in Perth, you can visit your storage locker 24/7, meaning that you can come and go as you please. Storage facilities also have on-site security and cameras, which ensure your furniture’s protection.
Removal Companies
Moving house can be a lot of work. One of the most difficult parts of moving to a new house is physically moving one’s furniture. Moving house can be especially challenging if you don’t have friends or family members to help you out. A professional removal company will be able to move all of your furniture for you so that you don’t have to worry about doing it yourself. Most removal companies offer their services at a very affordable price, making them a great option if you need a little extra help.
Packing System
Another tricky thing about moving house is packing one’s belongings into boxes. If you have a lot of things, then you are going to need a lot of boxes. You can order boxes wholesale online. Once you have received them, then you need to organise boxes according to what’s going inside of them. Most people do this by room, but you can do it by material also if you want to. Having a packing system will make packing and then finding your belongings a lot easier.
Childproofing
If you have children, then before you move into your new house it’s worth visiting and childproofing it. The same is also true if you have pets. Walk through your new house and look for anything that could be dangerous to children or animals, and then cover it up or repair it. It’s a good idea to bring along your partner, or a friend or relative so that you get a second opinion and a second set of eyes. Bringing another person will mean that you don’t miss anything that’s potentially dangerous. Childproofing is a very important part of moving house, so don’t overlook it. The last thing that you want is to have to deal with an injured child on moving day.
Interior Design
Another thing that you should do before you physically move into your new house is to plan out where everything is going to go. Working out your new home’s interior design before moving in will make it easier for you on moving day because you will know where everything has got to go. Instead of stacking all of your boxes up in a single room and then moving them over the days following your move, you will be able to direct the movers to specific rooms with specific boxes.
Registering Utilities
Before you move in, make sure that you register and activate your new home’s utilities. Failing to do this could mean that you are left without electricity, gas, or Wi-Fi on the day that you move house. Most Wi-Fi providers require at least two weeks’ notice before they can activate the internet in a property. Your electricity and gas providers will be a lot faster, but by registering with them in advance you can cut down on activation time. Moving utilities from one house to another is usually free, although some suppliers do charge a small fee.
Locate Fuse Box
You need to know where the fuse box and water stops are in your new house. The reason for this is that if there is an electrical failure or water leak, you need to be able to turn them off or fix them. If you do not know where your fuse box or water stops are, then you will have to frantically run around while somebody’s being electrocuted or your house is flooding, searching for them. If you cannot find them yourself, then ask the realtor to get in touch with the property’s previous owner, so that they can tell you.
Making Repairs
If you need to make any repairs to your new house, it’s a good idea to make them before you move in. It’s a lot easier to renovate and repair a house when it’s empty than when it’s full of furniture. You will have more room to move and won’t have to worry about damaging your furniture. If there are any large repairs that need to be made, then you should get in touch with the realtor that sold you the house. If the house was sold in a dangerous condition, then its former owner could have to pay repair costs.
Deep Cleaning
You also need to thoroughly clean your new house before moving in. Even if the house’s former owner seemed clean, you can’t guarantee that they were. You never know how another person lives their life. Because of this, deep clean your new house to remove any lingering germs and bacteria. Another thing that’s worth considering is the time that the property was left abandoned. If it was empty for some time, then pests and bugs could have gotten in and made it their home, too. Deep clean and if needs be call for a pest removal service.
Changing Locks
Regardless of how nice a property’s former owners seem, make sure that you always change your house’s locks when you move into a new place. You should change your locks for your own safety and for your family’s safety. Additionally, changing your locks will prevent the home’s former inhabitants from being able to come back and let themselves in. This happens a lot more than you might like to think. It might also be necessary to change the locks on the windows in your new house if they can be unlocked from the outside.
Changing Address
You will need to change your registered address with your bank, the DMV, and with other formal bodies. It’s a good idea to get that out of the way before you move so that you do not have to worry about important letters being mistakenly sent to your old property. If you don’t get changing address out of the way quickly, then you could forget (as many people do) and could lose track of important correspondence. Change address before you move so that you don’t forget about it after you have moved into your new house.
New School
If you have children, then you will need to arrange their relocation to a school that’s in your new house’s district before you move. Because of this, it is a good idea to time your move for their summer holidays. By doing this they will be able to start the new year at their new school, rather than coming in halfway through and having to take catch-up lessons. Make sure to thoroughly research schools in your new area so that you can find the one that’s right for your child. If possible then give them an option about where they go to school. Letting them have some involvement in the decision-making process will make them feel a lot better about leaving their old school and friends behind.
Redecorating
Before moving in, you might also want to redecorate. Repairing things isn’t just easier when a property’s vacant, so too is redecorating. In fact, many would argue that redecorating should always be done when a property’s empty. The reason for this is that when a property is empty it is easier to redecorate because you don’t have to worry about damaging your furniture. You won’t have to worry about getting paint on your furniture nor will you have to buy expensive plastic sheets to cover up your furniture for protection purposes.
Enlisting Help
Moving house really isn’t easy. If you can, you should enlist the help of family members or loved ones. Even when you have a removals team helping you, it can still be good to have friends and family there to support you and supervise. It’s good to have people there to help you unpack, too. A removals team will just bring your belongings in for you—they won’t spend time carefully unpacking and arranging things. Enlisting a loved one’s help in your move could be the best decision that you make.
Cleaning Textiles
Carpet beetles, clothes moths, and other insects can go undetected in your home’s natural textiles for some time before they begin to do damage. Because of this, it is always a good idea to get rugs and other textiles professionally washed before you bring them into a new house. By doing this you will eliminate any chance of introducing pests into your new home. Additionally, cleaning your textiles and rugs will prevent any germs or bacteria from being brought into your new house. A new house should be a fresh, new start so don’t bring old dirt along with you.
Meeting Neighbours
Once you have moved into your new house, you will probably want to go and introduce yourself to the neighbours. Failing to introduce yourself to your neighbours could lead to some very awkward encounters later on down the line, especially if you have shared communal space or live in a semi-detached or even terraced house. All you have to do to introduce yourself to your neighbours is to knock on their door and say hello. If you want to go a step further, then you can invite them over for food or a barbeque one day (although you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to).
New Neighbourhood
After moving in (or before), be sure to explore your new neighbourhood. Many would argue that exploring a new neighbourhood is one of the most enjoyable parts of moving into a new house. There’s nothing like familiarising oneself with one’s new home, and all of its hidden corners, alleyways, and beauty spots. Learning to navigate your new neighbourhood will make it a lot easier for you when it comes to spending time outdoors or going to the shop. You always need to know where your neighbourhood shop is.
Local Activities
Lastly, take some time to learn about what local activities there are for you and your family to get involved in. Moving to a new neighbourhood can be a great way to meet new people and new friends. If there is an active community in the area, then immerse yourself in it. Local activities such as sports teams are a great way to do this. If you are moving to a rural area, then it is highly probable that there will be a council or homeowner’s association for you to join.
Moving into a new house can be very difficult if it’s not done right. Because moving house is so expensive, not properly preparing and planning your move could cost you a lot of money (and be very stressful). In order to plan for your move effectively, follow this post’s tips, and consider each point carefully.
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