Moving to a new house presents an opportunity to have a fresh start. It typically marks the beginning of something new in our lives, be it a new job, marriage, more kids, or nothing more than a change in environment. Either way, it’s an exciting but incredibly overwhelming time for many people. That’s why we have compiled a list of five tips to help you prepare for moving to a new house.
1. Make a packing plan.
Packing is more than throwing a bunch of things into a box. It also includes decluttering, sorting, labeling, and packaging — all of which can take a considerable amount of time and effort. Therefore, it’s always better that you have a packing plan ahead of time.
The packing plan will help you decide which rooms to start clearing out, how you’ll sort your items, and if you’ll need extra or special storage boxes. For instance, if you have a house plant collection or nursery that you’ll like to move to your new house, you’ll need to consider packing them especially to avoid any peril to your orchids and ferns.
Alternatively, to avoid overpacking, you can choose to give them out. Putting ferns, bulbs, and succulent plants like cacti in a stylish pot can serve as the perfect plant gift to give your green thumb loved ones who own a greenery or a greenhouse. At the same time, a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers and lush foliage plants is a great gift for a family member on special occasions like an anniversary.
With your old plants gone, you can now run through the list of the best plant delivery services in your area and choose a plant delivery service you trust to supply you with new indoor plants and outdoor plants. Besides, getting new plants for your new home allows you to try different new house plants that are pet-friendly.
2. Prepare for a change of address.
Alongside sorting your personal belongings and labeling boxes, you’ll also need to make sure that you notify the right people about your move. You should do this as early as possible to avoid potential issues like subscription service lapses and missed utility bills. Start by creating a list of all the important people you need to contact. Aside from your close friends and family members, this list should also include notifying your employer, banks, utility companies, post office, or direct mail services.
In addition, if you work from a home office, remember that your business card carries the old address. So, you’ll need to inform your clients of your address change. An easy way to do this is to use a custom postcard printing service with the fastest printing time. Alternatively, if you can create your own postcard using an online design tool or postcard templates.
3. Organize your utilities and insurance providers early.
While you cancel subscription services and utilities from your old house, it’s crucial that you simultaneously set them up in your new home. Things like council tax, gas, and home insurance are best set early on and ahead of moving into the new home. By doing this task on time, you’ll be less stressed when moving, and it’ll be a lot easier to settle in and enjoy your new home.
The truth is, you may want to change some of your providers when you move, especially if you’re moving to a new city. For instance, if your current home insurance company is limited to your city, you’ll need to dedicate ample time to home insurance compare research.
Irrespective of whether you want renters insurance or homeowners insurance companies, make your comparisons against the deductible and premium cost, personal property coverage, replacement cost coverage, dwelling coverage amount, and most importantly, their financial strength. Remember that having home insurance coverage gives peace of mind and protection against property damage or loss due to a natural disaster like an earthquake or flood. So, make sure you make finding a home insurance policy a priority.
4. Set a date and book a moving company.
Once you have your packing pan in motion and have decluttered, it’s time to set a date and book a moving company. Although you can attempt to move these things yourself, it’s advisable that you use a moving company as they’ll better equipped and have more experience handling, packing, and loading heavy and delicate items. Regardless of whether you choose to do it yourself or use a moving company, remember to book on time because waiting until a few days to your moving date could mean paying higher or, worse, not being able to get movers or a truck at all.
5. Clean the house thoroughly.
It doesn’t matter whether you are leaving a rented house or a previously owned house, it’s advisable that you leave it in a clean and good condition. After all, if you don’t leave a rented accommodation in good condition, you stand the risk of losing your deposit or may not get it back in full. So, make sure you give yourself ample time to clean the entire house. A great way to go about this would be to declutter and clean each room as soon as you are done packing.
