When moving into a new house, there are some measures you’ll want to take to prepare both yourself and your new home for your relocation. When you’re heading into a new place, you’re going to want to prepare your place ahead of time so that you don’t have to make home improvements while already in your new house.
You’ll also want to prepare yourself for your move, and the big transition that can be heading into the first house you’ve ever owned. Remember, this is a very exciting and eventful time, but try not to get too carried away or overwhelmed by all of the changes happening right now. With the right planning and preparation, you’ll be able to enjoy yourself and this exciting time without having to worry about your home not being in the right condition to move in.
So what are the top things to do when moving into a new house? We’ll run through what you’ll want to take care of before moving in, and how to make your relocation to your new house a smooth transition.
How to Prepare a House for Move In
When heading into a new home, try to first give yourself a buffer time period between when your home is available for you to move in, and when you actually move in. If you have a lease ending this can get a little complicated, but try to plan so your timeline lines up, and you have a month or even a few weeks in between when you have access to your home and when you’ll want to ideally move in.
Giving yourself this buffer will give you plenty of time to tackle any home improvement projects that would be tedious or hard to do once you have already moved in, and will also let you move in gradually or at your own pace. Without having to move on a specific date, you’ll also save money on your move as a whole by being able to avoid the busier days of the week.
With this time buffer, as we mentioned before you’ll allow yourself to benefit from being able to get home improvement projects or just customizations out of the way before you move in. These can include…
- Painting
Before moving in furniture or trying to paint a home you’re already living in, take advantage of your blank rooms and blank walls by taking care of painting or repainting your home’s walls or even the outside while the coast is clear and things are most convenient.
- Flooring
If you’re not a fan of the flooring in some parts of your new home now, you won’t be a fan of it later. Replacing the flooring in your home (if you have the budget to do so) before moving around furniture or having to store it is a factor. If your floors need repairs, this is also the perfect time to take care of that!
- Fencing
If you have pets or children that are used to running around and have free reign over a fenced-in yard or back area, try to get fencing installed or repaired before you’ve moved in. Inadequate fencing can also turn into a safety issue if your kids are used to them, so it’s better to be safe than sorry! Plus, it’ll give you an area to let your pets or kids play safely while you move things into the house.
- Customize Organizational Areas
Before you bring all of your items into your new home, try to plan out your store situation and determine what will go there. Try to anticipate storage spaces and your potential needs if needed before you have things spilling out everywhere all over the house. This will save you a lot of time and clutter on move-in day.
This is also the perfect time to carry out any repairs that you know your home will need at some point in the future. Taking care of these things ahead of time will let you be proactive and will let you get them out of the way before they develop into bigger issues.
- Ceilings
If the ceilings in your new place are in need of repair or an update (or if they’re just not your taste – we’re looking at you, popcorn ceilings), take care of any roof or ceiling replacements before you move all of your furniture in. No one wants to go through the pain of moving all of your things into a house, only to have to cover it all up for repair projects!
- Fixing Leaks
If you or your home inspector notice a potential or existing leak before you move in (and you’re ok with it before closing), try to get this repaired as soon as possible before you have to deal with it after move-in. Remember, even the tiniest leaks can become big problems later on, so you’ll want to take care of this as soon as possible.
On top of making improvements, customizations, or repairs, it’s important also to have your home ready to go when you move in – especially if you’re moving with children. Take care of any routine small home updates or considerations before you bring the whole family in. These can include…
- Switch Locks
Give yourself an added sense of security in your new space by switching out or replacing the locks in your new home.
- Update Alarms
A really simple project to get out of the way before you move into a new house is to replace either all of the batteries in your alarm systems, including fire and carbon monoxide, or replace the alarms themselves. If they look old or in disrepair, it’s the safest move to replace them.
- Update Filters
Another simple project to get out of the way is to change all of the filters out in your heating and cooling systems. This will give you better air quality and will have your systems working at maximum efficiency when you move in.
- Childproofing
If you have children, take care of childproofing your home before you move in. That way, you don’t have to worry about anyone getting injured before you have a chance to do so and can be proactive about the matter.
Giving yourself the time and ability to make home improvements or to tackle projects that would be an annoyance, later on, is the ideal approach to take when preparing to move into a new home.
If you’re wondering what to do when moving into a new house, remember, being proactive and prepared truly makes all the difference between having a smooth moving day and a home that’s move-in ready, and having to deal with a bad moving day or a bunch of home improvement projects when you first move in.
Looking for the best moving company to help you tackle your next move? Look no further than Excel Moving & Storage. With the best pricing and service, we’ll have you prepared and ready to go for a stress-free moving day.
