Moving to a new home can be a life-changing experience. You’ll find yourself in an unfamiliar environment and meet different people in the neighborhood. Being in your new home may give you mixed feelings for a while as well.
To ensure that your move won’t be a hassle, there are a few things you need to be aware of regarding your home and belongings. Here’s what you should check before you move into your new house:
1. Utility Setups
Whether the house you’re moving into is new or old, you can’t automatically assume its utilities are working well. Take care of the basics, such as ensuring that the lights turn on and the water runs perfectly. So you won’t forget anything, use this short utility checklist:
-
Water And Sewage System
Since these are critical parts of a home, if you find any issues with them, don’t hesitate to contact professionals who can get the water and drainage systems of your new house running correctly. To learn some of the basics when it comes to sewage systems and pipes, you can find more information on this website.
-
Electrical System and Heat
Electricity and gas are among your primary utilities at home. Before you move into the house, you must know what the source of heat is. It could be gas, propane, or electric heat. Moreover, you’ll always need electricity to power your entire house and all of your gadgets. Therefore, find out which utility company is servicing your new home. In that way, you may be able to estimate how much your future bills will be.
-
Phone Services
Do you think you’ll need a landline in your new home? If so, you might want to find a service provider that can offer a package combining landline and cellphone services.
-
Cable And Internet
Most modern households have these, so if you want them, make sure that everything has been set up by the time you move into the house. You can schedule the installation a couple of weeks before moving day. Some service providers offer more affordable rates than others, so compare prices before deciding on a particular company.
Every house is different. So be sure to inquire about the average cost of all the utilities before moving in. This way, you won’t be shocked when you pay your utility bills for the first time.
2. Room Measurements
Before moving to a new house, be sure every piece of furniture fits in its intended room so you can plan the layout for each area. If you don’t know each room’s measurements, shifting and arranging your things could be challenging. You might end up wasting a lot of time, too.
To avoid those problems, take the measurements of a room before putting any furniture inside. With a carefully planned setup, you’ll know exactly where to place all of your furnishings. You can also reduce the mess you’re bound to make when moving in.
3. Things You May Need To Dispose Of
Aside from focusing on the things you want to bring into your new home, take the opportunity to get rid of the stuff already on the property that you no longer need. This may be worn-out furniture and appliances that haven’t been used for a long time or aren’t functional anymore. And for those items that aren’t broken but are outdated, you might consider replacing them so you can have a fresh start.
4. Check the Doors And Windows
Your and your family’s safety is a top priority. Therefore, before moving into your new house, inspect the locks on the windows and doors. If you find any of them not working well, replace them right away. There are various types of door and window locks you can choose from depending on the level of security you want to achieve.
5. Allowing Of Pets
Do you own a pet? If you currently don’t, are you planning to have one soon? Answering these questions is a must because some homeowner’s associations may not allow members to have pets on their property. Therefore, check with the house seller whether a ‘No Pets’ policy has been implemented in the community.
6. Probability of Pests
Before you move in, check the patio and the house’s interior spaces. Are they free of termites and other common household pests? You mustn’t leave a single area uninspected. Do you see holes gnawed by mice, or ant nests? If you do, notify pest control experts to address the matter.
7. Labeling of Boxes
Labeling the boxes where you’ve put your belongings is an excellent way to keep track of what’s inside them. Some people tend to forget about this, so they confuse which boxes contain fragile items and which don’t.
To avoid breaking or mishandling things, label or put tags on each box and indicate where you’ll put them, too. Doing so will save you a lot of time once you get to the house on moving day.
8. Your Neighborhood
The houses and facilities nearby will ultimately affect your experience in your new house. Since you’re likely to stay in the neighborhood for some time, there’s nothing wrong with checking the vicinity and what your life will be like in the community.
Observe how people go about their day. Do you think the neighborhood is populated with amiable individuals? The nicer your neighbors are, the better. Aside from that, the state of the community could also determine the safety of your family. Can you live peacefully in the area? Lastly, explore your surroundings by checking the availability of establishments such as supermarkets and restaurants and the reliability of available modes of transportation, among others.
Final Thoughts
Although moving to a new home may be challenging for many, the experience doesn’t have to be more tiring or stressful than it should be. By looking into everything listed above long before moving day, you and your family will have a lot less to worry about even after you’ve settled in your new residence.
We hope you found this article to be informative. This page contains further information: 5 Crucial Things You Should Do When Moving Into a New Home
Have Experience in the Moving Industry? Want an Additional Income Stream? Work With All Around Moving!
Create a successful business and a new source of revenue. We’ll be there to help you every step of the way. Click here to learn more.
