Ten things to do when you Move into your New Home
We certainly hope you found your Dream Home on this Spring’s Parade of Homes! If you did, here are some excellent moving tips from our guest blogger Josh Smith.
Moving into a new home can be a very exhausting process, both physically and mentally. Like so many things in life preparation is the key to ensuring everything goes smoothly. Having helped hundreds of people move house over the years, I have gained quite a bit of insight into some of the easiest things to forget in the hustle and bustle of excitement that is moving and settling into your new home.
It’s impossible to get everything sorted on day one in your new home but making a list is always a good place to start. This guide does not profess to cover everything you need to remember when moving but it’s a good place to start.
We’ll start with one of the most important considerations when moving home and that’s finding the right removal company.
1. Find the right removal/moving company
There are a lot of removal companies (Editors Note: or as we say in the US, moving companies) out there competing for your business and picking one shouldn’t be something you rush into. There are many things to consider and compare when choosing the right company such as costs and the level of insurance offered. Perhaps the best bit of advice I can offer though is to give yourself plenty of time and ask as many questions as you need to. A good removal company should be able to satisfy all your questions and put your mind at ease.
2. Label boxes This is a real time saver but it’s amazing how many people still don’t do it. Whether your removal company supplies you with boxes or offers a packing service, you should always make sure that you or they label every box with the new room it’s intended to go in. This will save you having to open boxes that have ended up in the top floor bedroom only to find them full of plates and cutlery intended for the kitchen.
3. Come armed with light bulbs
From time to time sellers will mysteriously decide to take their light bulbs with them. Of course they’re perfectly within their rights to do so but it can mean you end up in total darkness on your first night in your new home. It’s always handy to have spare bulbs in the home anyway, so make sure you have some in for this eventuality.
4. Protect your flooring Removal companies on the whole will take the utmost care when moving your worldly possessions from A to B, but in doing so we have to get them out of a van and into your new home. This can mean lots of heavy steel capped boots going back and forth over your carpets. Whilst this is unavoidable, it makes sense to lay down some boxes to keep any wet or muddy footprints to a minimum.
5. Redirect your post The Royal Mail in the UK offers a postal redirections service, which it is definitely worth forking out £30 on (the US Postal Service also offers a similar forwarding service). No matter how thoroughly you notify companies and individuals of your new address, there’s always a chance some will slip through the net.
6. Notify companies you use of your new address Redirecting your mail is definitely a good idea but it’s only a temporary fix. It’s vital that you change your address with organizations like your bank, credit card company and driving licensing authority (DVLA in the UK and individual state in the US).
7. Find out where everything is It often doesn’t occur to new movers that they won’t know where things like the thermostat, gas and electricity meters are in the new house. Perhaps the most important thing to know the location of in your new home is the main stopcock, as this will cut the water supply off to the house, which is pretty handy if you get a leak. Make the effort to ask your estate agent or the seller about this.
8. Register to vote Whether or not you feel it’s an important part of your civic duty to vote in local and national elections and referenda, registering to vote is important for your credit score. In fact it’s unlikely you’ll get a new line of credit without being on the electoral role, as this helps credit reference agencies identify fraud.
9. Take a meter reading Taking a meter reading can seem like it should be the last thing on your list of things to do when you move into your new home, but it should probably be somewhere around the top. The previous resident should have taken a meter reading when they moved out, so by taking a meter reading as soon as you move in you can make sure that you’re not getting charged for their electricity and gas.
10. Find the cheapest energy and internet provider
Searching around for the cheapest gas, electricity, phone and internet provider can save you hundreds of pounds/dollars over the course of a year. Whilst it can seem a lot easier to just continue using the existing providers, moving home can be the perfect opportunity to find some real good deals by comparing providers.
About the Author: Josh Smith is the co-founder and creative director at On The Dot Removals, an environmentally friendly house removals company based in Bristol, England, which he set up in 2011. Josh is a keen artist and short film maker and loves the great outdoors. You can follow them @OnTheDotBristol on Twitter or connect on Facebook or Google Plus.