Congratulations! Whether you rented a new place or purchased one, it is an exciting new step for you. As you start to pack up your current home and prepare to move to your new one, you may be wondering what all you need to do. While some places may be deemed move in ready, it is important that you take some time to do a little prep work to make sure that the home is ready for you when it comes time to move. Below, you will find a quick list of things you should do BEFORE the big day to move comes.
1. Get Ready to Do Some Housekeeping
While the home or apartment you just rented may appear to be clean on the inside, you never know just how clean it is. It is a good idea for you to spend some time cleaning your new place before you move into it. If the place does look clean, you may not have much to do other than vacuum or sweep, dust, and wipe down the kitchen and bathroom.
2. Update Your Current Address
Imagine living in your new home and never receiving your mail. One of the first things you want to do before you officially leave your old home is update your address. This way, you can start receiving mail at your new address.
In most areas, you can quickly and easily change your address by going online or you can visit your local post office and fill out a change of address form.
3. Get New Toilet Seats
If you are worried about germs or you simply don’t like to think that you may have shared a toilet with someone else, consider replacing the toilet seats in your new home before you move in. One of the better options on the market is the detachable seat, which allows you to effortlessly remove the toilet seat each time you clean so you never have to worry about the dingy looking hinges.
4. Check the Smoke Alarms
Fires can destroy a home in minutes, and you do not want your new place to be at risk. You should take some time to walk around your new home and test out all the fire alarms. You may even want to replace the batteries anyways; this way you know they are new. If there are missing fire alarms or the alarms are outdated, consider purchasing new ones and installing them. You will feel better protected knowing the alarms work.
5. Make Sure Everything Works
This is especially important if you have just rented an apartment – you want to make sure that everything is in good working order. If you find something that is not, immediately let the property owners know. If you have purchased a home, then you will likely be responsible for making the replacement, but at least you will be able to do so ahead of moving in.
Get Your Home Prepared BEFORE You Move In
As a final thought, do make sure you get your home into move-in ready condition before you actually start moving your things in. If you wait until the last minute or once you are already moved in, you may never get around to it or you may never feel like your new place is clean.