Cross-country moving is one of the most stressful events in people’s lives. The change you’ll make is significant, and you should do everything you can to make the whole process easier. The crucial thing is to organize everything, and the best way of doing it is with a new apartment checklist.
Every change in our lives is hard, no matter how big or small that change is. Some people don’t get attached too much to their homes, while others do. In both cases, there will be many boxes and packages before the moving day comes. We all know how easy it is to lose focus in that kind of chaos, so having a timeline of all tasks that need to be done is essential.
Why Is It Important to Have a New Apartment Checklist
Having a successful move is something you need to achieve if you want to avoid relocation stress, no matter if you’re moving cross-country or just around the corner. One of the ways to do it is with good relocation planning and a checklist. If it’s your first time to move or you’ve done it before, we all know that you can’t memorize every little task that is, however, crucial for this relocation process. And that’s when the checklist for your new apartment comes in handy.
Start Preparing At Least Two Weeks Before the Moving Day
Besides a checklist, another important thing for your successful relocation is time. Having enough time for every task from the list you’ll make is essential since some things can be done in just a few minutes, like changing your address online, and others, like the packing process, take more than a whole day. So, start planning at least two weeks before the professional movers come to your home.
Declutter Your Old Home and Decide What Will You Pack
Another task on your new apartment checklist you should perform before moving is decluttering your old home. It’s best to do it room by room and set aside everything you don’t need or use anymore. Not only do you reduce the time for packing and unpacking, but your move will also be more affordable. The things you won’t pack, you can sell or donate to charity. On the other hand, if you couldn’t get rid of some stuff, don’t forget that most moving companies offer storage facilities as part of their services.
Inspect Your Future Place Before the Unpacking Process
After you finished the decluttering and packing part, you should pass on preparing and adjusting your new apartment for moving in. So, once the movers unload all the boxes and furniture from the truck, inspect your new apartment. Prepare the whole space for the cozy living in it. Some things can be done right away, and some will take more time. For example, you might need to do some renovating, and if it’s not something serious, you can do it right away. Painting your flat is one example of that.
Don’t Forget the Cleaning Part
Once the repainting and minor repairs are done, you should pass on the cleaning part. First clean places where your furniture and bigger appliances will be put. After that, you can proceed with in-depth apartment cleaning. If you wonder why not do thorough cleaning right away, it’s because all the dust from boxes and furniture will come into your apartment either way. After this first cleaning round is done, you can clean every room in your new place and make them all sparkly and ready for the next chapter of your life.
Check the Safety of Your New Place
No matter what your reasons to move are, safety should be one of your top priorities. You spent quite some time researching the neighborhood and whether is it safe enough for you and your family, so you probably wouldn’t mind spending some more on protecting your home. Here are some of the things to consider and ensure your new apartment is secure:
- Replace the locks – most people usually forget to do this task, but when it comes to your and your family’s safety, ensure you change the locks on every door.
- Get a spare pair of keys – having an extra set of keys is something you put on your checklist because you never know when you might need them.
- Check the smoke detectors – make sure the smoke detectors work properly by changing the batteries.
- Fumigate your home – no one wants to deal with unexpected visitors, so make sure you hire a professional fumigation company to take care of your new place.
Make a List of Things You Need to Buy For Your New Home
For some of us, this part of the relocation could be the most interesting of all. However, it’s important not to get carried away with the shopping. That’s why you need to make a list of things you need to buy for your new home and stick to it. For better organization, you can create sections for each room, such as the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. If needed, include other rooms and take one whole day for this task.
Embrace and Enjoy the Change That Is Happening In Your Life
Once you have crossed everything from your new apartment checklist, you can relax and start thinking about the future chapter of your life in the home you organized and decorated. This might be harder to do than say, but it will be much easier when you know everything you had to do is already done. Give yourself time to adjust to the new surroundings and embrace the change by making your new place a home.
