After months of house hunting, preparation, and packing, you’re moving day is right around the corner.
You’re close to the finish line, but there are a few steps left in the moving process before you can sit back and relax in your new home.
Here’s a to-do list to help you complete the few tasks that remain.
1. Perform a Walkthrough
Before you fill your new home with furniture and moving boxes, do a walkthrough. It’s easier to get this critical task done in an empty house. Focus on:
- Ensuring previous owners completed agreed-upon repairs
- Checking that appliances, outlets, and fixtures function properly
- Making sure everything that was supposed to be included with the sale is present
Document any issues; for instance, if the previous owners said they’d fix a broken door but didn’t, or were supposed to leave the refrigerator, but took it with them instead.
Performing a walkthrough in an empty house will also allow you to find any issues that need to be fixed later.
2. Find the Water Shut-Off and Fuse Box
Before you start moving in your things, locate the electrical fuse box and your water shut-off valve. Often, the fuse box is in the garage, basement, or storage room.
In case of an emergency, you might need to turn off the water quickly, so you’ll want to know exactly where the water valve is. In most cases, you’ll find the valve on a perimeter wall on the street-facing side of your home. If you can’t find the valve, pull out your inspection report; the inspector should have noted its location in the “plumbing” section.
3. Change the Locks
Call a locksmith and change the locks to your new home. Even if you trust the previous owners, you still don’t know how many spare keys are floating around.
Change the locks on every outside door to the house. If your main doors are missing deadbolts, ask the locksmith to install those, too.
If the garage door has a keypad or an alarm system, now is the ideal time to change the codes.
4. Do a Deep Clean
While the house is still empty, grab some cleaning supplies and get to work. A deep clean will help make you feel more comfortable and at home.
If you can’t spare much time, focus on the kitchen and bathrooms. Wiping down the inside of cabinets, polishing the counters, and scrubbing the floors make your fresh start feel genuinely new.
5. Unpack With Purpose
It’s finally time to unpack! But don’t just pile boxes willy-nilly; unpacking in an organized manner will save you time and effort later.
Start with the rooms you use most: the bedroom and the bathroom. After all, you’re probably more than ready to take a hot shower and get some rest after the stress of moving day.
As you unpack the rest of your belongings, take inventory as you go. This will help you ensure that all of your belongings made it safely to your new home.
Moving Made Easy
The most efficient way to complete a move is with the help of professional movers. If you need some help over the finish line, contact us for a free quote. We can help get you the rest of the way there — into your new home!