When you settle into your new apartment, it can be a tough experience. There are a lot of preparations that need to be done when shifting to the new residence. With so much work, going to a new apartment can feel like a drag rather than excitement. You cannot pause the other aspects of your life when you move. You need to plan in a way that your normal life does not get affected. You need to understand that no matter how hard you try, it is going to take time. You will need to coordinate with your internet service provider, change your mailing address, sell the furniture that does not fit in the new apartment. The list of tasks to do goes on and on.
If you are handling the task on your own, you may be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of tasks. This long to- do list does not alleviate any pain for you. Therefore you need to plan and reduce your stress by breaking down your move-in process into several manageable steps.
Here we give you our to-do lists that can get you started.
Do inspection first
Before you decide to move a single item in your apartment, you need to check out which items need to be moved. A good idea is to take the camera and take photographs of the apartment. Take pictures of every object in the room and identify if there is any damage pre-existing in the objects. It is better to have these pictures as you can later verify with them once the transportation is done. If you find that there are any damages present in the apartment then you need to notify your house owner. You will be able to address the problem immediately with the help of this.
Take care of utilities
There are several utility items that you have electricity and water. You need to contact the local authorities to ensure that you get the utilities on the right time. You also need to pay set up fees with these utility companies. You also need to fit appliances such as refrigerators, fans, Ac, etc. when you settle in your new home; then you need to find out the relevant power companies and get the supplies. Otherwise, you will not be able to run your home.
Clean the rooms
When you arrive at your new home, you should have a clean home. In most cases, it will be done by the landlord. However, it is a good idea to have the entire house vacuumed to ensure that there are no dust particles. It is much easier to clean before you settle. When you shift your home, you will be having boxes stacked everywhere. You will not be able to focus on cleaning once you start installing the appliances.
Put things where they belong
One of the most important things is to put the things where they belong. You need to put the furniture in the hall. You need to set up your kitchen and have your refrigerator there. Do not have the attitude that you can dump them at one place and deal with them later. This will cause you a headache in the future. You need to take the items from the moving truck and then put them in their proper places. This will enable faster unpacking and less physical movement. You will be able to relax in your home knowing that all the stuff is in their right places.
Place your bed correctly
This should be your top priority. This is because you will be tired when you shift to your new home. Once the unloading happens, you need to rest. Having the bed in the right place will give you the best outcome. You can just lie down for some time in your bed. You do not want your bed to be buried behind heavy furniture or a stack of boxes. It will also be a lot easier if you can move it into the bedroom once you have unloaded it.
Take care of the essentials
You need to settle down in your apartment with some basic essentials. It is the critical part in your settling down into your new apartment. For example, you need access to the bathroom for freshening up.
Therefore you need to prioritize it. Also, you need to have a plan for eating every day until you set up your kitchen. Otherwise, you need to arrange for eating outside every day. The good news is that the bathroom essentials are easy to unpack and typically very small. Therefore it does not take a long time to settle down. Setting up the kitchen is complicated. You need to plan in such a way that the kitchen essentials are unpacked properly. You will not be able to rearrange the cabinets after moving.
Plan for the living room
Once you are done with the essentials, you need to turn your attention to your dining room and the living room. You can decide where to hang your artwork and how to position your couches in front of the TV. You can set up these rooms easily as your essentials have been taken care of. This will make your living comfortable.
Change your address
There are various purposes in which you use your address – credit card billing, electricity billing, etc. you need to change the address in all of them.
Find out how to pay the bills
Once you are in the new apartment, you need to find out how to pay the bills. If you are in a new town, then it may take a lot of time to find out where to go. Find out if you are able to pay your bills online. Make sure that you get your bill statements to your new address. You can choose to have autopay.
Conclusion
There are a number of things that need to be taken care of while shifting home. You need to plan for it beforehand. This will reduce the uncertainty and stress associated with settling in the new apartment.