So, you decided to move from Atlanta? Your new home is ready and you can’t wait to move in? While I can understand that impulse, I have to talk about some important issues here. If you’ve never moved before, the chances are you won’t think about some of the things you must do before moving in. For that reason, I wrote this article to help you out as much as possible. I wish to talk about 10 things you need to do before moving into your home!
We are all looking for ways to improve our homes. If you purchased a new house, you’ll try to do everything you can to make it as cozy and pretty as possible. However, you must pay attention to more important matters at hand!
- Change the locks!
The first out of 10 things you need to do before moving into your home is to change the locks! The safety of your family should be the number one priority. The house you just bought was previously seen by numerous buyers. They all know how it looks like, and on top of that, the real estate company that sold the house probably still has keys! You don’t need to lose sleep about thinking of a stranger having a key to your house.
- Inspect the house
If you haven’t performed a home inspection before the purchase, you must prepare yourself for an array of unpleasant surprises. Every house has its advantages and disadvantages, and you must know them before you move in. While I always advise people to get the inspection report before sealing the deal, it can’t hurt to check the house again before moving in.
- Are there any leaks?
Checking the plumbing of the house should be one of the main priorities. Again, that must be done before you make a purchase, but there is a neat trick you can do before moving in. Try all the valves in your home. There are plenty of different types of valves you can find in your home, and you should check if they all work. Let the water running for a couple of minutes, and read the water meter afterward. Now, don’t use any faucets for an hour or two, and read the water meter again. If it doesn’t show the same numbers, you have a leakage!
- Check the smoke alarms
Moving to a distant place from Atlanta requires a lot of planning and effort. You spend your time and money on the relocation, and after a long move, you wish to relax in the safe environment of your new home. What you don’t need is fear and stress of having broken smoke alarms. The same applies to carbon monoxide detectors. Make sure they are all fully functional before you move into your home!
- Change the toilet seats
Let’s turn our attention towards esthetic parts of setting up your house. Changing the toilet seats before moving in will make it feel like your true home. Also, there is the added benefit of not having to think about who used the toilet seat before you bought the house. If you think about it, toilet seats can be a health hazard also! Buy the new ones, it pays out in the long run.
- Locate the breaker box
In a situation where a power outage happens, you must know where your breaker box is. Looking for it in the dark with the help of a weak flashlight is nor fun nor exciting. However, if you take a couple of minutes to locate the breaker box while there is light, you’ll save yourself of stumbling in the dark!
- Clean the house
Another essential step you need to perform before moving in is to thoroughly clean the house. Clean the floors and walls, the bathroom and the kitchen. Mop up your bedroom, vacuum, and make the windows sparkling clean. If cleaning doesn’t seem like a fun task for you, you can split it into parts. First, clean all the essential rooms that you’ll use as soon as you move in, like the kitchen, bathroom, and the bedroom. The rest can wait. Also, clean where your furniture and large appliances will go. It is much easier to do it before you move them in!
- Unpack your belongings!
After the relocation is done, the only thing you can think of is finally relaxing in your new home. Living a new life! Thinking about unpacking must be tedious. However, it must be done! The process of moving all boxes to their designated rooms, unpacking them and putting everything in its place will take some time, but do not despair! With the help of your family members and friends and some music, you can make a day out of it! Or, you can take the high road and hire a professional moving company, and they can unpack for you! That’s what I call saving some time!
- Find out the phone number of the maintenance guys!
A really clever idea is to find out who can help you if anything needs to be fixed on short notice. Let’s say one of the pipes is leaking, or you have some other plumbing issues that you shouldn’t ignore! Even worse, you have some electrical issues in the house. Knowing who are your go-to guys in that crucial moment will save you a lot of troubles, and a lot of money!
- Change the address
You might forget about this, but before you move you must change your address. I presume that you still want to receive your mail, am I right? While this task can be daunting, it is better to do it as soon as possible. The best way to do it is to visit the USPS website and fill out an online form. It costs you $1 and 15 minutes of your time, and voilà! You just have a new mailbox address! Of course, don’t forget to change your documents, credit cards, and bank account info as well. And there you have it, a simple list of 10 things you need to do before moving into your home!
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