When you’ve found your perfect first home and your closing date is finally in sight, it’s easy to get caught up in all of the anticipation and excitement that accompanies buying a new home. Don’t forget the next step, though – pretty soon you’re actually going to be moving into your new home, and you want to make sure all of your belongings easily make the move with you! Here is a checklist of things you should do when moving into your first home.
- Do your research. Are you going to use a moving company? If so, make sure you do your homework. A reputable company should be licensed and insured. Once you choose a trustworthy moving company, be sure to then familiarize yourself with the company’s list of non-allowable items (which can include aerosol cans, cleaning solvents and fire extinguishers.
- Did you know? HUNT Real Estate has a home services concierge available exclusively to HUNT clients – The Realty Club, which can suggest approved vendors for your move.
- Know your measurements. Measure your rooms so have an idea of what furniture will fit. Another good rule of thumb is to familiarize yourself with ceiling heights. Nothing can be more frustrating than trying to fit a bed up the stairs only to find the ceiling is too low to fit the frame.
- Be flexible with your move date. Moving and truck rental companies are busiest between the months of May and September. If you move during the peak season, try to plan to move during the week as opposed to a weekend. Trucks will have more availability on weekdays and can also cost less.
- Pack strategically. Make sure you organize your belongings before you pack: label your boxes not only with the contents, but also with what room the box belongs in. (This will help with unpacking too!)
- Pack a bag of essential items. Your important items may not be readily available in your new home right away, so make sure you pack a bag with essential items you can use during the move-in period. This should include a few different outfits, toiletries, any medicines you need, and any pet essentials if you are a pet owner.
