Adulthood can be an exciting phase with plenty of milestones to cover—one of which is buying or renting your first home and living on your own. However, this can also be an overwhelming time because you may not have any experience with moving, and there are a lot of steps in the process.
Wherever your future home may be, whether it’s in new houses Aberdeen or another city, there are essential aspects that you must first inspect before you live in the property. These factors can impact your safety and comfort, so you should organize and plan your move well.
Here are some of the things to consider before moving into a new house:
Change All the Locks
While you may think that the substantial amount you’ve invested in purchasing or paying the down payment for your future home is enough, you still have to think about other home improvement costs and include them in your budget. It involves changing all the locks found in the different rooms in the house.
This way, you ensure that you’re the only one who has the means to open each door unless you give one to your significant other or family. If you keep the old locks, you don’t know who may have duplicates of the keys, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Transfer Utilities and Services
If you’re moving to a nearby area and your electric or Internet company provides service there, it’s advisable to request for a transfer rather than create a new account. Contact your water, Internet, electricity, gas, and cable supplier before you arrive in your new home. Settle the disconnection date and details for your current house or apartment and confirm when you need these utilities and services to be available in your next residence.
Some tips on how to ensure a seamless transfer of utilities and services to your new home:
- Set Up Transfers Early – Once you’ve settled the bill for your new place, you should contact your service providers as soon as possible. If you do this, you give yourself enough time to coordinate with them regarding the details of the transfer and you save yourself from stressing over a tight schedule.
- Prepare a Security Deposit – Some utility service companies execute a credit check to assess if you need to pay a security deposit. Your credit history with the provider and previous usage influence this aspect. Be mentally and financially prepared to expend a considerable amount for the transfer in case the company requires this of you.
- Be Present When the Utility is Activated – Try to be in your new residence during the reconnection date. Check if the utilities and wires were correctly installed. For your water supply, inspect the bathroom and kitchen for clean water. You should also walk around your new home and watch out for leaks if you’re using natural gas. Test out all fixtures like heaters, gas stoves, and faucets to evaluate if they’re functioning well.
- Change Your Billing Address – Have your bills forwarded to your new apartment or house so that you are kept updated on notices about your utilities and other services. Fortunately, you can view your bills on your service provider’s website. You can also change the address registered to the post office online.
Take Note of Measurements
List the measurements of the various rooms in your new home to check whether your current furniture, including your favorite massage chair, can fit inside. You must know the dimensions of your future residence so that you won’t have to pay the moving company thousands of dollars to move large pieces of furniture only for it to end up useless because you can’t put it in any room.
Coordinate with the Moving Company
Lastly, find a licensed and insured moving company that has garnered positive feedback from previous customers. Talk to them about what you expect on moving day. If you are packing the items yourself, you should know what things they can carry and which ones they can’t. Get a copy of their packing requirements to ensure that your belongings can be transported safely and securely.
Conclusion
Moving into a new house is thrilling and overwhelming at the same time. There are a lot of things you need to consider for your safety and comfort. As soon as the ink dries on your ownership contract, you should change all the locks in your future residence and transfer the utilities you need for a seamless move.
Next, take note of measurements so that you know which furniture you can bring and which ones you can sell online. Lastly, coordinate with the moving company to ensure that all your belongings are transferred safely.
