So you’ve finally started moving everything into your new place. Congratulations! Before you pop open that bottle of champagne and throw a housewarming party, there are still a few things that need to be ticked off of your move-in checklist. Don’t forget to do these 8 things to ensure that you’re all set for your new apartment.
Transfer & Set Up Utilities
If you’re one of the lucky ones, your landlord has perhaps given you a few days’ to allow you to transfer the utilities into your name. If not, you’ll want to jump on that immediately, otherwise you’ll be without gas, electricity, and water.
Remember to schedule your trash pick up, too. This is usually done through the city, so check your local government’s website. Cable and internet are also important, but those aren’t necessarily a top priority, so you can probably get away without those for a few days.
Pro Tip: Shop around for local internet and cable providers as opposed to big-name companies. These lesser-known businesses provide the same services at a cheaper price.
Inspect Your New Place
Make sure that your landlord or property manager provides you with a move-in/move-out checklist. This might be connected to your lease, so read through that first. Walk through the house, preferably with an extra set of eyes, and mark down anything you see – chipped door frames, cracked tiles, broken blinds, holes in carpet, etc.
Write down everything! Don’t be shy. It will pay off later when you’re looking to get your security deposit back. After your checklist is complete, make sure that you look it over with your landlord to ensure that you’re both on the same page so that you won’t have any problems in the future.
Childproof Your Home
Obviously, this isn’t an issue if you don’t have kids, but if you do, a new house means tons of exploration for your little ones and a million opportunities to get themselves hurt or into trouble.
If possible, hire a babysitter or someone to distract your kiddos as you make the home child-friendly. Kids are curious creatures, and if they see you putting outlet plugs in the electrical sockets, they will be more apt to waddle on over when you’re not around and check them out for themselves.
Check with your landlord before you make any holes in the cabinets to install baby latches. If they don’t give you the go-ahead, sliding cabinet locks are also an option.
Change Your Address
First, you’ll want to register that new address with the post office, which you can easily do online. Once you submit the change of address, all of your mail will be forwarded to your new place. You might want to do this a week before you actually move to give the post office time to process your paperwork.
Next, before you start ordering decorations and accessories for your new home, you’ll want to make sure that you’ve also changed your address on Amazon or any other site you regularly use.
Similarly, be sure that if you have any meal delivery subscriptions or monthly subscription boxes that you change the address for those, too. Banks, credit card companies, insurance companies, and the like should also be informed of your new address so you continue to get your mail. If you’re moving to a new city, remember to update your information on your voters’ registration for your local area.
Meet the Neighbors
One of the things you should do when moving into a new neighborhood is get to know those who live around you. You never know when you’ll need someone to bring in your mail while you’re on vacation, take out your trash can when you forget, or simply share a glass of wine with. It’s also a sign of good manners, and an excellent opportunity to ask any questions you have about any unfamiliar parts of town (or at least tell you where to get the best slices of pizza during your first week).
Deep Clean Your House
There’s no better way to make your new place feel like a home than to clean it to your standards. Even if your home or apartment is in good shape when you move in, a nice cleaning will make it feel fresh and brand new. Also, this is likely your only opportunity to scrub the place in its entirety without being hindered by furniture or other large objects that come with living in a place.
Get Organized
Let’s face it: moving your stuff is one of the most daunting aspects of getting a new apartment. All those big pieces of furniture and moving boxes filled to the brim aren’t the first thing you want to deal with when you’re trying to get settled.
It can be too easy to leave boxes sitting in the dining room for weeks on end, but resist the temptation and put everything in its proper place. Not only will your place feel like it’s coming together, you’ll also lower your levels of stress, as research indicates that there is a positive correlation between clutter and stress levels.
Change the Locks
Many apartment management companies and landlords are legally responsible for changing the locks whenever they get new tenants. Ask if the locks have been changed. If not, stop by your local hardware store and purchase a new set of locks, or call a locksmith.
Don’t forget to take time to smell the roses (or even plant some, if that’s your thing). Moving into a new apartment is an incredible milestone and something to be enjoyed. Don’t get overwhelmed thinking that everything needs to get done right away; prioritize what you need to do first and let the rest follow.
This article was updated on 8/14/18.
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