Preparation Guide: When Moving To A New Home

Congratulations, you just purchased your new house, navigated your way through the mortgage process, and are now a proud new home owner. There are many things you will need to do so your house is ready to move into before your big day. The utilities need to be transferred, the mail has to be forwarded, and safety precautions need to be taken before you officially change your residence. The below checklist will help you prepare for your big moving day.

• Transfer Utilities - A few days before you officially take ownership of your new house, you should contact the gas, electric, water, trash, cable, and phone companies to transfer the utilities into your name. Failure to do this may result in the utilities being turned off.

• Forward Your Mail - Go to the post office that will be handling the mail delivery for your new home. Fill out a change of address form to ensure your mail is forwarded to your new address. You should also contact your bank, insurance, doctor, dentist, and creditors to notify them of your new address.

• Thoroughly Clean - Prior to moving into your new house, you should have the house inspected for termites, ants, and other possible infestations by a licensed professional. While the house is vacant, any treatments will be easier and the chemicals will not get on your belongings. You may also want to have the pest company apply treatment for other possible unwanted pests, such as: fleas, mites, or spiders. You should then hire a professional cleaning company or thoroughly clean the walls, carpet, kitchen, and bathrooms before you move any of your belongings into the home. The best option to ensure the house is thoroughly cleaned would be to pay a cleaning company; but if you decide to clean the house yourself, you should create a checklist of areas to clean such as: the floors, bathrooms, kitchen, oven, shelves, and drawers.

• Change The Locks - Once you have received the keys for your new house, the first thing you should do is change the locks. You never know how many neighbors or friends have been given a key to your house. Make sure you change the locks to all external doors and have the garage door opener re-coded.

• Window Treatments- If you keep some or all of the existing window treatments, they should be cleaned prior to moving your belongings into the house. If you are replacing the window coverings, for privacy concerns you should address the most essential rooms first, such as: the first floor windows, bedrooms, and bathrooms.

• Familiarize Yourself With The Neighborhood - The fastest way to feel comfortable in your new home is to familiarize yourself with the neighborhood and to introduce yourself to your neighbors. Living in your new home will be very awkward if you do not know anybody else who lives on your street. Once you are settled in, it is a good idea to introduce yourself to your neighbors and the people who live around you.

The above list offers suggestions that will reduce your stress when your big moving day finally arrives. There are a lot of things to do before moving into your new home, preparation and having a clear plan will help the process go a lot smoother.

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