Are you moving to a new apartment? You better prepare yourself because moving to a new place requires a lot of work. There’s a lot of planning, organizing and heavy lifting involved when you’re transferring residences. In this article, we’re hoping to make moving to a new apartment easy by providing you with a “moving to a new apartment checklist.”
1. Change the address information for utilities and services early. This means you need to notify your bank, cable, electric company and other services you use that you’re changing addresses. Do this a week before your actual move date to get this out of the way. Never wait until you’ve already moved to do this because you will simply forget to do so.
2. Do an inventory. You need to know what you currently own and whether you’re bringing them with you or not. You have to decide what to do with your perishable items to avoid waste. Also, it’s a worthwhile exercise to scour your non-essential items and donate them to charity. Then, make a list of everything else that you own that you’re bringing with you.
3. Secure packing materials early. Again, don’t wait for the last minute to do this. Buy your boxes, tape and other packing stuff, and make sure you have enough so that you won’t encounter any hitches on the day of moving.
4. Label your boxes. This is an important step. It will let you know how many boxes you’re bringing with you, as well as, knowing the contents of each box. You can even go back to your inventory and specify which items were placed in specific boxes. Moving becomes a whole lot easier if you do this step.
5. Find movers. You will need professional help to move your things from the old location to the new one. Ask about the services of professional movers and make a comparison of their prices. You may even try and negotiate for a lower rate (a lot of movers will consider). Choose one that best suits your needs. Just remember to book them in advance and be specific about the date and time of your move.
6. Ask help from friends and family. Moving to a new apartment is easier and more fun, with the help of other people. Make an event out of it by offering refreshments as a reward to those who helped you out.
7. Check your list before moving in. Make sure all boxes are in before you pay the movers. Sometimes, boxes and things get lost. If ever there are boxes missing, you can always ask the movers to go back for them.
8. Clean your new place. Before unpacking and assembling furniture, make sure that your new apartment is clean and dust-free. When you clean first, you’re also making it easier (and more hygienic) for yourself once you start unpacking.
9. Don’t procrastinate. A lot of people will defer unpacking until the next day because they’re dead tired from all the heavy lifting. Our advice is to do everything you can before the day ends. Your motivation to unload and unpack diminishes the more you put it off. It’s better to get it all over with in one go so that you can start your new life in your new apartment.
10. Throw the trash or recycle—after you’ve unloaded and unpacked all your boxes, you will end up with a lot of waste (surprised?). Before calling it a day, make sure that you dispose all your trash properly. Or better yet, store them for the meantime in your apartment, but make sure to go to the nearest recycling center and drop your boxes there.
We hope our “moving to a new apartment checklist” has been helpful. Our message here is clear: you need to plan your move to ensure convenience, efficiency and success. If you are looking for more apartment checklists, visit us at CrockTock.com.
This blog post is shared by CrockTock.com – Your information center on how to manage your finances and money woes wisely.
