A Homeowner’s Guide To Moving House For The First Time

Moving to another country, a different city, or a nearby neighborhood is absolutely an exciting experience for everyone. Regardless of the reason for moving out, whether you want a change of environment or a new job, it’s something that everyone has to deal with at some point in life. Unfortunately, for first-timers, moving house can be a stressful and physically-draining task to do.

Moving house means you must pay attention to various tasks, such as packing and sorting your stuff and keeping them in order. Fortunately, you can make the moving process easy by hiring professionals. With countless moving service providers, you can ensure a hassle-free and safe move. For more information about movers and other similar providers, you can click here.

Read the guide below to get started with moving house for the first time.

1. Create A Moving Checklist

Taking time to create a moving checklist can make a difference in ensuring a safe moving experience. It might seem like extra work, but list down every little thing you have to do to make your move a success. Don’t worry if you miss something on your checklist. You can just add more things you need later on.

In your checklist, you can have two separate columns for low-priority and high-priority tasks involved in moving your family to a new home. This way, you’ll understand what you should do first instead of browsing a long list of tasks that may overwhelm you. Aside from that, checking off tasks when and as they’re completed can give you satisfaction.

2. Hire A Professional Moving Company

When planning to move for the first time, hiring a professional moving company is crucial. Working with movers will help you avoid the stress and hassle of relocation. They’ll also take care of the entire burden, giving you time to handle other important things.

Unfortunately, with the countless moving companies in the market, choosing the right one suited for your needs can be confusing. This is especially true if you haven’t hired one before. So, to hire the best professional movers, here are the tips you should consider:

• Do Your Homework As Early As Possible

One of the first things you should do when looking for a professional moving company is to research your options. Although it’s easy to settle with the first provider you see online, it’s never recommended because some may not be as reputable as they seem.

Searching for your options as early as possible can also help you set your budget. Plus, you can have time to filter your preferred moving service providers, allowing you to make a good choice before your moving day.

• Compare The Prices

Moving companies offer varying prices. While you want to save money on a move by hiring professional movers, you should avoid choosing providers offering too-good-to-be-true fees. This may only give you regrets over time, and you may not get the value for your investment. To avoid these, take the time to compare the prices and search testimonials from previous customers to find their service quality. Then, choose the one that fits your budget and offers value.

• Pick Highly Experienced Movers

For a seamless moving experience, be sure to consider hiring highly experienced movers. As a first-timer, don’t forget the important details, like the company’s years of service and reputation in the industry.

You can find out more information about a moving company by asking questions. A reliable moving company is always willing to answer your questions and can provide you with sensible advice to make your move stress-free.

3. Declutter Your Things

Even if it’s normal to be sentimental, it’s essential to let go of some of your things. Besides, you can’t bring everything to your new home. So, by decluttering your things, you won’t only get rid of useless stuff, but you’ll also distinguish the items you may want to bring into your new place.

For example, you can take old toys, clothes, and other items from a charity shop. Several charity shops may even take bigger things, including electrical goods and furniture. Aside from that, you can sell your secondhand items online or through a garage sale.

4. Pack As Early As Possible

Moving house for the first time can be exciting. However, if you don’t pack your things properly and as early as possible, you may not have a stress-free moving experience.

Most homeowners who plan their move often forget about the fact that packing requires time. It isn’t something you should rush and must be done properly to prevent damage to your belongings. So, when packing, you must do it a few weeks before your relocation schedule.

If you don’t know where to start when packing your things, here are some of the tips you must keep in mind:

• Sort And Take Inventory Of Your Stuff

Before you think about starting to pack, you must take inventory of your stuff and sort everything. This will help you know the things you have. So, get a pencil and notebook and start your inventory as you walk through your house.

• Use The Right Packing Materials

After completing your inventory, it’s time to prepare your packing materials. It’s crucial to use the appropriate materials to ensure that your things won’t incur any damage while in transit.

When looking for packing materials, pick out small and large boxes. Then, purchase tapes, packaging labels, moving blankets, bubble wraps, and more.

• Label All Boxes

Labeling every box can help you and your professional movers know which should be handled with extra care, especially if you have many fragile items. Numbering boxes and putting a description of where it belongs can also help you unpack your things easily.

• Consider Special Crating For Expensive Art Pieces

If you have expensive pieces of artwork, you should know that these require special crating to keep them safe. For example, you must never wrap oil paintings on paper because they’ll stick. Also, once you pack picture frames, use masking tape and create a letter X on the glass as it prevents the possibility of getting shattered.

• Tape The Boxes Well

Use a few pieces of tape to close the top and bottom seams. Then, use a technique that involves making a few wraps around the box’s bottom and top edges, where stress is often concentrated.

• Get Your Wardrobe In Order

When packing your clothes, there are various options you can consider. Depending on your preferences, you can pack your folded clothes in boxes or suitcases or leave them in your dresser. If you don’t want to fold your clothes and keep them hanging, consider using a special wardrobe box so you don’t need to figure out how to pack your hangers.

When it comes to shoes, you should wrap them individually to keep buckles or heels from damaging other shoes. This will also keep the dirt from messing up on your shoes. For socks, you can place them inside your shoes.

5. Keep Your Important Documents Safe

As your moving day approaches, you need to keep your documents safe. Besides, the last thing you want is for vital documents to get lost or thrown away during the move.

To keep your important documents safe, you can consider using a container with a built-in lock. If you don’t want to misplace them during your busy moving schedule, you can keep them in your vehicle to have peace of mind and help you know where to find them.

6. Create A Survival Box

It’s easy to miss and forget things during your relocation day. However, if there are things you don’t want to forget, it’s your essentials, such as food, medicine, toiletries, and more. A survival box that includes such essentials can let you unpack with ease. Plus, it avoids the mess of opening every box just to find what you’re searching for to live comfortably during your first day at your new place.

7. Be Prepared To Clean Your House

Whether you’re planning to sell your old property or lease it out, you must deep clean it before handing it over to the new tenants or owners. To do this properly, be sure to have the right cleaning tools and products. However, if you want to save yourself from the hassle involved in cleaning, consider hiring professional cleaners to help you.

Hiring a professional cleaning company may mean an additional expense, but it may save you time and allow you to move to your new place without any worries about the mess you left in your previous home. The best thing about professional cleaners is that they offer affordable services and can do the job promptly.

8. Contact Your Utility Suppliers

You might be daydreaming about settling into your new home, but before you get excited, you should never forget to contact the utility suppliers. Let them know you’re moving out. Make sure to inform them a few days before your relocation day.

Some of the utilities you should prioritize are:

• Phone line
• Internet line
• Gas
• Electricity
• Water

When you’re done letting them know that you’re moving, see if there’s something you need to pay so you can adjust your budget and avoid surprises in the future. You must also check the meter readings on your moving day to help you gauge the expected amount you might need to pay after moving out.

9. Change Your Address

Before moving, you need to change your address in the post office. Inform others of your move, including your family, friends, and loan providers. If you’re planning to move to a new state, you may need to call the department of motor vehicles to update your vehicle registration and provide you with a new driver’s license.

10. Meet Your Neighbors

Once you’re done unpacking your things, consider meeting your neighbors. It’ll make things less awkward and give you the chance to get yourself off on the right foot in your new place.

Meeting your neighbors is also helpful for learning more about your community and getting recommendations for various local services. You don’t have to meet each of your neighbors. However, introducing yourself when you meet them for the first time may be handy. Remember that a bit of friendliness may go a long way.

To help you get to know your neighbors, consider the tips below:

• Greet Your Neighbors And Smile Often

Establishing a relationship with your neighbors doesn’t mean you have to be involved with their activities. It’s more about building friendships. So, try to greet everybody you meet, and don’t forget to smile. Although it’s unnecessary, you can mention that you just moved in. The key is to create a foundation for a relationship, and a warm gesture and greeting during the first meeting with your neighbors is an excellent way to do that.

• Host A Welcome Party

You don’t need a full-blown welcome party, but if possible, consider hosting a simple housewarming event and inviting some of your neighbors. This may help you meet some friendly neighbors whom you can rely on in case you need help in the future.

• Ask Questions

The most universal go-to for conversation starters is asking about the weather. However, when you’re talking with your neighbors, ask questions about the area to initiate a friendly rapport and conversation. Many people appreciate the opportunity to fill you in on various things they know about local life and the entire neighborhood. Once you meet them again, you can follow up on your previous conversations and ask any question that comes into your mind.

• Spend More Time Outside

You won’t be able to meet anyone if you’ll always stay inside your house. So, no matter how busy you are, spend time outside to see new faces. You can go for a walk to meet more people and make friends.

Wrapping Up

Moving house for the first time is never easy, but it doesn’t always have to be complicated. Using the guide above, you can make your moving day hassle-free and seamless. While you can do everything by yourself, don’t hesitate to ask for help from professional movers who can make the relocation process extra convenient.