If you thought that once you cross the doorstep of your new home, the struggle is over, and you can sleep for days, you were wrong. There’s a whole list of things to do after moving, and sleeping or relaxing are not so high on it. Preparing for interstate moving can be a time-consuming process, but unpacking and sorting things out in your home are not much easier. However, there’s no room for moving stress if you let us guide you through the process.
Once you begin preparing for cross country moving, you’ll notice that there’s plenty of moving to-do lists and moving tips that help you prepare for the big day, but barely any for what comes after that. Trust us, once you’re done with all the moving services and cross country movers leave your house, you’ll find yourself surrounded by piles of moving boxes, so unless you plan to throw an unboxing party, you better have a plan. And no, unboxing is not the only thing you need to do. Here’s a moving across country checklist that will guide you through the stuff you need to tackle during the first days upon your relocation.
To have an easy and stress-free unboxing, you need to pay special attention to what you’re bringing to the new home. Moving interstate is a great opportunity for decluttering and downsizing, whether you’re moving into an apartment, smaller home, or relocating from an apartment to a house. Because there’s certainly stuff you don’t use, and there’s no reason to spend more on packing services or renting storage for unwanted items. Organize a garage sale or donate clothes and other stuff that need to be removed from your household inventory list. Proper preparation will ease the process once you’re at the new address.
Firstly, don’t panic. Secondly, you can never have enough checklists when moving to another state, which is why we bring you a different one. The one that serves more as a reminder or a list of tips that will help you settle down faster if you don’t know where to start. You don’t have to follow this exact order. Use these steps as an inspiration for curating your own to-do list.
A picture says more than a thousand words, which is why you need a photo inventory of your property while it is still intact. If you’re renting, this is something you mustn’t forget to do, especially if you’re giving your landlord a security deposit. Take detailed pictures, particularly of some problem areas or things that seem loose or broken.
Inspect everything and check if the agreed repairs have been done, if all the fixtures, switches, and outlets are working, etc. If there are any issues that go against the contract, notify your realtor or landlord immediately.
Whether you are packing quickly and you don’t have a lot of stuff, or you’re moving furniture, live plants, and even moving a piano, there’s one thing you should do before you start unwrapping them. Cleaning. Some people hire cleaning services to do that boring task before their belongings arrive, others do it by themselves, but it is important to do it before opening boxes. Cleaning is never fun, but it is much easier when you have nothing but bare floors and empty shelves.
If you want to repaint some walls or do a bit of remodeling, this is also something you should do before you open any boxes. If you carefully plan everything, you can arrange with your reliable cross country moving company that they ship your belongings right on time once all the improvements have been made and everything is ready for moving in.
Organizing unpacking after you move in is essential unless you want to spend a month or two living surrounded by moving boxes and different types of packing materials and supplies. However, this also depends on the way you organized the packing. Did you do it by the room, type of content, seasonal stuff, etc.? The same order you should follow when unboxing. Proper labeling is another crucial thing here because you have to know what’s inside of each box.
Expect that once you start opening up all those boxes, your house is going to be in a total mess. Unless you plan to reuse those supplies anytime soon, you should consider recycling them. Consider keeping all the boxes that are in good condition as well as original packaging or some appliances, but everything else, from plastic wrap to packing paper, can be recycled. Check websites such as freecycle and check if there are any recycling spots in your community.
When relocating to a new house or apartment, you might notice that some utilities are shut off, mostly if the property was empty for a while because the previous tenant moved out a long time ago. Some people arrange for this to be set up before they arrive, in which case you should check if everything is working. If you didn’t schedule that in advance, it is time to call gas providers, power and water companies, local waste management facilities, and also to ensure that they put your name on everything.
This is something simple that you should do immediately. The fuse box is usually somewhere in the basement or garage, and it could be handy to know that in case there’s a blackout and no power in the house. Also, if you want to turn off the water for some reason, knowing where the water valve is located certainly helps.
There’s one thing that many people forget, and that is changing the address when moving. Ideally, you should do it before relocating, because otherwise, you risk losing some mail in that gap when you’re no longer in your old home, but your address still is not changed. Luckily, the process is straightforward and doesn’t take much time. Update your address online or visit the nearest post office to do it, but don’t forget you should also notify the bank, insurance company, agencies with your data, magazines you’re subscribed to, and so on.
Did you check the crime rate of your neighborhood before you moved there? Even if it is entirely safe, relocating to a different area brings a lot of unknowns. Therefore, you shouldn’t hesitate when it comes to investing in a proper home security system that will help you sleep tight during the night.
This is another thing you shouldn’t neglect when it comes to safety. Whether you’re renting or buying a property, you don’t know if the previous owner or tenant still has a copy of the key, so better call a locksmith. It doesn’t cost much, but it will keep you at peace.
Whether you’re moving with children or moving in with a baby, it is essential to adjust the space to their age and make it as safe as possible. Begin from the room your toddler or baby will sleep in by securing the changing table, installing electric outlet protectors, cordless blinds, and so on. Pay attention to the stairs if you have them and consider installing a fence. Once all the furniture is arranged, protect the shard table corners and all other potentially dangerous spots.
If you’re moving with pets, whether you have cats or dogs, you have to keep in mind their needs as well, because this can be a stressful change for them too. Pack their necessities in a separate box such as their favorite blanket, litter box, food dishes, and toys. As soon as you move in, this should be one of those essential boxes you’ll unbox first, and prepare a corner or a separate room for your pet, to keep it away from all the noise and unpacking activities.
Yes, this is something you should also do as soon as possible because neighbors are curious, so it is better that they hear everything from you than to start making up stories. Besides, they can tell you a lot about your neighborhood, help you with how to adjust to a new town, and give you useful tips for getting around and even help you unpack, why not. That’s one of the easiest ways to make new friends.
We’re sure you miss your hometown friends, but as soon as you relocate, you should start socializing and making new friendships. But unless you’re moving to another state for college or work, there are not many opportunities to meet people, or there are?
If you’re still wondering what do I need to do after I move, there’s just one more thing to do. Rate your long distance movers. If you’re satisfied with how your long-distance moving company handled all your fragile items safely and promptly, let them know you appreciate their hard work. Positive feedback means a lot, especially in the industry, with so many fraudulent companies that engage in moving scams.
