July 13, 2022
Before you move out, you need to tie some loose ends for the process to be complete. Similarly, there are things to do after moving that don’t only entail unpacking and meeting neighbors. While those two are vital parts, learn what else should be done after settling into your new home.
The First of the Things to Do After Moving – Home Inspection
The answer to the question “What is the first thing to do when moving into a new house?” is performing a thorough home inspection. Doing this matters before you buy, too, and hopefully, you’ve done so before deciding to relocate for a job right there. Just in case, ensure everything is still in its original place; see if the foundations are still solid and if there’s any molding in the bathroom. If you’re in a rental apartment, be sure that utilities have been set up as promised.
The house you move to could be different now from back when you chose it, which is normal. Time passes, and a lot can change, so it’s important to do this inspection for your sake. When you decide to move to another state alone, it’s good to be aware of all the faults in the residence, so you can call for help before it’s too late.
Create an After Moving Checklist for the Inspection
The list of things to do when you move to a different home can help you stay organized during the inspection. The checklist of some inspections you can do on your own looks like this:
- Take a walk around the house and check the foundation for leaning parts, bulges, cracks, and anything that looks like it shouldn’t be there,
- Check for interior issues. The most common ones are uneven flooring, hard-to-open windows and doors, gaps between walls and floors, and cracked and bulged walls,
- Inspect the water pipes and valves,
- Check if all sockets are attached to the wall and operating.
If you prefer someone else to do the inspection and give you details about the structure and build, contact a professional home inspector and let them give you some good tips on improving your residence.
Perform a thorough inspection of your residence before unpacking
Set Up the Utilities, Check Electricals and Water Valves
Checking your electricals, wires, pipes, and water valves is an essential part of the inspection checklist. Among many relocation tips, the most vital might be finding the fuse box for your power and the shutoff valve for the water supply. These will have to be at the top of the list, too. The most important things to do after moving into a new house are to make sure it isn’t going to collapse in on itself at some point.
Besides finding the vital points for the power and water supply, ensure you’ve transferred utilities. Whether you’re a fresh homeowner or renting from a landlord, you’ll likely have to set up utilities in your name. Transferring them from the old address won’t work out, mainly because you’ve moved to a different state with different rules and regulations. A landlord may provide utilities in their name if you’re renting, but they rarely like to take the responsibility.
Set up your utilities and check them until you're sure they're working properly
Register Your New Address – Online or In Person
Another task on the list of essential things to do after you move is to change your address. This part should be easy enough – go to the local US Post Office website and register the new address. If your utilities haven’t been set up yet, or you can’t set them up before registering, head to the nearest Post Office and register everything in person.
When you decide to finally organize important documents, contact the IRS and other government agencies so your bills could be sent to the other place, and you could be in the loop when important documents start arriving. Tax evasion isn’t a great start to a fresh and exciting life, so work on setting everything up before settling in.
Since You Moved Across the State, Update Your Voter Registration
Something you forget to do when moving across the country is updating your voter registration data. It will be relevant to have your registration at some point, and you’ll have to scramble to get everything updated, which might result in you losing your right to vote. It’s not fun to feel left out and denied your fundamental rights, so don’t forget to do this update as soon as you move. Some tips don’t feel relevant until you need them, so if you don’t find voter registration as important right away, be sure to write it down somewhere visible for a later period.
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Ensure You’re Not Getting Any Mail from Previous Residents
Sometimes moving cross-country makes us overwhelmed, and it becomes easier to make relocation mistakes. Some happen despite many move-out tips, and others start appearing after the day of the move, such as getting mail from the previous residents. It’s not exactly a mistake of yours – it’s the duty of the last resident to register their move just like you did.
Wait and see if you receive any mail that doesn’t belong to you. If you do, whatever happens, do not throw it away because getting rid of someone else’s mail is illegal. Instead, file a complaint on the USPS website or via phone, and if you have any way to contact the old resident, notify them as well. Getting stuck with someone’s mail, or even worse, having your mail sent to another person, feels burdensome and like an invasion of privacy, so work on this if it happens sooner than later.
Redirect the old tenant's mail, so you don't get stuck with it
Do Some Move-In Cleaning Before You Unpack
No matter what your reasons to move are, and even if you only have days to do it, you should still make a move-out cleaning checklist and tidy up at least a little bit before you leave the old house. This is something to do before relocating. However, cleaning should be on the checklist of what to do after moving, too.
Move-in cleaning is vital for a few reasons. Firstly, if you didn’t have time to clean before you moved out, the same could happen when you move in. Someone may not have had the hours or resources to clean up after themselves, so you’ll have to do it. Secondly, the place could have been empty for a while, and dust is relentless and always present. Before you land your pristine sofa in the middle of the living room, ensure the dust is gone and taken care of.
If you’re not sure where to start with your move-in cleaning, or you don’t have the motivation for it, the video below could help boost your morale and get you to get it done in no time. It doesn’t have to be a long process if you enlist the help of some friends and family or get motivation from online sources.
Unpack and Let Movers Assemble Your Furniture
Something great about a cross-country movers group is all the assistance you get from them. It’s best to hire movers when you wish to move, especially if you’re relocating for the first time. You may be confused about what to do and how to do it. So, when movers provide their relocation services, they disassemble the furniture and pack items according to your inventory list.
However, the benefits don’t just end there – movers can unload the relocation truck and assemble the furniture once your stuff arrives at the destination. It’s going to pay off in the long run because with relocation services, your items will be insured during transportation, and if you change your mind about something that needs shipping, just put it in storage until you need it again.
It’s Best to Let the Movers Do the Hard Parts
So, the help of a cross-country moving company is beneficial because unpacking after relocating will only leave you with handling relocation boxes and their contents. The hard part is getting down into every bolt, screw, and joint of a bed frame or couch, which can last a while if you’re inexperienced. So, while movers take care of those bits, you can put the boxes in their designated place and make the unpacking process easier.
The best part is – you don’t even have to drive across the country to have your car come with you. You can give that to movers, too. They can ship your car in different kinds of trailers and deliver it to your doorstep, and that’s all standard relocation service. Professional movers can do the tricky parts of every move, so why leave it all to chance?
Cross-country moving experts can assemble your furniture while you unpack boxes
Learn How to Adjust by Beating Mental Blocks
Whether you relocated for love or finally landed a dream job out of state, these positive reasons can still be causes of relocation stress and anxiety. Mental health can decline amid significant lifestyle changes and leave you wondering, “What should I do after moving” long after settling in. Learning how to adjust to another town is a massive part of relocating and could belong to the list of stuff to do after relocating.
Suppose you always dreamed of living in the countryside, and now, after relocating to a small town, the dream has come true. That’s a good place to start. Take walks and admire the very reasons you left; organize field trips, picnics, and weekend activities in nature, or join some already existing ones. Joining existing activity groups is a good way to make new friends in a different town.
Stay In Contact With Friends and Family and Ask for Reassurance
Possibly the worst part of relocating somewhere unknown is the change in physical functioning, such as with adjustment insomnia. It does come from a mental place, but the body could suffer if you moved somewhere with a different time zone, too. A nice way to get the reassurance and assistance you need is to stay in touch with old friends and family members. You can ask for their advice and boosts, so when it’s necessary, the adaptation will become easier.
Beat mental blocks by leaving your comfort zone now and then
Take Time to Introduce Yourself to the Neighbors
Finally, when you’ve done your essential checkups on the residence, cleaned up, and unpacked all the boxes, it’s great to throw a move-in party and invite people from the neighborhood. Having a party is a great way to meet new neighbors and see who could become your next great friend and who’s the nagging one. Doing this will also be beneficial for defeating the mental blocks and putting your past behind. Leave room for positive stuff and always be yourself because that’s a foolproof way to adjust and live life to the fullest.
