What To Do First After Moving
Congratulations! You’ve survived the big move. You packed everything up, did the loading and unloading, and have hopefully finished without any dropped boxes, squashed toes, or scuffed furniture. Now it’s time to kick back, relax, and enjoy your new home, right? Well, not quite. There are still a few key things you’ll want to take care of in the days following your move-in before you can consider yourself truly settled.
Not to worry, with the following handy post-move checklist from the expert movers at our Gainesville moving company, you’ll have everything handled and be ready to start enjoying your new home in no time!
Contact UF Mover Guys today to request a free estimate on any of our moving services!
Document Damages
If you’re renting, before you’ve even begun unpacking boxes, grab a camera and spend some time walking around documenting any existing damages throughout your new place. Look for any stains, cracks, signs of water damage, peeling paint, or anything else that could potentially lose you a chunk of your security deposit if you’re to be blamed for it. After that, send your findings to your property manager. Generally, landlords ask tenants to document damages anyway, so they’ll like appreciate your initiative in getting it done ASAP.
Unpack Living Essentials
The last thing anyone wants when they’re getting ready for bed after a long day of moving is to realize they’ve yet to dig their bedding out of its box. Accordingly, before touching any of the other boxes, unpack the ones that contain absolute necessities. Think living essentials such as toiletries, kitchen supplies, bedding, cleaning supplies, etc. If you’ve packed a priority box, start with that! Getting the essentials out and ready to use before everything else can save you a series of headaches down the line.
Locate The Home’s Fuse Box & Main Water Valve
In general, getting familiar with your new home is a smart idea. Most importantly, so you’ll be ready to shut off water and electricity in case of emergency, familiarize yourself with the location of the main water valve and the fuse box. Once they’ve been located, ensure they’re both functioning correctly. Also, it may be tedious, but if the circuits in your fuse box are unlabeled or labeled incorrectly, take some time to figure out which switch does what and label them correctly.
Update Your Address
If you haven’t already, update your official address to match your new home. The last thing you want is any mail containing sensitive information to be sent to whoever occupies your new address. So, sooner rather than later, change your address on the U.S. Postal Services website. While you’re at it, have your prescriptions transferred from your old pharmacy to a local one. It’s best not to risk waiting until you require a refill, as transfers can be slow, and that may leave you without your required medications for longer than advised.
Explore The Neighborhood
Finally, after responsibly documenting damages, unpacking, acquainting yourself with your home, and updating your address, take some time to explore your new neighborhood! Of course, this isn’t an absolute must, but if you’ve got the time, familiarizing yourself with your surroundings and greeting your neighbors is a fun way to celebrate your move and start getting comfortable in the new area. Go for a walk, bike ride, or drive around your city. Identify the closest grocery store, cafes and diners you’d like to visit, and local gyms if you’re planning on joining one. Most importantly, just have fun soaking up the sights around your new neighborhood!
