Looking at the days and weeks leading up to moving day, it might seem like a successful move ends when the moving truck drives away. Pop the champagne, pull your coziest sweats out of the moving boxes, and settle in to relax right?
Not so fast. After a move, there are several things you will need to address and services you might need to secure for your new home. So get a good night’s rest, but then start making a list of tasks that need to be tackled to finalize your move. In addition to unpacking your home, of course.
Get your utilities up and running.
Wait, everything isn’t already turned on? It might be, but it might not. It all depends on the last owners or tenants. Check with the power company, get the water turned on, and if your new home uses city gas, get that set up too. You may need to get a gas or oil tank filled if your new home is in a rural area, so find out which company the previous owners worked with. As you get the utilities up and running, find out the location of the water main, gas emergency shut off, and the electrical panel. You must know how to turn things off in a pinch!
Check and set up your major appliances.
If the refrigerator has been off for a while, it will take some time to cool enough to hold your food items — so make an interim plan, if that’s the case. A new refrigerator, on the other hand, needs to sit for at least 3 hours before you turn it on. This allows the coolants and oils in the compressor to settle. If you brought a washer and dryer, you’ll need to have them set up, leveled, and tested. Having a technician assist you with setting up your major appliances might be necessary, especially when plumbing or electrical work is involved.
Is the home clean enough for you?
Hopefully, the previous owners had the home professionally cleaned before you moved in. But it’s ultimately up to you to decide if everything is up to your standards! You may decide that you want to hire a local cleaning company to do a deep clean, scrubbing every nook and cranny to make your new home shine. To find a reliable cleaning company, make sure you ask:
- To see their certificate of liability insurance
- For references
- What kind of cleaning products do they use (make sure they are equipped to care for delicate surfaces)
- For a cleaning checklist so you are fully aware of what they will be doing
Then make sure you will be available on the day that they come to clean!
Update your insurance policies.
Your car insurance, health insurance, and homeowner’s insurance policies will all be impacted by moving to a new home. Especially if you are moving to a new state call these companies as soon as possible to ensure that your policies remain in place to protect you. If you’re lucky, your insurance rates might even go down!
Change your address.
Your new home comes with a new address, Make sure you don’t miss anyone’s letters or any important mail and inform the post office of your move. You can do it easily online at
USPS.com, or by visiting your new local post office location. Begin informing your credit card companies, banks, and other institutions. Don’t forget to tell your friends and family about the move, too! This can be done easily via email while still keeping your home address safe. Don’t post it publicly on your social media!
Find a new team of medical providers.
Perhaps your doctor and dentist were able to provide you with referrals for your new hometown, but perhaps not. After you tackle the biggest items on the list, start to familiarize yourself with the area, and find new medical practitioners. Your health insurance company may have specific guidelines, so be sure you check your policy. It’s always better to do this search while you’re healthy! If you are moving with a pet include finding a new veterinary office nearby on this list.
Your FlatRate movers are ready to help make your move a stress-free one! Talk to your Relocation Consultant about our storage services, furniture assembly, TV and audio installation, and other available services.