9 Essential Things to Do Immediately After the Move

Most individuals put in some level of planning for their move such as the getting the packing done early or hiring a moving company, but often, we don’t focus on what we will do once we have reached our new home. We’re so focused on getting everything done and just reaching in one piece with all our belongings that we don’t think about how to proceed after the move.

This part of the relocation process is possibly even more important than leaving the previous house as when you reach a new place, you need to try to be on top of everything as soon as possible. You need to start working and your children need to start going to school, so getting everything settled in a timely manner is of utmost importance. Managing your life once you have moved into a new house isn’t as difficult as it sounds and can be tackled easily using a step-by-step approach.

1. Inspect Your Belongings

As soon as the moving company has unloaded everything from the trucks, start supervising as they shift your belongings into the house. Use a list of all your items that you should have made while packing and ensure that nothing is left behind. If this happens and you realize, later on, you will have to deal with the added hassle of getting it back.

2. Make Sure Your Utilities Are Working

This is something that you should ideally have taken care of before the move. Transferring your utilities before the move is vital as coming to a house which doesn’t have any running water, electricity or gas is definitely a nightmare. However, if this is something you weren’t able to manage beforehand, tackle this immediately because if your basic needs aren’t being catered to, how will you move forward?

3. Unpack Without Delay

Though this isn’t as time-consuming as packing, it still takes up time and energy. The first thing to do is to unpack your necessities such as toothbrushes, clothes, house slippers and so on. Other items such as soap, toilet paper, tissue boxes, and cutlery also need to be unpacked sooner rather than later. If they aren’t, you will end up having to run out to buy them, which isn’t a feasible option by any stretch of the imagination. Once this is done, you don’t need to rush through the rest of your unpacking, but it is still better to get it done within the first week of your move.

4. Explore Your House

You should try to familiarize yourself with your new home immediately. Check for any damages or leaking pipes which need to be repaired as soon as possible. Locate the fuse box, water supply, and gas supply so you can shut them off in case of any emergencies. Don’t leave these tasks to the moment when you absolutely need to find them in order to avoid catastrophic results.

5. Check for Any Damages to Your Belongings

Moving companies provide insurance in the event of any damage to their clients’ belongings. This is another reason to not delay the process of unpacking; you need to thoroughly examine your furniture, appliances, decoration items, and all other belongings for any damage. Keep in mind that you may not be able to make an insurance claim after a certain specified period of time is over.

6. Change Your Address

Another task which needs to be tackled immediately is changing your postal address. You don’t want to miss any important documents by not giving this task priority. The best part is that you can change your address online, thus making this a process which can be managed quite quickly.

7. Register Your Vehicle

As you start settling down, another thing that needs to be taken care of is your license and the registration of your vehicle. Driving an unregistered vehicle can get you into trouble for no reason in a new place, so act quickly to avoid that.

8. Start Sending Your Children to School

If you have children, try to register them in a new school before the move. If you were unable to manage that, do it so as soon as you can after the relocation. Compromising on their education and delaying the resumption of their learning journey will only make things more difficult for them. By starting school immediately, they will settle down quickly; this will also give you more time to get all your affairs sorted out.

9. Acquaint Yourself with the Neighborhood

Something which will make your move significantly easier is getting to know your neighbours who can help you out in many ways. Also try and locate the supermarket, bank, medical centres, and any other places that you may need to visit in the near future. The sooner you do this, the faster you’ll be able to feel at home.

Among many other tasks, these nine things are absolutely essential for you to take care of as soon as possible if you wish to settle in at your new home quickly and with ease.