Moving to a new home can be an exciting time in your life, whether it’s across town or in another state. You get to start fresh with new furniture and decorations and a whole new opportunity to show off your personality through what you choose to display on your walls and shelves. But no matter how excited you are about your new space, it’s important not to rush the move. Here are eight tips that can help when you move to a new home:
1. Create a List
Make a list of everything you need to prepare for your move. Put everything on your list, and ensure you have duplicates if something breaks. Plus, it will be a helpful checklist if you need an item but can’t remember where to put it.
Mark off everything as you pack each room, creating a series of to-do items. Before you know it, you’ll have checked everything off and begun thinking about where to unpack once everything is done.
2. Come Up with Color Schemes
Choosing a color scheme is essential in your move. Not only does it define your new home’s aesthetic, but it also can help you unify your entire space. The color scheme you choose will be one factor that determines how warm and inviting your home feels—or how sharp and edgy it looks. Also, don’t forget that colors have an emotional impact; hence, if there are specific feelings you want people to feel when they come over, select colors with that emotion in mind.
3. Figure Out Lighting
Lighting is essential to any new home, whether safety or ambiance. Make sure you decide what type of lighting you want in each room. You’ll be surprised how often you turn on your lights and how much it affects your mood! It’s essential to consider these factors when looking for new homes. Talk with agents about which homes have important features to you before purchasing.
4. Prepare All Rooms for Each Room Type
If you’re moving into a new home, one of your biggest priorities should be ensuring each room has everything it needs. So whether you’re turning a bedroom into an office or vice versa, ensure you thoroughly prepare every room with all its furniture and supplies before taking on another project. Move those items first if you have more oversized items (like a refrigerator or couch). Work your way down to smaller items like lamps and vases.
Once you’ve moved all your belongings, you can focus on making necessary changes to each room. This will include painting or repainting, installing new light fixtures, rearranging furniture, and other cosmetic upgrades. But before moving on to another project, consider whether each room is fully furnished with everything it needs for a comfortable stay.
5. Set Up Utilities
One of your top priorities should be getting your utilities up and running in your new place. For example, if you have cable service at your old home, don’t assume it will work at your new address. Call or go online and double-check that you can get service there. Likewise, if you had a home phone line in your old space, contact your provider to see whether they can port that number or if you need to sign up again.
6. Arrange Furniture Pieces
Without furniture, your new home is a big, empty box. Before you unpack everything else, set up your main living space and arrange your furniture (the less stuff you have, the easier it will be). Take stock of what pieces you own and items you need to pick up later. And don’t forget about blankets, pillows, photos, storage bins, and other extras that can spruce up your new place.
7. Place Small Decor Items
You’ve just moved into your new home, and while you’re not yet settled, you want to start creating a comfortable atmosphere. Place small decorative items throughout your new home and make it feel like yours. Small things such as pictures in frames or even flowers in vases can set a positive tone for your future living experience at that address.
8. Make Sure You Have Everything You Need
Heating and cooling systems and electrical panels can be expensive to replace. So make sure you have all of your utility contracts well in hand before you move. If you find out something isn’t working correctly or needs replacing as soon as you move into your new home, it might cost more than if you had addressed it beforehand. Keep in contact with experts who can help you with installments if you need one. Furnaces are a good example, as they are often tricky to install independently. If you have no contacts, check out furnace installers online or near your area to help you in your new home. You’re packing up and moving across town or even across state lines. And that means making sure you have everything for your move. Prepare everything beforehand to save the hassle of moving to a new home.
