Moving house is a time when things tend to get pretty chaotic and even a bit crazy at times. And despite the fact that Moving day takes the prize for the most stressful and exhausting day of your entire move, the immediate post-relocation period after a move can also prove to be rather disorganized too.
The toughest leg of your relocation journey may be already over, but there are many important things yet to be taken care of. Unfortunately, having so many jobs to take care of, it’s no wonder that the chance of committing serious mistakes when moving into a new house remains relatively high.
Moving into a new house is the time to celebrate the successful completion of your relocation adventure and definitely not suffer major setbacks, wouldn’t you agree?
To avoid perfectly avoidable post-move problems and headaches, get familiar with the 10 most common mistakes you should try to avoid after moving into a new house.
1. NOT having the house utilities up and running
Considered to be a task that has to be taken care of prior to the move, the connection of the major utilities in your new home is something that you may have forgotten to do amidst the myriad of things to do when moving to a new home.
And if that’s the case, you should correct the major moving mistake immediately by contacting your new-city utility companies in order to set up a date and time (ASAP) for the re-connection of your municipal services.
Bear in mind that some house utilities are much more urgent than others. Once you have electricity and running water in your new home, make the necessary arrangements with the corresponding service providers to enjoy the indisputable advantages of the Internet, cable TV, phone, and other important services.
Read also: How to transfer utilities when moving
2. NOT unpacking the essentials boxes
You don’t want to make the mistake of not unpacking the essentials boxes first of all – after all, they are called Open-First boxes for a reason.
The moment you step into the new house, your first reaction should be to locate those survival kits and unbox them so that you can get out the essential items you’ve prepared prior to the move. Basically, you’ll want to set up the two most important rooms right away – the bathroom and the bedroom.
When you set up the critical bathroom items, including toiletries, for a refreshing shower and you make up the bed for a well-deserved rest. Also, unpack all essential items for children and pets, including medicines for anyone in the family who might need them.
Good to know: 7 things to do on the first day in a new home
3. NOT inspecting the new house thoroughly
One common mistake people make when moving into a new house is to fail to inspect the new place thoroughly right after moving into it for the first time.
Take the time to inspect each and every room in the house, and look for any signs of pre-existing damage. Check for water leaks in the plumbing system, then locate the water meter and electric meter and write down their readings.
One good way to check for hidden leaks is to compare the readings of the water meter for a period of several hours when no water is used anywhere in the house. If the two readings match, then there shouldn’t be any problems with the water supply network in the home.
Also, inspect the front yard and the backyard for problems of any kind. If you do find something worrying within the perimeter of your new house, then fix it or have it fixed as soon as you can.
4. NOT cleaning up the new house
After moving into a new house, one of the must-do tasks you may accidentally forget to complete is to clean thoroughly your new place.
The process of unpacking will surely leave its dirty marks throughout the property and besides, you want the living space to be fresh, spotless, and generally welcoming, don’t you?
If the house has been previously owned or rented by other people, then it’ll be an even bigger mistake not to give it a good old sweep simply because you never know what may have happened there. So, purchase quality cleaning products and get down to work: vacuum the carpets, mop the tiled floors, and wipe all reflective surfaces and furniture pieces.
If you can afford it, you might want to consider hiring a cleaning service to have your place cleaned up professionally. However, if you can spare the time and you don’t mind the manual labor too much, then it’s usually better to do it yourself.
Useful advice: Moving in cleaning checklist: How to clean a new home before you move in
5. NOT securing your new house
One of the things you must do after moving into a new house is to secure the new place against unauthorized access and possibly destructive acts of nature.
- Locks. Make sure you secure the new house by changing the locks on the outside doors so that you and your family members are the only ones with authorized access to the new property.
- Windows and doors. Check whether all windows and doors close tight and securely. If not, fix them or have them fixed ASAP.
- Smoke detectors. Consider installing smoke detectors in every room of the new house.
- Fire extinguisher. There should be one fully functional fire extinguisher on every floor of the house.
- Escape route. Map out an escape route out of the house in case of an emergency and communicate it to the rest of your family.
- Burglar alarm. Consider installing a burglar alarm, especially if the new house is in a bad neighborhood.
See also: How to improve home security after a move?
6. NOT making the new place safe for kids and pets
If you just moved into a new house with a young child and/or a pet, then it’s critical that you take the time to make the new place perfectly safe for both children and pet animals.
The process of child-proofing (aka baby-proofing) includes a number of important steps that are aimed at identifying and eliminating any dangers or hazards in the new house. The overall safety and well-being of your kids should be the number one priority after relocating to an unfamiliar place, so get down to work.
Start with the nursery room, then move on to the bathroom, kitchen, and living room. Pay special attention to the stairs since they prove to be a dangerous area where accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. Identify all hazards for your little ones and eliminate them, one by one.
How to babyproof your house after moving
Also, make the house pet-proofed following the same steps as above.
7. NOT keeping up with unpacking
One judgment error you might make after moving into a new house is to neglect the unpacking task.
It shouldn’t come as a big surprise simply because you won’t have a deadline like you did while you were packing up your things for a move. And now that the move is finally over, it’s fairly easy to keep postponing opening up the rest of the boxes (the ones with non-essential items) and arranging their contents throughout the home.
One of the biggest problems when you fail to complete the unpacking task is that the new house will remain unnecessarily cluttered for a long time, possibly even for months depending on a few factors.
Another disadvantage of keeping your stuff in boxes for a prolonged period of time is that you will lose time looking for specific items instead of having everything duly unboxed and neatly arranged in their right places.
Good advice: How to motivate yourself to unpack after moving
8. NOT arranging the house the way you want
Moving into a new house is a fresh start, a new beginning, a new life chapter. And this is exactly why you will have a great opportunity to arrange and decorate the new place exactly the way you want.
You’re free to experiment as far as your limitations go in terms of finances and rules if you’re a tenant. Nevertheless, you can always play with various home décor techniques – arranging the furniture in a certain way, placing different decorations in each room to create a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere in your new home.
You should be able to set up the new house to your own taste even when you’re on a tight budget. A few flower pots here and there and strategic soft lighting can do wonders for the new place.
Read also: How to make my new place feel like home?
9. NOT changing your postal address
Not changing your postal address with the United States Postal Service (USPS) is a clear moving mistake that will keep you from having new mail delivered to your new home. Therefore, you will need to address this issue immediately after moving into the new house.
Luckily, you’ve got 4 options to change your address after moving into a new house and you can pick the most convenient one for you.
- In person. Head down to your local post office and complete the change of address (COA) procedure so that you can keep getting your mail as before.
- Online. Alternatively, you can save valuable time by filling out a change of address request with the USPS online. All you have to do is visit the official webpage of the USPS and follow the instructions to change your address with minimum hassle.
- Over the phone. If you prefer, you can call 1-800-ASK-USPS and follow the pre-recorded instructions to change your postal address after moving into a new home.
- By mail. Naturally, you can also change your address by posting a filled-out PS Form 3575 to POSTMASTER, United States Postal Service.
Sadly enough, bills will probably be the first things to find their way into your mailbox.
See also: How to change your address when moving
10. NOT meeting up with your new neighbors
Well, it’s definitely not a big mistake not to introduce yourself to your neighbors when moving into a new house.
The truth is that you don’t have to become best friends with the folks next door. However, it’s an undeniable fact that they can give you timely guidance in the form of practical tips and good advice on what you should do and what you shouldn’t do in a perfectly unfamiliar environment.
A simple, “Hi, I’m your new neighbor” can set the tone for mutually favorable friendly relationships with the people who live next to you. Those relationships, mind you, might even develop into good friendships over time.
If you feel nervous about going to your neighbors just to introduce yourself, one way to handle the possibly awkward situation is to invite them over to a humble housewarming party – the easiest and most effortless way to get to know your neighbors.
Just do it: How to meet your new neighbors after moving
