5 things to do before moving into your new house
Everything you own is packed into a moving van. The old house is empty and awaiting its new residents, and you’re on your way to the new place.
Moving house is something that most of us will do several times, if not dozens of times in our lives and it’s important to try to make these occasions as stress free as possible.
There are a few things that most people tend to leave until the last minute that should really be done well in advance of moving house. Here are five things you need to do before you move into your new house.
Change the locks on the exterior doors
As soon as the closing is over and you’ve got the keys to your house, either buy and install new lock sets or have a locksmith come to the house to switch them out. Let’s face it, the previous owners, maintenance folks and who knows who else are all likely to have keys to your place. For some peace of mind and as a necessary step on making this house yours, get new locks installed immediately.
Get the house cleaned up
While many people will leave the house clean for you, some won’t. Even if they do, you’ll want to clean everything for yourself. You can hire a service to do this or you can do it yourself. If you do it yourself, set up an area with all of the supplies and tools you’ll need to get the job done. Washing down cabinets, counters and plumbing fixtures and cleaning the carpeting, etc. will make you feel good about the house. Don’t forget a healthy supply of rubber gloves.
Paint the walls and ceilings
This can be time consuming, so hire professionals if you can. There’s no point in just slapping up a coat of paint if the walls and ceilings are damaged – if they have cracks, holes and other defects. Prepping these surfaces can be a real chore. So unless you have a relative or two who can help, save yourself a lot of time and just hire someone. Also, if you’re short on time and the house is in dire straits and every surface needs painting consider one neutral colour for every room. This will just make it easier and limit the number of decisions you’ll have to make. You can always go back and repaint rooms the colours you want as time permits. Also, wooden decking in Cape Town is very popular these days. If your house has one, maybe you should upgrade this as well.
Get some organisers
Many older houses suffer from closets that have a simple pole and shelf. Look at where you’ll store what and get the closets outfitted to accommodate everything. Make moving in less stressful and your life in the new house more enjoyable. And don’t just look at the closets. Think about where you’ll put everything. A well-placed extra shelf or coat hook will go a long way towards making the house that much easier to live in.
Install window treatments
Whether you have these custom made or you go for some inexpensive and temporary shades, you’ll want to get some something on your windows – both for privacy and that finishing touch. There’ll be time later, as you live in the house and get to know it better, to choose a more personalised option.