7 Things to Do After Moving In
You’ve finally moved into your new place! Feels exciting, doesn’t it? There’s so much to do and explore, but before you get overly comfy and go right into a fun part of unpacking all those boxes, make sure to check this listing of matters to do right after moving into your home. You’ll be making the experience much easier and memory-filled for the coming years.
- Be sure to change your address records
Your address is connected to a lot of different aspects of your life. Voting, the census, billing information, and shipping information, to name a few, are definitely all more than important. Get to work and put in all your new info regarding your change of address to save yourself the headache later on.
When it comes to voting specifically, most states permit a 60-day grace period, during which time a classic address can be used by you at your polling station. Enroll at a month in advance if possible, but the very least amount is two weeks before elections. This way you won’t run into anything significant issues where you won’t be able to exercise your Constitutional rights.
- Assess your current credit reports
Throughout a move, a lot of private financial info is traded and forwarded via e-mail and mail, so it’s imperative that you ensure that your information wasn’t stolen. Within six months of your move, be sure to request a copy of your credit report to check for any of these inconsistencies that may point to a possible scam.
Credit checks can come from many different directions. The company that hired you for your new job, or your landlord, for example. Checking your credit score asap will save you a lot of headache if you do it ahead of time and come prepared.
- Take some quality pics!
These aren’t necessarily for your picture album. You’ll still need these photos eventually when you need a return on your security deposit. If you bought a house, any damage done to the house either before or during your move, perhaps by the movers themselves, needs to be documented. You’ll be surprised at how much you could end up saving in the end.
- Assess for breakage of any of your property
If you hired a moving company, account for any damage done to your things or stolen property during your move. You have a small amount of time to report these kinds of things in order to get the coverage you may need.
- Take care of the trash
You’ll have a good deal of trash when you unpack your belongings, and it’s best to know when and where it is possible to dispose of it. Find out from your landlord or local homeowners’ association when garbage day is, and take out the trash accordingly so it doesn’t end up piling up.
Switch the locks
Your new home should be fully protected, without the possible threat of a home intruder. You can never be sure who may have had the keys to your home in the past and if any duplicates have been made. This is why it’s always safe to not take the chance and immediately change your locks.
- Get to painting
Don’t wait too long to start painting your rooms! The longer you wait, the more difficult it becomes. The main reason you want to immediately get to painting the rooms in your home is because you don’t have any furniture or decorations in the way. You’re working with a clean slate, so you should definitely take advantage of the opportunity.