Love it or hate it, the moving process is an essential part of starting life in a new home. Moving into a single-family house is slightly different from an apartment, in that you’ll likely bring a lot more with you.
Despite this though, moving day doesn’t need to be daunting. With a solid plan in place and a few invaluable tips and tricks up your sleeve, everything can go smoothly. In this guide, we’ll look at our top 8 moving tips for house renters.
1. Set a Moving Date That Works for You
The most important thing you can do to ensure a smooth moving process is to start planning as early as possible. In doing so, you’ll have a lot more flexibility when it comes to setting a moving date. Ideally, you’ll want to set a move-in date that’s as close to the end of your current lease period as possible. This way, you’ll avoid paying two rents at once.
When it comes to fixing a day for moving, consider a weekday morning if possible. If you find something isn’t working when you move in, you’ll be far more likely to find a contractor to come out and fix it during the week.
Once you’ve chosen your move-in date, be sure to book a moving company or rental van if necessary as soon as possible.
2. Don’t Forget About Utilities
Utilities might not be the most exciting part of moving into a new house, but they’re essential. Make sure you know well in advance if your utilities will be included in the rent or not so that you can budget for them.
Then, check if there’s anything you need to do in advance to set up utility accounts in your name. More often than not, this won’t be necessary, but it’s always good to check. Pay particular attention to your internet provider, as you’ll probably want reliable internet access from day one.
On moving day, be sure to check that all your utilities are working as soon as you arrive. If anything isn’t working, this will give you plenty of time to get the issue resolved. Finally, find out where any meters are, as well as water shut-off valves.
3. Be Sure You Know What’s Included in the Rental
Determine exactly what furniture and appliances are included in your rental as soon as you can. This way, you can make sure you purchase any appliances or furnishings in advance so that you’re not left lacking the essentials for the first few days in your new house.
If possible, check over the existing appliances and furnishings before you move in to see if you do want to use them or bring your own. As always, the sooner you can arrange this the more time you’ll have to sort everything out.
4. Account for the Small Details
Even the best-laid plans can soon fall apart if the small details haven’t been accounted for. So, check that you’ll have adequate access to parking outside your new house before moving day comes. You don’t want to find that the moving van has nowhere to park nearby once it’s loaded up with your belongings. In the same vein, make sure you obtain any parking permits you might need.
If you have any bulky belongings, take measurements and make sure they’ll fit through the doorways and into the required rooms. If not, dismantle them if possible in advance for a much easier move.
5. Check for Existing Damage Before Moving Large Items In
Before you move anything into your new house, take one more look over the entire house to check for existing damage to things like walls, ceilings, and furniture. Take photos and create a log to share with your landlord. Then, when you carefully move your larger items in, you can’t be blamed for that scuff on the wall.
6. Declutter Before You Move
Before you pack away all of your belongings, use this opportunity to declutter. After all, the fewer things you have to take with you the better. Not only will it result in fewer trips and less effort, but if you’re hiring professional movers, it’ll typically reduce the cost as well.
Go through all of your belongings and split them into three piles; keep, donate, discard. Anything you haven’t used for a long time can either be thrown away or donated to charity. Or, you could even put them up for sale. Either way, it’s always best to declutter and start fresh in your new home.
7. Make a Plan for Packing
Having decluttered, you can begin packing. Again, the sooner you start the better. Gather the following necessary packing supplies in advance:
- Packing boxes
- Tape
- Marker pens
- Labels
- Vacuum pack bags—for reducing the space bulky clothes, blankets, and other items take up.
Keep organized by drawing up an inventory of everything you plan to take with you. On moving day, you can check the list to ensure nothing’s been misplaced. When packing, separate your belongings by room and box them up accordingly, ensuring you keep everything clearly labeled.
Finally, pack a bag containing all your essentials, such as a change of clothes, toiletries, and paperwork. Keep this with you on moving day so that even if everything else gets lost or delayed, you have the essentials to hand.
8. Set up a Redirect for Your Mail
Finally, make sure you notify the postal service of your change of address and consider setting up mail forwarding so you don’t miss out on any important information.
The key to a smooth moving process is planning ahead and accounting for all the small details. By following the tips above, you’ll be well on the way to a stress-free moving day and ready to start a whole new chapter of your life.
