Buying and moving into a new-to-you home is an exciting time! It is also a lot of work – there are one million things to do and remember. Tony and I have moved several times, so I’ve come up with 9 things to do when you buy a new home to make moving less stressful.
This post is about 9 things to do when you buy a new home.
1. Clean From Top To Bottom.
When I buy a new home, I deep clean it from top to bottom just before we move in. Two things happen: one, it gets spotless, and I get really familiar with everything, and two, I find something that needs attention. I try to do this before I move in because it is so much faster to clean an empty house. If you need help with this, an account I follow on Instagram, Go Clean Co, has a downloadable Cleaning Handbook you can buy for around $10 US dollars.
2. Accommodate Your Pets.
Make sure you can accommodate your pets when you buy a new home. Do you need a fence or doggie doors? You might get those in before you move in. Map out your route to walk then and be sure to pack leases, bowls, and food in your car, so you don’t have to dig through the moving truck to find them.
3. Window Coverings.
Measure for and order window coverings when you buy a new home. If you are on a tight budget (you did just buy a HOUSE!), Ikea and Amazon are great for inexpensive curtain options. This blog post from my idols over at Young House Love tells how to make cheap curtains look fantastic.
4. Map Out Kitchen Storage.
Map out your kitchen storage, so when you unpack, you can put things away quickly. Group like items, for example, all of your food items should be in once place so when you make out your grocery list, you can quickly glance over the food you have on hand and see what you need. I like to put post-it notes on cabinet doors to label what goes inside so others can help me unpack boxes.
5. Downsize.
Months before the actual move, I start culling the things I have. I begin with my attic, basement, and garage – getting rid of things I haven’t used in a while, that I don’t think I’ll need or have space for at the new house, and even things I just don’t love anymore. I find it annoying to get rid of them after I’ve moved them to a new home! So much wasted effort!!
6. Stock Up On Meals.
Go ahead and stock up on some meals – moving is hard work, you need to keep food on hand that can be popped in the oven for easy, quick meals.
7. Pack Beds Last.
When packing to move to your new home, always pack the beds and clean bed linens last. When you get to the new house, the beds will be the first thing off the truck. Ask your movers to assemble them and then make them up. Moving is very tiring! When you are tired, you want to be able to go to bed. This has been a lifesaver for us, especially when our children were small.
8. Meet Your Neighbors.
Meet your neighbors as soon as you can. Just a friendly wave and hello can open the door to good relations down the road. When we moved into our current place, the girls helped me put together little information cards with our names, phone numbers, and descriptions, and names of our pets for our neighbors. (I mean we did bring 4 horses, 2 dogs, and a cat!) It was a great ice breaker!
9. Exercise Routine.
Have a plan for your exercise routine at the new home. Don’t let a move derail your exercise routine! Does the move mean you’ll need to change to a new gym? Try to have all that done before the move, so you’ll be ready. I find going ahead and enrolling in classes at the new gym is that little bit of accountability I need to stay on my routine.
If you are getting ready to move to a new-to-you home, congratulations!! It’s a beautiful, exciting feeling. I hope you found my tips helpful. But more than that, I hope you can view this move as a time to start fresh and become a better version of yourself.
This post was about 9 things to do when you buy a new home.
Now that you are in your new home, I urge you to check out my blog if you want to remodel – I have a lot of useful remodel information for you!