5 Things You Need to Cross Off Your List Before Moving Into an Apartment

After getting relocation quotes and hiring the best professional movers, you’d think the tough part of planning to move house is over. The truth, however, is that it’s just getting started.

This also rings true if you’re moving to an apartment.

Compared to a house, apartment relocation may entail a slightly different set of tasks on your to-do list – all of which are crucial to the success of the move and your life afterwards.

If you remain uncertain about the things that need to be accomplished, you can start with the following five tasks you need to cross off your list before the move:

1.  Find an apartment.

If you haven’t already, you need to find an apartment to rent or buy. By this time, you should already have a destination in mind.

So if, for instance, you’re moving to Dubai Festival City, you’ll want to look into apartments that are most suitable for your needs and lifestyle.

Are you looking for a more modern apartment in towering skyscrapers near the airport? Then, Marsa Plaza is the perfect place for you.

Or perhaps you want something more classic and closer to the mall and other family-friendly amenities? Then, Al Badia Residences would be a good choice.

After dealing with the paperwork and processes, you should then inform your new landlord when you plan to move in. Take this opportunity to get some important information from them as well, including:

• When you can expect to receive your keys.
• The parking situation on moving day.
• The availability of service elevators for furniture and other big items.
• The payment of the first month’s rent.

2.  Prep your new apartment.

After signing lease documents, you’ll also want to discuss with your landlord the extent of what you can do in the apartment.

If allowed, you’ll want to have your new place painted and personalised. If the landlord won’t let you repaint, they may allow you to use removable wallpaper. This way, you can still inject a bit of your personality into the place.

You should also remember to:

• Change the locks (if your landlord allows).
• Check if the windows and other access points are secure.
• Hire professional cleaners to get the place deep-cleaned before your move.

3.  Set up your utilities.

Depending on where you’re moving to and coming from, you may be able to move your utilities to your new address.

Setting up utilities needs to be done before the move. This way, you don’t have to spend your first night in your new apartment in the dark and without a water source.

If it’s your first apartment, you need at least a few weeks to apply for basic services. Make sure that their installation schedules are well ahead of your moving date. Otherwise, you might need to postpone your relocation a little bit later.

Among the utilities you may need to apply for are:

• Electricity
• Cable
• Internet
• Water and sewer
• Gas
• Phone
• Trash

Some of these utilities can wait until a week after moving (e.g., internet, phone, and cable), but the rest should be set up on or before moving day.

4.  Learn about the neighbourhood.

While you should have already done your initial scouting while finding an apartment, you must learn more about your neighbourhood right before the move.

If you’re moving abroad or to a different community with new cultures and traditions, it could take a while to adjust to the place.

Still, you should at least try to get acquainted with the establishments nearby, including grocery stores, shops, parks, restaurants, and other places you could potentially be visiting frequently. You may also want to set up a new gym membership and figure out how transportation works in the area.

5.  Shop essentials.

If you’re moving to your first apartment or need some new furniture, you should consider shopping at Ikea and other leading furniture stores in the city where you’re planning to move. This should reduce the number of bulky items you’ll need to have transported from where you previously lived.

While you don’t need to buy everything you need at once, you’ll want at least the basics to ensure that your first couple of nights in the apartment are comfortable.

It would help to have a list of things you’ll need to buy, arranged or tagged according to their priority level. Consider the following when writing your list:

Bedroom

Among the essential items you’ll need in the bedroom are the mattress and bed frame. Make sure you buy them after signing the lease for your new apartment to make sure you don’t have to sleep on the floor on the night of moving day.

You’ll also need to make sure that your bed is cosy. If you don’t already have them, buy a few sets of sheets, pillows, mattress toppers, duvet, and other things you think you will need.

Don’t forget the dresser.

Then, later, you can add a nightstand, a bedside table, some shelves, and other pieces of furniture you prefer to have in your bedroom. You can also start browsing early. Consider matching sets or mix and match them to what you already have.

Living Room

The sofa is the most important furniture you’ll want to have in your new apartment. But before you buy one, measure the living space first to make sure you can still move comfortably in it.

Some apartment owners and renters also opt for a sleeper sofa or futon, which can be pretty useful if you plan to have some guests over.

You may also toss in a coffee table if the available space allows. If not, consider some side tables or shelves as surface implements where you can put your drinks, magazines, and TV remote.

And don’t forget the television. Whether or not you’re a big fan of Netflix or cable, a good television can prove to be an excellent investment for some awesome movie nights at home.

Kitchen

There’s no universal rule for basic kitchen furniture. But while you can eat on your sofa or bed, you’ll eventually want to eat your dinner on a stable surface.

In this case, you can buy a full dinner table and chair set. Or if you live alone or don’t have enough space in your apartment for a six-seater, a pair of stools and breakfast nook table could work as well.

As for kitchenware, you should at least have a few plates, spoons, forks, and glasses. Of course, if you spend a lot of time in your kitchen, you can invest in an entire dish set right away.

Bathroom

Don’t forget to bring your toiletry items, especially the things you’ll need for a relaxing warm bath after a hard day’s work on moving day.

Get Ready to Move

Relocation requires thorough planning and preparation to be successful. Save yourself the stress of forgotten tasks by listing down what you need to do ahead of moving day. Start with this list and add anything you think will make your move much easier.

AUTHOR BIO

Praful Gupta is the Business Head for Asset Mobility at Writer Relocations, India’s premier mobility services company that handles all types of moves: International & Domestic Relocations, Office Relocations, Commercial Move Management Services, Hospitality Logistics, Fine Arts Logistics, Orientation Services, and Storage Solutions. Headquartered in Mumbai, Writer Relocations has presence in 7 countries and operates in more than 190 countries.