Ten Things To Do When You Move Into A New Apartment

Whether you’re moving apartment for the first or fifteenth time, it’s a big event and an exciting date for the diary. However, there are a few key things to remember to ensure your first few weeks and beyond go as smoothly as possible.

1.Change your address

This is important for a number of reasons. Informing certain companies and organisations of a change in personal details is strictly necessary in some cases, but on a more personal level you don’t want to miss any important letters or bills. Register your address change with every company you’re in touch with, including magazine subscriptions.

2.Change your locks

While this is a personal decision, it may be a wise one as you don’t know how many people the previous owner made key copies for. With any number of keys out there that match your lock, it’s advisable to get them changed for your own peace of mind.

3.Test the smoke detectors

As soon as you possibly can, locate the smoke detectors in the apartment and test them all. It’s important to be aware of any problems and get them fixed fast so that you are safe and comfortable in your new place.

4.Check your street number

It can be useful to make sure that your street number is clearly visible from the road, especially if you are expecting a moving or delivery van. This will also make it easier for post and parcel deliveries, not forgetting visitors!

5.Clean

While the apartment is empty, now is a good time to clean. The landlord or previous owners may have given it a quick once over before you moved in, but you might prefer to do a more thorough job yourself. From the windows to the oven; from the light switches to the taps, now is your chance to make your new apartment shine.

6. Organise your utilities

While setting up your TV is important there are some jobs that are simply a much higher priority like ensuring you have gas and electricity. Remember to find out the average monthly costs for these services in the local area and compare the market rather than opting for the first provider that crops up.

7.Check essential appliances

If any work needs doing or anything big needs replacing, now is the time to do it. Whether the electrics need to be looked at or the boiler’s on its last legs and needs replacing with a newer, more economical model, do it early to ensure the landlord has been notified and agrees the items need replacing - especially if you’re expecting them to pay. Addressing issues such as these earlier on will be much easier to tackle than further down the line.

8.Make your mark

It’s not just a new apartment, it’s your new apartment, and stamping your individuality on your new pad will help you feel more at home and settle in quicker. There are plenty of ways to go about this: simply putting up some of your favourite photos and pictures around the flat is a great start, you could go an extra step and create a feature wall in the living room or your bedroom, as well as making sure all your favourite accessories are on show.

9.Take a walk

Take a walk around the neighbourhood to get your bearings and a better idea of the local vicinity. You might even bump into your neighbours while out and about, which is the perfect way to introduce yourself. Go for a drive and locate nearby supermarkets, libraries and other useful amenities.

10.Celebrate

Moving into a new apartment is one of life’s exciting milestones, so you should celebrate accordingly. Invite friends and neighbours over to help celebrate your new apartment and get the champagne flowing!

This blog post is courtesy of energy journalist Kate Anderson of Boiler Guide.