With numerous things to do before moving into a different home, visiting your new house or apartment before the big day may be one of the last things on your mind. Taking on additional work to prepare your new home before the move can almost feel impossible, especially if you are getting little or no help with moving from friends or family.

But while your pre-move calendar may appear to be all filled in, it’s still crucial to make some adjustments and fit in a few days for preparing your new space.

By getting these extra tasks done before the big move, you will make your new home truly liveable. You will also have less work to do in the new house once you’re there with all your boxes of possessions lying around. And this will help you experience a less stressful and tedious transition.

Below are the five essential things you have to do to prepare your new home before moving in:

1. Have the HVAC system cleaned and serviced

If you haven’t had the heating and cooling systems cleaned and serviced immediately after buying your new home, then do this before moving in. By doing so, you will be sure that these systems will be running properly during the times you especially need them.

Additionally, when you have the HVAC system cleaned and maintained beforehand, you’ll be able to save money on repairs that could unexpectedly come up. If you had your system checked, cleaned, and serviced in advance by professionals, they will make the necessary repairs and prevent issues from emerging at the most inconvenient times.

2. Enlist a technician to upgrade the home’s electrical system

If you bought a relatively older home, then you may need additional electrical outlets put in. You may also want a residual-current circuit breaker or GFI installed in the kitchen and bathrooms since many older homes do not have this important fixture.

Although you can have electrical outlets added anytime, it would be best to do this while the rooms are still empty. Many electricians are paid by the hour; they will be able to work faster if there isn’t any clutter and when they have immediate access to outlets and room for ladders and equipment.

Other projects, such as adding task lights in the hallways or closets and motion-activated lights in the ceilings, will be completed faster when the rooms are empty as well. More importantly, the work will be completed without the need to cover furniture and other fixtures to protect them from drilling dust and debris.

3. Improve the closet systems

The best time to ensure that you will have an easy time organising your closets is when they are still empty. As such, before the move, go ahead and make the necessary upgrades to your closets.

This means adding organisers that are helpful when you’re putting away different kinds of items. These include double hanging poles, coat hooks, shelves, and drawers.

If you update your closets after the move, you will have to take everything out, put your clothes on your bed or floor, and arrange them again after installing the additional fixtures. All that would translate to extra work, regardless of whether you add the fixtures yourself or hire a professional to do it.

4. Update the walls and ceilings

Whether you want to paint the walls and ceilings or add or change the wallpaper, these tasks will be easier to accomplish if the rooms are still devoid of furniture and other items.

Without any furniture to move, draperies to take down, and pictures or paintings to remove from the walls, you or your contractors will have an easier time painting or adding wallpaper to the walls. You won’t have to worry about accidentally splashing paint on the furniture and other fixtures.

If you will be having the whole house painted, make sure to do this at least two or three days before the move. This way, you can avoid inhaling the fumes or touching wet paint when you arrive (which could potentially cause a lot of health issues).

5. Clean the house

Lastly, although cleaning the house or having it cleaned after arriving is the common practice, you won’t go wrong with doing this right before moving in.

Again, you or the cleaners will be more efficient in cleaning the home since there won’t be any large furniture and appliances to move around. Additionally, you can get into every nook and cranny to thoroughly get rid of dust and debris in a quicker and easier manner.

And if you will be using the refrigerator, cooktops, oven, and other cooking appliances in your new home, now is the time to clean them as well. By doing so, you can store and prepare meals and snacks as soon as you arrive at your new home.

Whether you plan on doing all these in one day, or prefer completing a task every time you visit your new home, the important thing is to get these essential tasks done. When you complete them before the move, you will have fewer things to do and worry about. You will then have more time to unpack and do other things that will help you settle into your new place.

AUTHOR BIO

Craig Jones is the Managing Director at Aussiemove, Australia’s largest independent moving alliance. Craig is a respected member of the removalist network in Australia, having served in senior positions, including the President of the removal industries governing body, the Australian Furniture Removals Association (AFRA). With 23 years of experience at Aussiemove, he has the skills and the highly trained team to move families safely and reliably, in Adelaide, across Australia and around the world.