You made it! You drove cross-country with all of your belongings and managed to unload everything and set up your new place. Whether you made a move from a small Chicago apartment to a house in Dallas, or anywhere in between, it’s time to get settled.
Now, don’t forget to do these seven important things before you relax!
Make Sure You Made a Clean Break
If you haven’t received your security deposit back, double-check that your previous landlord has all of your contact information. If you didn’t tell your landlord where to send your deposit, he or she is under no obligation to spend a lot of time tracking you down.
Did you notify all utilities that you were moving and no longer responsible for any charges going forward? If you didn’t, the new tenants might generate a gas, water or electric bill that will still be in your name.
Did you change your address at the post office? If not, this can easily be done online.
Find the Major Grocery Store
Sure, you can fill in with items purchased at the local mini-mart or even at a gas station, but you will pay a lot more. As soon as you get settled, find the most popular major grocery outlet that’s nearest to your new residence.
Where Is My Workplace?
No one wants to be late for their first day on the job, so we suggest that you take some time and drive to work the day before you officially have to report there. Remember that if you are driving on a Sunday, you’ll need to take traffic volumes into account as there will undoubtedly be more activity on the roads during the week. It’s also a good idea to scope out parking, especially if your office is in a downtown area.
Call the Cable Guy
TV and Internet service are two things we often take for granted, but if you haven’t made any arrangements ahead of time, you might find yourself shopping for a bunny-ear TV antenna so that you can at least watch some local channels. And while your phone can take the place of your computer for some things, an LTE connection is probably going to be a disappointment compared to the Wi-Fi you are used to.
Set up Utilities
If the lights are on when you get to your new house, that’s great, but if you don’t call the utility company to establish service in your name, the power could get cut off soon.
Check Watering Restrictions
If you moved from Milwaukee, WI, you probably could water your lawn all night long there without even thinking about the cost since water is generally cheap in Wisconsin. If you did the same thing in Dallas, TX, you could find out that doing the same thing could cost you $50 or more, because water is not plentiful in Texas. Understand the costs of all utilities, and make sure you are aware of any watering restrictions set by your municipality.
Do You Need Home Security?
Finally, consider some kind of security system for your home; starting with a smart entry system is a great place to begin.
We congratulate you on your move to your new residence, and if you pay attention to the seven tips above, you’ll continue to make great progress getting settled into your new home.
