Making Your "Move-In" Painless & Worry Free

Take some time and prepare your new home for your move-in.

1. Change your address and notify companies before you move
Filling out a change of address form before you skip town can prevent major hassles like past-due bills, service lapses and even identity theft. Prior to your move, you should also schedule dates to discontinue your utilities, phone, cable and Internet and arrange for these services at your new address. Several new services even let you save time by doing all your utilities hookups online.  Visit USPS to change your address online

2. Spruce up your home before moving your belongings in.
It's easier to clean, paint and make other improvements while your home is still empty. Before you haul in your furniture and boxes, vacuum, dust the baseboards, wash the kitchen and bathroom floors, and paint the walls.

Considering refinishing the floors, re-carpeting, knocking down a wall?  This is the time to do it, when the house is still empty.

3. Map out your floor plan.
Give your back a break by deciding how you want to arrange your furniture before moving it into the house. The best way to do this is to make newspaper cutouts of the furniture. Measure the dimensions of the item and tape together newspaper pages to match the "footprint" of the furniture. This allows you to easily try out several floor plans without repeatedly reshuffling your furniture.

Make sure your furniture will fit through entry ways and in the spots that you've designated.  If not, this may be the time to knock down a wall or open up a doorway into a larger entry way.  Before you move in!

4. Have fun and enjoy your new home
See the blog on announcing your move!