You’re a new home buyer and ready to move into your newly purchased home. Congratulations! You are surely excited to start your new life, but as you know, you first must pack and move your belongings from your old to your new home. There’s a lot to take on when you move, and it can feel overwhelming. But with a little bit of planning, it doesn’t have to be. The financial experts at Solarity Credit Union have some tips and tricks for new home buyers to make your move to a new home go smoothly.
1. Make a Checklist
With the number of tasks that need to be completed prior to moving into a new home, it’s a good idea to take a few moments and jot down a checklist to keep you on task. You can even break down your checklist by timeline so that you can see when each task should be completed.
Firstly, include packing on your checklist. You want to leave yourself enough time to pack your physical belongings without feeling pressure to get it all packed in an impossible amount of time. As a new home buyer, you may not have gathered as many belongings as someone who has lived in the same home for 30 years or more, however, it’s easy to underestimate the amount of stuff you own and how long it will take to pack it all. It can take two months to pack a home with four bedrooms. Making a checklist helps provide peace of mind, as you can see how you are progressing without worrying you’re forgetting something important in the process.
Of course, there is much more that goes into moving into a new home than just packing your belongings. Tasks such as transferring utility services to your new address, filing a change of address form with your local post office, enrolling children in new school districts, hiring movers, and arranging for transport of vehicles are important too.
Moving.com has already prepared a moving checklist that you can use as a template when creating your personalized checklist.
2. Create a Reasonable Moving Budget
You’ve found the perfect home, been approved for a home loan with a great lender, and made space in your budget for your monthly mortgage payments, but closing fees and your down payment aren’t the only up-front costs a new home buyer needs to keep in mind. Moving can be expensive, and if you’re not prepared for the cost, there can be some sticker shock.
Setting finances aside prior to the move can help ease the pinch in the pocket when preparing to move into your new home. It’s always a good idea to sit down with your budget and come up with a dollar amount that can be safely spent on moving costs while still leaving you with finances available to set up your home and make any unexpected repairs that come up after living there for a few weeks.
Budgeting for your move can also help you can afford to hire professional movers or prefer to rent and load a moving truck yourself. Hiring professional movers can be expensive, especially if moving over 100 miles or over state lines, as the cost can go from hundreds of dollars to thousands of dollars quickly with long-distance moves.
To keep costs down, consider a mixed approach to moving. If you are able to load a moving truck yourself or with friends and family, you can hire professional movers to unload the truck at your new location. This can help lower costs significantly. Having a budget in mind when making these types of decisions will help you keep your finances on track.
3. Donate, Sell, or Dispose of Items You No Longer Use
When planning a move, it can be a great time to start purging unwanted or unused items that have been hiding in closets or the attic. Packing items that you no longer want or need can add unnecessary costs to your move. Instead, two to three months prior to your moving date, start decluttering around the home. Have your family join in and make donate piles for gently used items and trash piles for items that are no longer in good condition.
Start with items that are in view and work your way into closets and storage areas until you have decluttered as best you can. Pairing down your belongings ahead of packing can help cut down time spent on loading boxes of unwanted items and cut down on the cost of moving these items.
If you’re donating items, don’t forget to ask for a receipt to use as a tax deduction on your next tax return. For items that are in great condition, consider selling them at a garage sale or online to make back some of the cost of moving.
4. Pack for the Move
Leave at least four to six weeks to pack your belongings before moving. Try to finish packing your things at least one day prior to your moving date. It’s never a good idea to pack up to the minute before loading the truck, as this can be stressful and leave you exhausted on moving day.
Pack a moving-day bag to take with you in the car. This bag can contain clothing, medication, electronics chargers, and toiletries. Remember, when you arrive at your new home, finding all those items in a sea of boxes can be challenging, so save yourself the trouble and pack an essentials bag ahead of time.
5. Notify Friends and Family of Your New Home Address
Don’t forget to let your friends and family know your new address. Filing a change of address form with your local Post Office is great, but mail only forwards for a limited time, so it’s imperative to update your address with all of your subscription services, utilities, banks, schools, work, insurance companies, and so forth.
By preparing for your move ahead of time, you can ensure the process goes smoothly. Working with the right lender can make the whole home-purchasing process go smoothly too. Are you looking for a home loan in Washington State? Solarity Credit Union has home loan options to help you make your new-home-buyer dreams come true.