Seattleite’s Guide on How to Prepare for Apartment Move-Out Cleaning
What Should I Do After Moving?
Yes, the tough relocation process finally ended, and you’re peacefully smiling inside your new apartment, but all of a sudden, you ask yourself what to do after moving? Maybe you haven’t thought about this earlier, but the part that comes after the relocation is also very important for your future well-being.
You have to prepare yourself for a comfortable and enjoyable life in your new home, so taking care of important responsibilities should be your priority. In this short article, you’ll learn what exactly you need to do in order to finish up the relocation process successfully – this part can be a cherry on top of your move, so keep reading to find out more.
Make an After Moving Checklist to Maximize Your Efficiency
A list of things to do when you move should be your daily reminder of everything you find important for your easy-going lifestyle in your home. Most people find it important for an efficient move, but you can set up this list according to your personal preferences and unique requirements. This list will definitely help you focus and avoid missing out on anything important, so grab your pen and paper and start writing.
What Is the First Thing to Do When Moving Into a New House?
Although there is no strict order in these tasks and recommendations, one of the first things everyone puts on this list usually applies to house inspection. After you are done with this one, you can proceed with securing your home from external intruders but don’t forget to secure it internally as well, especially if you find some things inside dangerous. Then you can proceed with cleaning, unpacking, and taking care of utilities.
#1 Inspect Your Home and Take Pictures
One of the first things you should do immediately after you open the front door is inspecting your home – this should be done properly after all the furniture gets in and all the boxes are open. One of the cool relocation hacks you can rely on while doing this is to take pictures of your apartment, especially if you find something broken or you think some of the furniture pieces from the contract with your landlord are missing.
Previous owners could’ve taken the washing machine with them, so you have to notify your landlord about this immediately and remind them of their part of the deal and your renters’ rights. There is no need to add a washing machine to your relocation expenses checklist if this was previously promised to you for the price you paid.
Change the Locks and Install Security System If Needed
If you believe that you live in one of the safest neighborhoods in Seattle, or you feel any kind of anxiety or stress after relocation to your home that’s related to your families’ and your personal safety, you should take some precautions. Changing locks is always a good option – just make sure you negotiate about this with your landlord and check if that’s permitted. Another thing you can do to improve the overall safety is to install a security system – just check some reliable companies that offer these services in your area.
Child-proof and Pet-proof Everything That You Find Potentially Dangerous
Another thing to consider is childproofing your apartment if you’re relocating with youngsters who still don’t understand the danger of electricity or anything else that can be potentially dangerous if they start sticking their little hands in. The same thing applies to those who’re relocating with pets – don’t let your cute puppy’s nose end up in some poisonous chemicals that previous owners left behind.
#2 Unpack the Box With Essentials
If you followed relocation tips and instructions, you should’ve packed a bag or a box with essentials. This is also one of the vital steps of a successful relocation process, and it gives you a great advantage over other responsibilities you’ll have once you get to your apartment. You won’t have to unpack every box inside the apartment to find some specific items – for example, one for clothes, one for toothbrushes, and so on. These boxes should contain everything you are going to use for the first day or two at your home. While not having the urge to open up every single box and begin unpacking everything immediately, you’ll be more focused on other significant tasks, such as securing your place and inspecting it.
#3 Start Cleaning and Making Small Repairs if Necessary
Cleaning your apartment before you set up furniture can be one of the easiest and most efficient ways to do this, so you need to use this opportunity for a final retouch and make everything sparkly and shiny before you start unpacking. Also, if during the inspection you noticed that there are some parts that are damaged, this is also an opportunity to repair everything. For example, if some parts of the floor are damaged, it’s much easier to repair them before you cover them with carpets or heavy furniture pieces.
#4 Make Sure You Successfully Register to Vote
Another important thing to consider when you relocate is the voting registration – in King County, Washington, you should update your registration until eight days before an election, and you can do this online, by mail, or in person. If you updated your address and other info before you moved, this could be easily settled. Even if you miss the deadline, you can still vote because King County Elections allows you to get a ballot – just make sure to update your information until the next election.
Update Your Driver’s Licence Information on Time
You should update your driver’s license within 10 days of your relocation, and this is also connected with changing your address with USPS. Once you’ve done that, you can go to the Washington DMV office or update your registration information online. You’ll only need to fill out the Vehicle Title Application (Form 420001).
Set up Utilities
It is essential that you transfer your utilities to your current address as soon as you start living at your new apartment – this is significant because any misunderstanding may cause you to pay other people’s bills for gas or water. Hy putting yourself to extra expenses when this can be simply handled? Visit the government official website for more information about this process.
#5 Explore Your Neighborhood
Suppose you moved to one of the cool neighborhoods in the city. If so, you will be excited about the many fun possibilities and things you can do there. All the fabulous rooftop bars, fun, and well-known Seattle breweries, art museums, as well as charming parks, will fill in your free time quickly. You can visit famous local restaurants and pick a place where they make the best burger in your neighborhood to make it your first stop after work.
Meet Your Neighbors For Best Tips on How to Get Around the Neighborhood
You won’t find a better guide around your neighborhood than the neighbors themselves. Choose according to your personal interests and think about who might have similar interests. For example, if you see someone walking their dog and you and your doggo enjoy long walks, you can ask them if there are any good dog parks or perhaps dog-friendly restaurants around the area where you can enjoy mutual activities.
If you relocated to some of the best neighborhoods for families and you’re a parent, you might want to find out more about family-friendly places. Try reaching out to someone you see outside with children and politely ask them for advice – you can even make some friends during the process. They can also give you tips about public transportation options in that part of the city if you’re not already familiar with them.
Choose a School For Your Children If Necessary
If you’re a parent, one of your biggest responsibilities is to ensure your children have a good education and grow up in a healthy environment – lucky, Seattle offers it all. The extensive park system and great schooling options are among the things this area is highly proud of, so you aren’t making a mistake by choosing to live in some of the peaceful suburbs around here. Just to make sure everything goes as planned, do a little research about schools in your area and ask your neighbors for tips and information about their children’s experiences around local schools for a broader picture of what you can expect.
Find Reliable Health Care Providers Near You
Taking care of your and your family’s health is also one of the essential responsibilities, so ensure you think of this once you relocate. We hope you won’t need a doctor’s help any time soon, but thinking about potential problems in advance is smart and mature. Ensure you have someone nearby your home for emergency situations – doctor, pharmacies, and vet. You should also transfer your health insurance information to your current address.
Look For a Place Where You Can Recycle Packing Materials
After successfully relocating, especially if you moved in a hurry, you might notice that you relocated some stuff you don’t need, or they simply don’t fit in your ambiance. You can always donate furniture rather than throw it away. You should also donate your clothes if you find out that your wardrobe is too small to find everything inside.
Another thing to consider is packing materials that probably filled out your entire house, and you don’t know what to do with them. Find a place in your local community where you can recycle these materials and keep your new environment healthy and clean. Check out this interesting video of fun city amenities and activities you can engage in.
#6 Hire Professional Moving Company in Seattle for Assistance and Handle Things to Do After Moving Without Pressure
Hiring professional movers in Seattle might be one of your wisest decisions – not only that they will help you out with every relocation-related need, but their local relocation services and convenient assistance will also leave you plenty of time and energy to focus on things to do after moving into a new house. If you contact us for assistance, you can choose from various services we offer – a residential relocation service is the best option for a household relocation.
Since there are many great job opportunities in Seattle, there is also a great option for relocating your business office around here – a commercial relocation service. A trained team of local movers in Seattle can help you relocate your computer and show you how to pack fragile equipment. In case you don’t know how to pack dishes or wonder how to pack shoes for relocation, we can also offer you additional packing services – all that for an affordable price. Unlike some other moving companies in Seattle, we can also provide you a free quote and give you the cost of our services – we don’t keep secrets from our clients. Contact us now if you have any other questions about your upcoming relocation, and we’ll be looking forward to helping you.