Moving houses can be overwhelming, whether you are upsizing, downsizing or just relocating to another area in order to be closer to work or for other reasons.
During the pandemic, many people are moving or planning to move due to drastic changes in their financial circumstances following salary cuts, job losses, etc. They are looking for cheaper places to rent. But after finding a new place with a lower rent, there are other costs and tasks that need to be taken into account in order to make the shift as smooth and stress-free as possible. Here’s a checklist that will help you break down the moving process into small tasks:
1) Hire a moving company – This is optional and depends on whether you are moving in to a furnished or unfurnished unit, and how much stuff you need to take with you. There are generally different options offered by movers. They can help you pack and unpack everything or you can simply hire them to load and unload your pre-packed boxes and furniture. Try to get quotes from various companies and check out reviews of their customers. You can also ask for recommendations online on Facebook and WhatsApp community groups. Also check what kind of precautionary measures they are taking to make the moving process safe for everyone during the pandemic.
2) Collect boxes – If you are packing your household items yourself, you can buy cardboard boxes or if you want to save money, then you can collect packing boxes of different sizes from stores or supermarkets nearby. You can use alcohol-based wipes to clean these before use.
3) Make a list – Take stock of all the items that you own and decide what you want to take and which items you need to discard, sell or donate.
4) Sell unwanted items – If you have unwanted items that can fetch you some money, such as furniture or electronics, you can sell these by listing them online and/or hosting a sale, during which your neighbours and their friends can visit and buy the things that they need.
5) Pack – If you are packing yourself, make sure you categorise and label the boxes properly to avoid any confusion later on. Use adequate padding for your fragile items.
6) Move – Schedule your move over a weekend or take a day off from work. Give yourself sufficient time for any delays. If you are living in an apartment, check with the building management or security if you need to get any permission or approvals ahead of the move.
7) Pay outstanding bills – Pay off all bills connected with your previous home, such as utility and home internet bills.
8) Disconnect utilities – Submit requests for disconnection of utilities, such as electricity, gas, water, broadband internet, landline, etc. based on your moving-out date so that you do not incur any additional charges. You may also need to submit connection requests for your new home ahead of your move in order to avoid delays.
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9) Clean – You can clean the apartment once all your things have been moved. You can clean it yourself if you want to save money. However, you can also hire professional cleaners for deep cleaning, especially if this affects the refund of your security deposit by your landlord. To select a cleaning company, you can get different quotes and ask for recommendations.
10) Hand over – Depending on your landlord’s requirements, you can arrange an inspection and hand over the keys/access cards and any other documents to him or to your real estate agent.