You’ve picked out your home, done your walk-through of the rental, signed the lease, and now you’re just about ready to move in. But, aside from packing, what should you be doing before you move in? Here’s a short list of things to check off before you’re officially ready to move in.
First, make sure the locks to your apartment are changed. This was previously discussed in the blog post titled “List of Things to Do During (and After) a Rental Walk-Through, Part I”, but only concerning faulty locks. The truth is, you have no idea how many other people the previous tenant gave copies of their keys to (and, not to mention, you have no idea who these people are). So change the locks regardless. You can ask your landlord to replace the locks, or, if allowed, get them changed yourself with the help of a locksmith.
Next, see what kind of cleaning your lease requires and schedule a cleaning day. Whether it’s you (along with friends and/or family) or professionals, make sure it’s a thorough cleaning of your rental. This might have been done shortly after the previous tenants moved out, and you can always ask your landlord if a cleaning was done. But you take the time to do the cleaning yourself, you’ll know for sure that everything is clean and was cleaned properly.
Speaking of cleaning, once you get to the bathroom, if your landlord allows it, you should change the toilet seat. You can change it yourself or ask your landlord to have someone do it for you.
Also, plan ahead for designing your rental. If you haven’t already, ask your landlord if you’re allowed to paint your walls. If so, figure out what colors work best with the furniture that will go in the rooms you’re painting. Take measurements of your space and figure out where you want to put your furniture (or, rather, where you want the movers to put the furniture). If you haven’t bought the furniture yet, figure out what colors you want for the furniture and what size it needs to be so it won’t be too small or too big for your space.
If not already done by your landlord, complete your utility arrangements with your landlord and/or the utility companies and confirm installation date of new utilities, such as Internet, electricity and gas. Also, reconfirm your move-in date with the movers (whether that’s a professional moving company or family and/or friends who are helping you move).
Ask your landlord if a parking spot can be reserved for your moving day. This could mean pulling into the back or side alley or getting a parking spot right out front.
If necessary, withdraw whatever cash you’ll need for moving day, such as money for the movers and cash for ordering in a meal or two.
If this will be your first time moving into your own place, check out our previous post, Things First-Time Movers Will Likely Need, and use it to make a checklist of essentials and other things you still need to get for your new home.