6 Tasks You Must Do Before Moving Into Your New Apartment

Moving is regarded as one of the most stressful things you can do.

No matter how many times you’ve done it before, some type of difficulty always seems to pop up.

If you’re moving to an apartment, you’re definitely not alone. Apartment living is the fastest-growing accommodation option in Canada.

Follow these six simple steps on our apartment checklist and you can focus on the exciting aspects of moving instead of the stressful ones.

1. Measure and Re-Measure Your New Place

Your furniture needs to fit into the new place – that’s a no-brainer, right?

It must also be maneuvered through doorways, up stairways, and around any other obstacles before being put in place. Bet you didn’t think of that.

Walk through your new place and measure any areas that are likely to cause a bottle-neck for furniture. Don’t try to remember them, write the measurements down on your apartment checklist.

Check out the area where the furniture is to be loaded. Can it accommodate the moving van safely? Walk the route between the off-loading zone and your new place to check for anything that could cause a problem.

2. Make Arrangements Ahead of Time

Whether you’re moving into an apartment block or residential complex, let the building manager know you’re coming.

You may need to reserve the elevator, loading bay, or secure an extra parking space for a few hours. Try to arrange this outside of peak hours.

This can get particularly tricky if you’re moving at the end of the month or on a weekend. There may be several families in transit during these times.

In busy neighborhoods, you may need special permits to park your moving van on the street. The apartment manager will be able to help you acquire these.

In some cases, your moving company may also be able to give you advice on this.

They could also help you to get your utilities transferred or tell you how to arrange this if you’re moving to a new area.

3. Take Plenty of Pictures

It’s easy enough to snap a few shots with your smartphone. Take some ‘before’ shots of the apartment.

Make sure to include any damages you notice, such as cracks in the tiles or walls.

Preferably, ask your landlord to accompany you on this first inspection. They may be unaware of damages and want to get them repaired before you move in.

Send these to yourself via email so that you have proof of when they were taken, or use a camera with a date-stamp option.

4. Get a Clean Start

Give your old place a thorough cleaning once you’ve removed all the furniture.

Try to hire your apartment block’s in-house cleaning service to do the dirty work for you. That way you know the cleaning job will meet the expectations of your landlord.

An outside professional cleaning company is another good option. Your moving company could probably recommend one.

If you must do the job yourself, pay special attention to the following. These are the areas which are most often forgotten by new tenants –

• Underneath the stove-top burner pans
• Beneath the fridge crisper drawers
• The rim around the dishwasher door
• Window tracks
• Behind the toilet

Make a note to check these hideaway places on the apartment checklist for your new residence too. Sweep the floors and clean any areas that may have become grimy.

5. Pack Sensibly

You’ve heard this a thousand times before. Get rid of clutter while you are packing.

If you don’t have a place for that wobbly old desk in your new home, sell it or donate it to someone who needs it.

Now’s the time to cut ties with those unmatched teacups and single socks too.

Clean everything before you pack, and wrap fragile items in newspaper, foam padding, or bubble wrap. Carefully label each box and keep a list of what’s in each one.

Operate on limited food supplies for the last week so that you can move with an empty fridge and freezer. Make sure you know where to get your hands on a takeaway meal at your new destination.

Pack a priority box of essential items for your first night. This includes a change of clothing, toiletries, a simple first aid kit and any important medications.

Don’t forget the kettle and a small supply of coffee and tea for your first morning.

Check out our packing checklist for more great advice.

6. Take Care of the Admin

Set up a folder of important information and contact numbers. Keep this in a place where anyone can find it during the chaos of the move.

This includes lease agreements for both apartments and a copy of the contract between you and your moving company. Get contact details for the driver of the moving truck as well as the apartment manager for your new place.

Let the authorities know you’re moving. Get your utility bill paid up and canceled or transferred to your new place.

Check that the water and electricity in your new apartment are working before you move in. Notify your cable and internet provider of the changes too.

Plan for children and pets to stay with friends for the day. Pets could be better off in a boarding establishment for a couple of days. They’ll need time to adjust to their new home and moving with them can cause unnecessary anxiety.

Get in touch with your insurance company to make sure your goods are covered during transit and to change your address. Likewise, notify your bank, creditors and children’s schools of your new address.

Enlist the help of family and friends on moving day. Apart from lending a hand, they can help to ease the stress.

Remember to include them in your meal arrangements for the day. It’s the least you can do.

Arrange to pay your moving company beforehand if possible.

Apartment Checklist No-No’s

There are also a few things you should not do when moving to a new apartment. These are:

• Don’t leave things until the last minute
• Check and double check that you’ve completed each item on the list
• Don’t expect everything to run smoothly – there will be small hiccups along the way

By far the most important thing you should not leave off your apartment checklist is calling us for a quote before you move.

Avoid the stress of trying to do it all yourself, or paying too much. We can help.