Congratulations! You’ve signed your lease and you are moving into your first apartment. You are probably excited about the process, but a little lost when it comes to the do’s and don’ts! We have the tips you need to be best prepared for your new place. Check out our tips below!
Do’s
Read over your leasing agreement in depth
Every leasing agreement has something different on it and it’s really important to take note of little things that could be issues in your new apartment. The agreement will tell you due dates for important fees as well as a list of appliances and other rules that are really important to take note of during your first few weeks getting adjusted in your new apartment.
Put a copy of your agreement in a safe place for future reference
This is just something to be safe, not necessarily going to be used by everyone but it’s a good idea to have your agreement printed and kept in a place where you can access it if there is ever an issue with your landlord or even your roommate.
Put valuables in a well packaged box or plastic tub
When you are packing up to move you are going to have so many boxes and bags that it’s easy to lose track of valuables. Instead of just having them scattered between other boxes, set all of them aside and pack them in the same box/tub. Take important things like jewelry, passports, certificates, etc., and combine them all so that you don’t have to worry about losing or misplacing any of them.
Pack a bag of essentials you will need right when you move in
During your first few days of move in, there is going to be so many little things that you need and having to worry about those on top of everything else can be a lot to handle. Before you move, put all the essentials that you use on a daily basis in a plastic tub so that they can be easily found and accessible. This would be things like paper plates, scissors, water, etc. Just small things that will make moving in
If you are hiring movers, have cash prepared for a tip
There is nothing worse than realizing that you need to tip someone and you don’t have any cash on hand. Save yourself the stress and have a good bit of cash prepared ahead of time so that when it comes time to pay them you’ll have it ready.
Purchase extra sheets and towels
To avoid having to continuously wash the same sheets and towels repeatedly, purchase an extra set for yourself so that you don’t have to worry and your set for the first few weeks unpacking. You’re going to be so busy unpacking and setting up in the first few weeks of being in your apartment that it’s good to eliminate work and make some things easier on yourself where you can.
Don’ts
Scuff up the walls moving out of your old place and into your new one
Moving is a messy process and does involve a lot of heavy lifting. Be careful not to bang up the walls moving boxes in and out. Sometimes it does good to lay down a tarp to something around the entryway just to keep the area clean and clear from scuffs and scrapes, especially if you’re using a moving team.
Move items late at night or super early in the morning
You’re going to start off on the wrong foot if you move your stuff in super late at night or early in the morning. It will disturb everyone around you and one of the worst things you can do to somebody is keep them up at night or wake them up early in the morning being obnoxiously loud.
Ignore your neighbors
Apartment living is very close quarters. Ignoring your neighbors during the move in process or right after you move in can be considered rude and could cause issues if you don’t know anything about who you are living next to. Take the time to introduce yourself to whoever is on either side of you just so you have a good idea what situation you are moving into and it will help you start off in a good spot!
Forget to set up utilities
Weeks before you move in you are going to need to set up utilities for all your appliances. Don’t forget to call the company weeks before you move in just to be safe. There is nothing worse than moving into your new apartment all day and trying to cook something and nothing will turn on, so make sure that everything gets set up prior to moving day.
Forget to clean
Before you move all your new furniture and rugs in, be sure to purchase ample cleaning supplies and tackle your entire apartment mopping the floors, cleaning the windows, etc. just to be sure that it is spotless before your move in date. Even though apartments have clean up crews, there can sometimes be dust that collects or a spot that gets missed and it can give you a peace of mind just knowing that you cleaned it yourself.