So you’ve packed your things, signed a contract with professional movers, and set the date of your move. Now what?

After surviving the daunting task of planning and preparing for a move, you would think that you’re already done. But, not just yet.

While it is understandable to feel excited about moving into a new house, there are still several important things you must do before you can transition into your new life.

For the safety and security of your family, it is crucial that you cross out everything on your relocation checklist, which includes seven tasks that need to be accomplished before moving in.

1. Deal With the Utilities

Make sure to notify utility companies of the transfer of water, electricity, and other utilities to your new residence, if you haven’t already done so. In some cases, utilities can be transferred via an escrow company, but be sure to inquire about it first before moving day.

If you are relocating to a newly-built house, you need to apply for new utility connections. Set aside ample time prior to your move for this task to avoid having to live in a house without water or electricity for days.

2. Check for Leaks

If you’re moving to a pre-owned house or apartment, you should make sure everything is in tiptop shape. This means you must double-check the place for possible leaks in the plumbing system.

Keep track of running toilets and dripping faucets, and check the water heater for signs of leakage.

One excellent way to check for plumbing leaks is to switch off all faucets and other fixtures that require water for two hours and take note of how your water meter looks before and after. If the reading differs, you most definitely have a leak.

3. Switch the Locks

Safety and security should be your utmost priority. To make sure you and your family can sleep soundly at night, you have to replace all the locks in the house.

Since there’s no way you can know how many people carry duplicate keys of the old locks to your new place, replacing them is the ideal next move. You can hire an expert handyman to do the job or do it yourself. If you choose the latter, make sure that you secure all the potential entryways which may include windows as well.

4. Change Your Mailing Address

Updating your mailing address before you move can help you make sure that no letter or package gets lost in the mail.

While you may eventually update your address with your mail subscriptions, banks, and credit card providers, you probably won’t be able to find time for it right after you move. To buy you some time, you can also choose to change your address with the local post office.

5. Give Your Cupboards a Good Clean

Wiping your cupboards is another crucial pre-move task you should never forget to do. This will help remove mold that may have grown on them through the years. It will also help you get a good grasp of the storage situation in your new place.

On top of that, giving your cupboards and other enclosed storage areas in the house a good clean will allow you to see whether the house is indeed vacant. Remember that it is not uncommon for pests like mice and roaches to move in faster than the actual residents.

6. Call Pest Control

If you do find traces of unwanted housemates, remember to call in the experts.

Aside from roaches and mice, you might also have termites and bats lingering within your new home before you move in. Calling pest control will be worth your money. After all, you can’t put a price tag on peace of mind.

7. Locate the Main Water Valve and Circuit Breaker

You should never postpone this particular task as it can be quite frustrating to try to find the main switch to your water and electricity in the dark.

Finding the main water valve is crucial as you would want to know how you can switch off the water supply should you find leaks in the plumbing. This is also useful during out-of-town trips. To check whether you found the right one, you can run any faucet in the house and see if it turns off when you close the water valve.

As for your circuit breaker, be sure to ask for a friend’s help. One person can handle the controls while the other can check whether the switches in the circuit breaker trip anything in the other rooms.

Better Safe than Sorry

There are many scenarios when slacking off and not planning ahead lead to untoward incidents.

When preparing to move to a new place, make sure you have all these things on your checklist for your own safety, security, and peace of mind.

Author Bio:

Hafiz Zafar is the owner of Professional Movers. The company offers reliable, cost-effective and stress-free packing, storage and relocation services across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and other parts of the UAE region.