The Five Worst Things to Do Right After Moving
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Every year, tens of millions of Americans pack up and move into a new apartment or home — and the process can be exciting, stressful, or both. One aspect of moving that adds to the stress is the long list of things to do after you move.
But the secret to a less stressful move is to put some of them off for now. Slowing down and taking a more leisurely approach can have many benefits for you emotionally, financially, and physically. Here are the projects you should never start right after moving into your new home.
Unboxing
It’s almost instinctual: As soon as the first box lands in your new place, you want to start unpacking. You want access to your clothes and belongings, you want to find the perfect place for everything you own, and you want to start enjoying your new place right away. But there are a few benefits to waiting to unpack most of your stuff:
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Cleaning: Storing things in boxes will allow you to thoroughly clean floors, walls, and crevices without removing anything from the road.
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Planning. You probably haven’t spent much time in your new home, so you haven’t had a chance to “get a feel” for it. By delaying unpacking, you’ll get to know the space and be able to make more informed decisions about where to put things.
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Relax. You simply won’t need all of your things on the first day. Putting off most of the unpacking until later will allow you to relax and recuperate after a stressful move.
The key here is to plan your packing so that everything you need is organized into a few specific boxes or other locations so that you can unpack only what you really need and save the rest for a more relaxed schedule.
Connecting new devices
If you’re bringing an appliance like a fridge or washing machine with you to your new home, you’ll probably want to plug everything in straight away, but it’s best to wait a bit. Fridges and freezers need time to settle – internal fluids (oil, coolant, etc.) can splatter during transit, so wait at least a few hours (or preferably a day) before plugging in to prevent damage. Other appliances, like washing machines, may have transit bolts to prevent damage to moving parts, and forgetting to remove these guards can be extremely dangerous. So before you just plug everything in and hit the on button, it’s best to take a deep breath and think – especially if you’ve completely forgotten about stuffing your oven with shoes in a fit of desperation.
Repair
Here’s a short list of renovations you might want to consider before you move in: Painting, refinishing, and any necessary repairs should be done before you move in. But if you bought a home without a full renovation plan—that is, without a clear idea of how you’re going to remodel it and without a plan for where you’ll live during the renovation—you might want to wait on other major renovations.
The reason is simple: you don’t know the house yet. You don’t know what will charm you, what aspects of its unusual layout or creaky old infrastructure will appeal to you, and whether that detail that struck you as so wonderful during the tour will still seem so in a few months. Frankly, you don’t know how you’ll live in the space. Live in the house for a while, and your renovation plan will be tailored to the space and how you use it, rather than abstract or formulaic, which could result in a completely new space you won’t love.
Buying new furniture
Yes, you need a place to sit in your new home, but don’t rush to fill it with new furniture . Leaving a few shabby pieces from your old home for a few weeks or months while you get used to the new space will give you a clearer idea of how you want to use each room and a better sense of scale and harmony. This will allow you to choose furniture that fits both the physical space and your new lifestyle in your new home.
Making major financial changes
Buying a home is a pretty big financial transaction for most of us, requiring significant savings, planning, and budgeting. You shouldn’t jump into new financial adventures right away for two reasons:
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Savings. If you’re like many people, your savings are probably depleted after paying for everything from home inspections to closing costs. Rebuilding those savings should be a priority immediately after you move.
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Expenses. You have no idea what secret expenses your new home will have. Just because it got a passing grade from the home inspector doesn’t mean six things won’t break the moment you walk in. And you won’t know how much regular maintenance and utilities will cost you until you’ve lived there for a while.
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Emergencies. Even if it’s a brand new home or a recently renovated space, emergencies can always happen. Natural disasters and accidents don’t know that you recently emptied your checking account to the last penny, so it’s worth pausing big spending to replenish that emergency fund .