Your perfect home is now complete! You’re probably ready to go ahead and start living in it, but one big thing remains: moving in. Moving into any new home requires preparation and work. To help you make your move into your custom house easier, here are our key tips you’ll want to keep in mind.
Be Flexible
As your custom home builder puts the final touches on your home, you’ll receive an estimated date for moving in. This can be exciting, and you may want to begin packing and moving right away, but it’s important to stay mindful. With custom-built homes in particular, there can be unexpected bumps in the road. Even if you’re given an estimated date to move in, it’s not set in stone.
Things can happen, so have backup plans ready. If you’re hiring a moving company, they should be flexible with dates and understand your custom house completion is out of your control. If you have to be out of your current house before your home is ready, consider renting a storage unit to keep all your items safe until you’re ready for move-in day.
Use Your Floor Plan
Planning where all your current and new furniture will go in your home can be difficult. Especially if you don’t have your home’s floor plan. When you move into a custom house though, you can take the floorplan your home builder gave you to plan. You can plot out all your furniture so that on moving day, your movers will know exactly where everything goes.
Know Your Home
With brand new tech in your home, you might just want to jump in and get to playing. But take the time to know your home before you’re on your own.
Be sure to have the builder show you the location of key systems and components in your new home. Learn how to operate the security system, the garage door opens, water softeners, irrigation sprinkler system, thermostats, home theater, and more. Make sure you also understand the warranties of these devices and appliances and file away the printed or electronic versions of these. Have the builder show you where the electrical circuit breaker, water cut-off valves, air filter placement, and the like are located and how to operate them.
Prep for Moving Day
It will come faster than you know it, so be prepared.
Try and declutter your life before you move in. It may seem easier to pack and sort through everything when you’re in your new home. But you’ll only be doing extra work packing and bringing things you’ll be tossing or donating. As you pack boxes, go through each item and decide if it should be going to your new home, going to the donation center, or going in the garbage.
Closer to moving day, pack a bag of essentials you’ll need for your first day or two in your new house. Pack toiletries, a few outfits, essential kitchen supplies (a few plates, utensils, cups, etc.), and important documents. This will help you settle in quickly and find the few things you need to live comfortably while you begin the unpacking process.
If you have kids and pets, don’t forget to develop a plan for them! To make the busy day a little easier, devise a plan of where they’ll stay or how they might help on moving day.
Get to Know the Neighborhood
When you build in a new neighborhood, you have a great opportunity to create a sense of community with your new neighbors. Before you move in, try and meet your neighbors. This can give you a little bit of comfort knowing you’re not moving into a strange place. If you’re a part of a homeowner’s association, they may have various committees or groups you can join to get to know your neighbors better. If you don’t have a homeowner’s association, taking a walk around the neighborhood to learn the area better and say “hi” to neighbors works just as well.
Don’t Forget to Change Your Address
In the excitement of moving into your new custom house, don’t forget to update and change your address everywhere you can think of. Update your bank, the post office, cable and internet providers, lenders, magazine subscriptions, your Amazon account. The list goes on! You don’t want to lose any important mail due to your move. So a month before, make a list of the mail you receive and bills you pay so you can be sure you change your address for everything important.
It’s Time to Move In
The house of your dreams is ready! Check off the items in this custom house move-in list, and you’ll be ready for a stress-free move.
If you’re ready for your dream home, let our team at Ridgeline Homes help you build it. Our experts are not only easy to work with but deliver superior quality no matter the price point you choose. We’re based in Montrose, Colorado, and are ready to start this exciting process with you.
