It’s time to fly the coop, to leave the nest.
Whatever genteelism you decide to use, leaving home is never an easy task.
Whether it was your decision, or a firm but loving push by your parents, there are just so many things to do before you are comfortable and happy in your new space. To ease your mind and your journey, here is a quick checklist of things that will help you transition with as little stress as possible.
Start With a Fresh Clean Slate… Literally
Once you have found a place to live there is one vital thing to do before you go ahead and start piling the boxes and furniture inside. You should give the place the cleaning of it’s life and (if you are renting) document EVERYTHING that is broken/doesn’t work/needs to be done.
We’re talking pictures and notes with dates, this is so you know where you stand and there will be less nasty surprises later on. If you are exhausted from packing and home hunting, fear not! There is a person for every job, you hired a moving van so why not download a cleaning app and have someone do the once over for you!
Know Where the Essentials Are
Packing can be overwhelming but it also tends to be very monotonous. I guarantee that you will not remember where you put what, or which special box has your toothbrush, favorite T-shirt or that one pair of shoes. You need to separately pack and store all of the things you will need in the first few days of moving in.
This includes:
- You’re first few changes of clothes
- A couple of pairs of shoes
- Phone, laptop and chargers
- Toiletries
- Some cutlery and dishes
- Medication
- Anything else you require on a daily basis
You should also label all your boxes in detail, so you can prioritize things in the unpacking process.
Store Things as You Go
Unpacking can be even more chaotic than the packing process was to begin with.
So, to reduce the amount of work that needs doing, you should store things as you go.
Don’t make the fatal mistake of just piling things here and there, you will feel like a squatter! Plus, finding a place for things will make the new place feel much more like home, much sooner. You don’t need to rush the unpacking process too much, but if you have lived somewhere for a few months and you find that you don’t miss your boxed items, it could be time to let that stuff go!
Electricity, Water & Internet
Where possible, try to set up your amenities ahead of time.
There is nothing worse than cold showers by candlelight because you didn’t think to organize it early. Many internet providers don’t provide their services in certain areas so be sure to do your research ahead of time so you don’t get stuck without service.
Tell People Where You Are Going
You will need to get all of the official paperwork sorted out fairly quickly so that you don’t end up having any problems. Get your mail redirected and fill out all of your change of address forms.
Some of these will be for:
- Your license
- Your school/ work
- All of your insurance
- Your car registration
- Etc
Hopefully this list is enough to get you in the right frame of mind for the move! If you think that there is more to it than this, you’d be correct so if you would like a more exhaustive link feel free to click here!
photo via the boo and the boy
