What does moving have to do with cleaning, disinfectants and insecticides? Well -- you’d be surprised. Moving is exciting, but it can also be incredibly stressful especially if you take into consideration all the small details you have to keep in mind. It helps to stay organized, plan ahead and adopt the right mental attitude. While this is by no means a comprehensive checklist of everything you need to keep in mind before a big move, here are 5 tips you may not think of to help ease the transition and make it a bit easier.

1. Figure out your budget

Whether you’re hiring a professional moving service or buying your own materials, moving costs can add up to more than you initially expect. Setting a realistic budget based on the distance of your move can help you start your move on the right foot. For local moves, it may be easier to move less bulky goods by yourself, but for long-distance moves, selling or donating as many of your belongings as possible can help you reduce costs. In addition, you can often find used boxes in good condition on websites like Craigslist.

2. Change the locks

It’s probably not something you’re thinking about but if you’re moving to a property that’s had previous residents, strangers may well have keys to your new home. Contacting a locksmith beforehand to change the locks as soon as possible can provide you with a greater sense of safety and security. Installing a deadbolt is another great precautionary measure. It may also be easier to make all the locks work with one key so that you don’t have to lug around several keys on a keychain.

3. Set up the utilities

Before moving day, getting your utilities sorted is one of the most important steps to keep in mind. In general, starting the process three weeks before the move will give you enough time to get everything up and running (especially if the home hasn’t been lived in for an extended period of time). Asking your landlord who your local providers are is a good place to start. When you move into your new home, make sure that you can do the basics: turning on a light switch, heating the stove, flushing the toilet, and connecting to the internet.

4. Pack your furniture properly

If you’re not hiring full-service movers, you may have to prepare and move around some furniture by yourself. Keep a clear inventory of the items you have to move to make sure no box gets lost in the fray. Measure doorways and hallways to help avoid damaging furniture as you move it out - and in - to the new house. You might also need to invest in additional equipment to help you disassemble any legs or tabletops. Furthermore, try taping all your assembly instruction books and spare parts to a plastic bag on the underside of furniture.

5. Check for pests and disinfect your surroundings

When you’re moving into a new home, it’s important to properly clean each room to get rid of dust and pests. For instance, mites can be found in carpets, dusty attics, and air ducts. Many people suffer from dust mite allergies which can put a damper on your new move. Decluttering your new home as soon as possible can help reduce the incidence of mites. In addition, treating all affected areas with Sterifab will kill mites and keep them from coming back. While moving can definitely be time-consuming, it can also be very exciting if you plan ahead and check off these things on your to-do list as you go along.

Specially written to STERIFAB.com

By: Raegan Janne