WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 13, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Congratulations! You’ve found the perfect apartment. It’s exactly the right size. It has all of the amenities you want. It’s in the neighborhood you love. It’s even well within your budget. You, dear reader, have found the holy grail of apartments. And, in another stroke of luck, you managed to snag it and put down a deposit before anybody else could grab it. Now what?
Line Up Your Ducks
Before you move into your new apartment, there are several details that must be taken care of. You are going to need to call your local utility companies (if you live in a deregulated market, find out which company your landlord wants you to use) and make sure that the utilities for your unit get transferred into your name. You need to make sure the keys work in all of the locks. You need to do a walk-through with your landlord and write down all the flaws you find so you won’t be responsible for them when you move out. Talk to your landlord about available renters insurance and find out if they have any policy requirements (many landlords require certain specific deductibles and coverage amounts). Make sure your policy is in place before you move in!
Measure the Space
With any luck, you’ll have some overlap time between when you need to move out of your current apartment and move in to the new apartment. Use this time to measure your new apartment and create a plan for moving day. Map out where you want your furniture to go. Make a list of anything that you’ll need to buy new–for example, if your old couch won’t work well in the new space and you can afford to replace it, do it! Map out where you want your decor to go as well. This way you won’t have to spend a ton of time moving your posters and photos from one wall to another.
Furniture
As previously mentioned, a move is a great time to replace old and worn out furniture with newer and better models that you love. This is particularly true of beds and couches. Star there. Everything else can be cobbled together through discount and thrift shops (which will give your apartment a really great individualistic vibe). Beds, couches and upholstered chairs though…those should always be purchased brand new. Plus, they usually come with delivery so–if you manage to sell your old stuff before you move, you won’t have to move a whole lot of heavy furniture on moving day.
Food and Cooking
If you’re moving to a new state or moving from a parent’s house or roommate situation, you’re likely going to want to stock your fridge and pantry right away. This is an expensive endeavor when you’re starting with (practically) nothing. Resist this urge! Instead, create a meal plan for your first two weeks living in your apartment and then go out and buy the ingredients and cookware you need to make them properly. If you’ve got the budget for it, spring for the high end stuff like cast iron pots and pans, organic produce, etc. You’ll likely find that stocking up for those two weeks provides you with most of the staples (like rice, spices, etc) that you need and from here you can replace as you need to. This is a much better way of transferring your kitchen than simply buying everything “just in case.”
You can never totally prepare for every single thing you will need when you move into a new apartment. This is because, until you actually live in a space for a while, you won’t know what will make your life complete there. Be prepared to make small adjustments for a few months after you move in and try to be patient as you shift things. Eventually the feeling you create within your perfect apartment will be just as amazing as the structure itself.
