Changing one’s residence post-marriage is an exciting process. It is a sign of starting a new chapter of life wherein both partners begin to build a new house and routine together. However, changing residence post-marriage entails a number of aspects to plan for. One has to merge things from two residences, move to another town, rent an apartment, or organize a new house entirely.
As there are numerous processes that take place simultaneously, it is easy to miss a number of important issues. Packing things, rearranging furniture, organizing documents, arranging packers and movers, changing addresses, etc., can become quite a burden for couples who have to relocate.
Properly organized relocation checklist can greatly simplify the procedure. In this way, instead of rushing with everything at the very last moment, one can distribute duties among each other and do things gradually.
The complete checklist provided below will help couples to plan their relocation process more effectively and comfortably.
Start Planning the Move Together
Firstly, one must sit down and have a discussion about the relocation process. It is necessary to decide the destination, the dates, and the kind of house that will be relocated to.
In case one is moving into a rented accommodation, it is essential to establish the dates, the terms of the rental agreement, the security deposit, and other details before settling on the relocation dates. When one relocates to a different city, one must take into consideration travel plans, work, and the amount of time it will take to move.
It is crucial for both parties to plan together due to their various commitments, schedules, and belongings.
Create a moving schedule that helps one to know all that needs to be done before the day of moving. The schedule does not have to be very complex. Even a basic checklist works.
Decide What Belongings to Take
Once married, there are some duplicate household things that might occur. This includes furniture, kitchen appliances, dishes, bedsheets, and other things used on daily basis.
Start packing by going through all the things and checking how many things you really need at your new place.
There is no need of carrying two similar things when you need only one. You can decide what you want to do with the extra things that you don’t need: either keep them, donate, sell, give away, or store.
This is also the time to get rid of those clothes, books, decorations, and other things that you no longer need.
This will make packing easier for you.
Create a Combined Household Inventory
After that, compile a general inventory of your stuff.
You do not have to make a separate list of each individual thing. It is sufficient to think about the main groups of things like furniture, kitchen utensils, electronics, valuables, and so forth.
A common list will give you an idea about the volume of things to be moved.
It may be also helpful when communicating with packers and movers regarding your needs. The more precise information you give, the more relevant quotation and moving plan you can get.
In the case of valuables, think about taking photos of them before moving.
Set a Realistic Moving Budget
Moving as a result of marriage can mean more than just the expense of hiring moving companies.
Other costs to consider are those for packaging, transport, rent payments or deposits, installation of utilities, cleaning, furnishings and any other necessities of the household.
Make a very simple budget before embarking on your expenditure.
Prioritize the most urgent requirements and the ones that could wait for purchase. It is very easy to try purchasing all that you will need in your new home at once, thus placing undue burden on your budget.
Prioritize first the necessities for a comfortable stay.
Book Reliable Packers and Movers
The selection of packers and movers forms a vital step of the relocation process.
Prior to making any bookings, you need to compare a few movers’ quotes and make inquiries regarding the services provided, which include packing, loading, transit, unloading, and unpacking.
It is necessary to mention your needs in advance, because there might be some items, which require special attention from the mover.
In addition, try not to choose the cheapest moving service, since this decision should be based on the overall service offered, communication, client testimonials, and clear quotation.
Discussing all moving requirements in advance at Sunrise Packers & Movers can simplify the whole process of relocation.
Pack Personal Belongings Separately
Despite being in a joint move, there may be certain personal items that you should pack individually.
Personal clothes, private documents, significant photographs, office supplies, and other personal items can be packed individually prior to being packed collectively in your new residence.
This will make it much easier to unpack since everyone will know where their valuables are kept.
You can prevent confusion as to which items require careful handling.
Proper labeling of boxes by rooms and contents can help save a lot of time after arriving at your new destination. Rather than marking a box simply as “Bedroom,” you can mark it as “Bedroom – Clothes” or “Kitchen – Daily Utensils.”
Keep Important Documents With You
Important documents should not be put in with the normal household boxes.
Identification documents, financial documentation, real estate or rent-related documentation, insurance documentation, employment documents, and all other vital documents should be kept in a different folder.
Where there are documents which might require updating upon marriage or relocation, then these vital documents should be kept organized for future handling.
It would also be important to have backup documents in soft copy wherever necessary.
While packing for the move, make sure that important documents are packed with you and not put in the moving truck.
Prepare a Moving Day Essentials Bag
The moving process could be exhaustive and there may be a need to unpack everything on arrival at the new destination.
Create a bag that is supposed to be used on the first day and night.
The bag could contain a change of clothing, toiletries, medications, phone chargers, vital papers, money, keys, and drinking water.
You could also carry some basic household items like towels, tissues, utensils, and cleaning materials in this bag.
The two could pack their own personal items in addition to packing some items together in a general household bag.
This would save you the trouble of rummaging through many boxes after a very exhausting moving day.
Discuss the New Home Layout
Make a discussion on how you would like your house space to be arranged before the process of shifting starts.
Determine the positions that the important furniture items should be positioned in as well as the placement of your appliances.
It is unnecessary for you to sort out all the decorative items prior to moving to the new place. Nonetheless, a basic idea of how things should be placed makes the process of unpacking easier.
If you know, for instance, the position of the bed, dining table, sofas, and other major storage units, then you could get these items unpacked straight in the right places.
Set Up Essential Areas First
After getting to your new home, you do not have to try unpacking everything right away.
You should start with the essentials first.
One of the first places that you should unpack is the bedroom, since you will need somewhere comfortable to sleep after the long day. Then, you should take care of the bathroom and the basic needs of the kitchen.
After making these places ready for use, you can continue unpacking the living room and other parts of the house.
Trying to do everything at once will wear you out.
Divide Responsibilities During the Move
One of the simplest methods for lowering stress levels is distributing tasks.
As an illustration, one can liaise with the moving company while the other can ensure that boxes are packed and valuable items checked. One may deal with papers and money transfer while another can take care of the essentials bag and the arrival process.
It doesn’t have to be done in such way every minute of the time, just making sure that both of them are aware of tasks that need to be taken care of.
Good communication prevents small misunderstandings from turning into stressful situations on a hectic day.
Check the New Home Before Moving In
Try to check the new house even before the movers arrive at the place.
You should look for power supply, water supply, lighting system, doors and windows, bathrooms, and other facilities.
You must ensure that the house is clean and prepared to receive your stuff.
In case you have to move into an apartment or a residential society, make sure that you know everything about the procedure of loading and unloading.
Arrange Utilities and Internet Services
The new house can be considered cozy only when basic amenities are functioning well.
Ensure electricity, water, gas, Internet, and other basic amenities are installed prior to or shortly after the move, depending on your availability and local procedures.
The Internet connection is vital if either of you works or studies from home.
Do try to make any such installations or connections early to avoid waiting for these essential amenities post-move.
Have all the necessary information about your service accounts and receipts available at one place.
Inform Important People About Your New Address
Make sure that you change your address when you move.
It could be necessary depending on your case for you to inform banks, your employer, colleges and universities, insurance companies, delivery companies, and other entities.
In addition, you might have to inform your family, friends, and other service providers of your new address.
Just create a simple list so you can change addresses in an easy manner.
Unpack Without Rushing
The thrill of having a brand new house could tempt you into unpacking all your boxes right away. There is no hurry, though.
Unpack what you use on a daily basis, and work from there.
Give yourself time to think about where each item belongs rather than just putting it wherever there is space.
Moving into a new house gives you the chance to set up a new system right from the start. Figure out what items you use often, and store them where they are easily accessible.
You can always decorate and handle less important items later.
Create a Shared Storage System
Once you have merged two families, organizing the space can be one of the most difficult things.
Talk about your ideas concerning the organization of wardrobe, kitchen cabinets, bathroom, and other communal places.
It doesn’t take a lot of effort to avoid accumulation of the clutter.
For instance, establish where all the everyday items will be kept and where things which you rarely use will be located.
It will take you some time to figure out how you want everything organized after you move in, and it is absolutely alright. Everything does not have to be perfect at once.
Make the New House Feel Like Home
Once all of the unpacking has been completed, it will be possible to start adding some personal touches.
Family photos, plants, artwork, comfortable beds, lighting, and other familiar objects will help make the house your own.
It will not be necessary to buy everything at once; let the house grow with your understanding of how the rooms will be used.
Creating a comfortable home together can be an enjoyable part of beginning a new phase of life.
Handle Post-Marriage and Relocation Updates
Following marriage and moving out, there may be some personal and administrative matters that will require attention.
The details will vary depending on your specific situation. You can prepare a list of items, documents, accounts, registration or records that may have to be updated.
Do not try to do everything at once following your move. Prioritize and then continue with the rest later.
Organizing everything is always helpful.
Common Mistakes Couples Should Avoid
The first mistake couples usually make is packing everything on the last minute. The result of such a behavior will be a very hectic relocation process.
The next mistake is moving extra or unnecessary items without making any selections. It would be more convenient for you to spend some time selecting the necessary things beforehand.
It is also important to make the majority of decisions concerning the relocation process ahead of the move. Couples need to discuss how to arrange the furniture and other similar issues.
At last, one should not hope that their new place will be absolutely organized after they arrive there.
Final Thoughts
The change of homes after marriage involves more than simply moving items from one place to another. It means combining the household belongings and making a comfortable home out of it.
All of these tasks become simpler when you plan ahead of time, decide on what belongings to take, make an inventory, allocate a budget, hire reliable packers and movers, and allocate the jobs between you.
Always keep the essential and important items with you, always make sure that the house is ready by the time you reach it, and start with the bedrooms, bathroom, and kitchen first.
At Sunrise Packers & Movers, we can provide our services so that organized packing, handling, loading, transport, and unloading would make your task much easier.
Above all else, never rush the whole process. Your new home doesn’t need to be perfect in the first few days. Take your time, unpack slowly, build systems that will suit both of you, and enjoy the process of building your home.