Steps to Take After Moving into a Rental Property

You've unloaded all your boxes and furniture from the moving van and got the keys, but now what? While you might be tempted to get right into unpacking and decorating, there are some essential things to do first. We are here to give you some tips to help you get settled quickly into your home.

Speed up the moving process by following the following steps.

Complete Move-in Checklist

Before anything else, fill out the inspection checklist you are given. This sheet can easily get lost and forgotten about if you leave it for later. With your new apartment still bare, you can easily see the condition of the rooms. Take your time and thoroughly walk around each room, taking pictures of any damage you might find. These pictures and this form can save you from having to pay additional charges when you move out. Take an hour now to save yourself time and money later down the road.

Check Your Utilities

Rental properties handle utilities differently. You might enter a property where the water, lights, heating, etc. don't work. If this is your case, you need to call each utility company and open an account. If you are unsure of who you should be calling, ask your landlord, and they can help you find the right people to call.

On the other hand, you might enter a rental property where everything is already working; this is the most common scenario. In this case, you will still need to get in touch with the utility company to ensure that everything is transferred into your name.

It is always good to check with these companies, because the previous tenant might not have contacted them, and you don't want to be caught off guard if the service suddenly gets turned off. If you're lucky, your utilities might be included in your rent, and you won't have to worry about this step.

Change Your Address

Changing your address might be one of the most tedious steps of moving in. You will need to officially change your address with a variety of places and companies. Some of these places might be:

• S. Postal Service
• Your Bank
• Insurance Company
• School or Work
• Shopping Accounts

By doing this, you will be ensuring that you get all important documents to your new address. You won't have to worry about missing a payment or missing important notifications. Plus, for many of us who shop online, you will want to go through your accounts and change those addresses. Nothing is less fun than ordering something and having it automatically ship to the wrong place. Changing your address is a proactive solution to many small problems that might pop up in the future.

Locate Important Areas

Now is the time to locate the important aspects of your new home. Look for the mailbox, the trash bins, the gym, or other places you feel are essential. By getting a lay of the rental property, you are familiarizing yourself and connecting with the area. You will feel more comfortable and more at home after doing this.

Take this time to go out and check your new mailbox. Find out where it is and how you will access it. Some might need a key, so locate the key and check to make sure that it fits into your mailbox. It is possible that the last tenant has some leftover mail, so clear out the previous letters to make way for the new.

If your new rental is in an apartment building, you will need to find the nearest trash chute or bins are. Better to find these areas now before you are lugging a full garbage bag around the complex.

If there are other areas you want to check out, do this at the beginning of your move-in process when there is still good light outside.

Talk to Your Landlord

Your landlord is here to help you with maintenance and any other questions that might arise about your new rental. By starting out on a positive foot, you will create a connection that will help you later down the line. People are more willing to help someone they know, so make yourself friendly and a familiar face to the landlord.

Let the landlord know immediately if anything is off about the rental as soon as you get in there. By not waiting days to notify, you are saving yourself hassle and solving the problem in a quicker manner.

Go Grocery Shopping

You might have your furniture, but after a long day of moving and unpacking boxes, you will want food. Locate the nearest grocery store and do some lighting shopping. Get the essentials and items you might want for the next two to three days. Remember, many of your items are still packed away, so buy food that is easy to prepare. You will have time later on to get more items, but by starting off small you won't get overwhelmed and can focus on unpacking other items.

Unpack and Settle In

With your move-in checklist completed and your utilities connected, you are ready to settle in. Start by place the boxes in their corresponding room and unpack them one room at a time. By ultimately setting up one room before moving to the next, you will feel a sense of control in an otherwise chaotic process.

The quicker you settle in your new rental property, the more at home, you will feel. You want to begin to enjoy this space as quickly as possible, and by following these steps, you will get the most of your new home.