Relocation is something that happens to most of us at a certain point and those of us who have already had such an experience are fully aware of how difficult and overwhelmingly stressful it can be. I know this as I have moved house across the country at least twice! This is my third relocation from the States to Indonesia. Knowing the basics of moving can help you reduce stress significantly and speed the entire process up. With this in mind, the following list of essential things that you should consider before relocating into a new home across the country will guide you through the stressful moving process. Essentially, this is a beginner tips for dummies really.

Notify the right channels about the change in your location

Your co-workers, friends and family are probably well aware of your upcoming change in location, but there is a lot that could go wrong if you fail to notify all the proper channels before the actual move. For instance, if you fail to timely notify your post office about the location change, your mail may end up getting lost and the consequences here can range from inconvenience to legal issues. Notify your post office, as well as the appropriate government and business bodies regarding your change of residence before the actual move.

Additionally, check with the previous owners about their end of the bargain in question – you don’t want to have someone else’s mail forwarded to you and you definitely want to avoid paying for someone else’s bills.

Handle the utilities

Electricity and the Internet are not something everyone can live without in this day and age and even a temporary setback here can lead to huge problems. Start by checking with your old providers, especially if you’re moving across the country. For example, the USA is a vast country and you might need to change your providers altogether. If you don’t handle this in time, you’re risking being disconnected for as much as an entire week. If you can’t live without electricity and the Internet this long, do your research and choose a new provider before moving.

Clean and declutter

Having to live in a dirty, cluttered home after moving in is not only annoying, but also unhealthy and difficult to handle with your entire family around. Don’t think for a second that you won’t have to deal with cleaning even though realtors are very good at what they do – they know how to make the messiest home in the world look clean and well-arranged. You’ll need to check your new home for mold, pest infestations, hidden health hazards and a lot of clutter.

In order to make sure that everything is completely clean and clutter-free, you can always contact the pros for help. Even if you’re moving from Perth to Sydney, for example, you can look for companies that specialise in professional rubbish removal in Sydney before you actually move and make all the arrangements quickly and easily. Experts will remove the clutter and rubbish appropriately, leaving your home spotlessly clean.

Be careful with the plumbing

It goes without saying that doing thorough checks regarding your future home’s plumbing is vital during an open house event. In case you’re absolutely fine with fixing up a couple of plumbing issues here and there, it’s of the utmost importance that you do this before you actually move in. Should any major leaks happen once you’ve already moved in, not only will you end up having to invest a ton of money in the repairs, but you’ll likely experience furniture, wall, floor and ceiling damage. Therefore, you should hire a professional and deal with the potential problem before it has a chance to arise in the first place.

From notifying all the proper channels and handling electricity, the Internet and plumbing to decluttering and jotting down all the relevant emergency numbers, every single item on this list is vastly important for a smooth transition to your brand new home.

About Author:

Will Sandford is a Sydney based wood architect, blogger and contributor on interior design and ecology blogs. Besides that, he is also interested in home improvement combined with green technology. In his spare time, Will enjoys surfing and rock climbing. Connect with him on Twitter.