You may think that once the movers have come and gone from your new place the hard work is over, unless you hire a full service moving company that will do the unpacking. But that’s not the case for many people that move. There are many things you still have to do, but certain things need to be done first.
Check your space before unpacking
The very first thing you need to do once you are moved into your new place is to check the space to make sure it is in the same condition as the last time you saw it. Hopefully, you took pictures during your final walk through, and you should compare them to what you see in your space now. If you see anything that seems different, such as damage that wasn’t there before or missing fixtures, you should document the changes and let your landlord or real estate agent know right away.
Unpack your boxes
After a long day of moving, you might be tempted to just leave everything as is and tackle it after a good night’s sleep. That’s not a good idea. You need to immediately unpack everything to be sure all of your possessions are there and that they have not been damaged. If you were smart, you labeled your boxes so you know where everything is.
Set up utilities and make sure they work
If you didn’t get all your utilities set up before you moved in, you will want to do that as soon as possible, especially essentials such as electricity and gas. Assuming your utilities are already set up, you want to check as soon as possible to make sure they work. Make sure all light switches work and plug electronics into outlets to make sure those work as well. You also want to plug devices into cable and phone outlets to make sure your cables, phone and Internet services work.
Buy essentials
Once you’ve unpacked and checked that your utilities work, it’s time to hit the store to buy any essentials you didn’t bring with you. Though you can hit a fast food restaurant for dinner, it makes sense to go to a grocery store to get essential food and toiletry items that you will need in your first couple of days in your new place.
Scope out your neighborhood
Another important thing to do shortly after you move into your new place in NY is to investigate the surrounding neighborhood. You should try to meet your neighbors and introduce yourself. Also walk a few blocks in all directions to see what the neighborhood is like and what amenities such as parks are nearby. Additional things you want to look for are access to public transportation and whether you are within walking distance to gyms, restaurants, a post office and other services.
