If you thought moving into your 900 square-foot apartment was tough, moving into your first home can be a real challenge. It’s hard to make the transition into your first home—knowing what items should be replaced and what needs to be purchased to fill a larger space.
Keep these moving tips (plus a helpful checklist) for first-time home buyers in mind for a smooth transition.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Chances are, as a first-time buyer, you don’t have an overabundance of items to pack up. Unless you’ve been renting for over a decade, it’s best to think minimally when moving into a home for the first time. However, the prospect of packing up (especially if it’s just you) can feel pretty intimidating. Consider hiring professionals if it becomes too overwhelming. There are plenty of reasonable businesses out there, plus you may be able to secure a deal if your possessions fall under a certain space limit.
Map it out
Whether you consider yourself a planner or not, moving is one thing you can’t do on the fly and hope for the best—you need to plan. You can start by taking a picture of each room in your current space to remember how you have items organized. You won’t be able to replicate every area in your new home (nor would you likely want to) but this can help you keep track of what fits together, and where. It’s also a good idea to look at the floor plan of your new home and map out where the biggest items will go so you know exactly where to put them on move-in day.
Start with the biggest projects
You can’t fit a square peg into a round whole, and the same goes for the moving process. If you fill every room with all of your smaller items before moving the big stuff, you’ll end up running out of space quickly. Sofas, lounge chairs, large appliances, and the like should be moved first, before the rest of the decorating process begins. You’ll have plenty of time to add the finishing touches—get the most important items down, first.
Give yourself time
Think you can move in one day? Think again. The thought of spending weeks of your life in limbo between your old space and your new space sounds pretty miserable, but not more miserable than trying to cram weeks-worth of moving into 24 hours. If you have the luxury of moving items little by little, take advantage. If you feel rushed, you’re bound to make mistakes or forget something essential. Taking your time is a much more realistic approach to having a successful transition.