For many homeowners, buying a home is a huge milestone in life. Whether it’s your first time buying a home or your fiftieth, each home can be a major stepping stone. Often, most homeowners have a list of things that they would like to change or update with their new home purchase. It is true that many of the updates can be pushed off until after recovering from the move and its associated costs. However, some improvements are much easier and cheaper to get done prior to moving day. I have compiled a few of them here to make your life a little bit easier!
Popcorn Ceilings
If you’re moving into an older home, there is a good chance that you will run into popcorn ceilings. This style was popular for many years for its aesthetic and ability to hide imperfections. Popcorn ceilings can contain asbestos or other irritants, so even if you do like this style of the ceiling, you are better off having them removed. It is a fairly simple process, but it is very messy. This is a job that is way easier to get done before you move all of your furnishings into the house.
Interior Painting
Much like flooring, painting the interior is also considerably easier when you don’t have to worry about clearing out the room or covering your furniture. This will save you time if you are doing it yourself and money if you are hiring a professional. If you are hiring a professional painter it will be a cost-effective solution since much of the cost goes towards labour. You can simplify this task even more if you paint before you have the new flooring installed. Getting the interior painting out of the way early means you will be able to avoid the paint fumes that come with fresh paint.
Flooring
As time goes by our flooring takes a lot of wear and tear. Often when we move into a home the previous homeowners will have lived in the home, meaning they may have had animals, a family, spills, smoking, etc. There are often some distinct smells or other damage that can come with those inhabitants, if not taken care of appropriately. It has become a fairly common practice to want to replace flooring in a new-to-you home. Floors can be a large expense and many homeowners choose to wait to replace them than do it before they move in. Even though they are a large cost, you will save money by having the floors installed prior to move-in day because the flooring company won’t have to move any of your furniture.
Leaks
Leaks need to be dealt with as soon as possible no matter how big or small they are. So if your home inspector alerted you to any leaks, they need to be fixed before you move in. If you choose not to fix leaks, you may have to deal with the devastating effects of the water damage and run the risk of mould, mildew and rotting surfaces. Added bonus, by dealing with the leaks before you move in, you won’t have to deal with the inconvenience of disruptions of your water services to fix the leak once you have moved into the house.
Shelving and Organization
One of the best ways to keep your home organized and clutter-free is to make sure that everything in your home has a place. So when moving into a new home if there is not enough storage options to accommodate your belongings then make sure to add options before moving into your new home. Everyone’s needs are a little bit different based on their belongings. Some of the more common areas that may need some updated storage options are your entryway/boot room, pantry, bathrooms and closets. Make sure to go around the house and make a note of all adjustments you want to make before moving into the home.
Fencing
If you have children or pets, make sure that the outdoor living space will meet your family’s needs. You may need to install a fence if there currently isn’t one. If there is a fence, make sure that there are no missing or rotting boards that will allow a child or pet to escape the yard. Making your indoor and outdoor spaces livable before moving into the house is important to have the best possible relocation experience.
Child-Proofing
This is another important step in preparing a home. Make sure you have the necessary child-proofing or pet-proofing in place before you move into your new home. The list is long so make sure you put some thought into it. Gates for the top of stairs, locks for cupboards, excess cords, plug-in covers, etc.
Exterior Locks
This one is more of a better to be safe than sorry situation. While chances are the previous homeowners are wonderful, kind people; it can be very hard to know for sure. So I do suggest that you replace the exterior locks before moving in. It is a small job that doesn’t take much time with minimal costs, and it could save you a lot.
Moving can be a hard enough process without having added stress on top of the move. Being proactive and making a plan to have all these extras taken care of ahead of time can make the unpacking process so much easier. Then once you move into your new home you will be able to relax and not be stressed; because you won’t be trying to figure out when you will be able to do necessary home improvements, as they will already be done!