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If you are moving onto pastures new, the chances are that you are looking forward to starting the next chapter of your life. While you may miss your current humble abode, you can make a whole new set of memories in your new little patch of bricks and mortar. Moving house can be stressful, but there are certain aspects that can bring you joy. If you are purchasing a fixer upper, you get to put your own stamp and personality onto the interior of your new pad. The decor aspect of any new home allows you to get creative and have fun experimenting with color, styles and furniture.
However, there is so much more to moving house. To make it a success, you need to complete a list of tasks to ensure that you don’t become frustrated in your new home. When you think of your current dwelling, you have working appliances, heating, a pleasant outlook, utilities, and a garden shed. You might not have any of this in your new home. It’s crucial that you set the ball rolling to ensure that these are in place before moving day. Take a look at these new home fundamentals that you cannot afford to neglect if you are to make a success of the new chapter in your life.
At the very least, your new home should be habitable. For those fixer uppers that are virtually derelict, you may have to do a swathe of renovations before you can consider moving in after picking up your keys. However, for most houses, there will be a simple list of things that you need to put in place before you can be comfortable within your dwelling.
If you work from home a lot, the kids have loads of homework every night, or you love a spot of online shopping, you need to check out the satellite internet providers available in your area, especially if you are moving to a rural area and don’t have access to cable. Think about your needs as a family and go for a data plan that gives you a little bit more bandwidth. This can stop you from getting frustrated at woeful download speeds. It is always a good idea to do this research before you move. Contact providers and give them your moving date well in advance. This way, they can ensure that any installation and switch on can occur ready for when you are ready to watch a spot of Netflix on the first evening in your new pad.
You will rarely move to a new home to discover that the water, electricity or gas has been switched off. But, on occasion, you may quickly discover that the utility provider that the previous owner signed up to does not offer a good deal. Get on the Internet and check out the best utility companies for your area. There are loads of comparison sites that can tell you how much you can save on your electricity or gas bill every month just by swapping utility companies. Tariffs vary widely, so it pays to shop around. You may also find that you are eligible for discounts or introductory offers. Search for electricity providers in houston.
If you are keen to go a little more off the grid in your new home, think about installing solar panels or a mini wind turbine. Doing this can see you generating your own electricity and power for your home. This can save you a fortune on bills. You may even have surplus energy that you can sell back to the grid, making you a little extra cash. With your brand new home, this sustainable aspect of living may be something that you are interested in pursuing.
The chances are that you had a surveyor take a look around your new home before you moved. This can be worthwhile as it gives you a list of potential fixes you need to make as soon as possible. If you have a couple of loose tiles on your roof, get them secured immediately. This makes sure that your home is watertight, and the sooner you get the roof intact, the less chance you have of risking the integrity of your rafters and interior. The same goes for your windows. Take a careful look at all of your glazing and fascias. Anything that doesn’t look up to scratch will need replacing quickly to prevent drafts and unwanted damp or mold within your living spaces.
The security of your home should be paramount, especially if you have a family in tow. Just because you have moved to a well-established area with a low crime rate doesn’t mean you should become complacent with your security measures. While you don’t want bars on the windows or a perimeter fence around your garden, you could install a basic alarm system to your home. This will give you peace of mind when you are on vacation or simply heading to the grocery store. The best alarms trigger an alert to local law enforcement, meaning an added layer of security for your home.
If you are planning on making your own mark on your property, you might want to bring the decor into the twenty first century. While that avocado bathroom suite was all the rage in the late 80s, you now fancy something more conducive to modern living. Moving house is expensive, so you may not have the readies to do a full-on scheme of works. If this is the case, go room by room and make a list of all the renovations you want to complete, then rank them in order of priority. You can probably make do with the mahogany kitchen units for six months if they are intact. However, the carpet that smells of dog in the living room will need replacing immediately.
Think about the decor you want in your home. Carrying a style throughout a dwelling gives it a feeling of uniformity. Don’t be seduced by the covers of interiors magazines unless you genuinely like what is gracing them. Fads come and go, and people forever jump on the decor bandwagon. Instead, go with what you like and don’t worry about what other people think. You will be the one living amongst the decor and looking at your four walls every day so ensure that you like what you see. You need to feel comfortable and happy in your surroundings, so go with those colors that make you smile.
If you fancy making a feature within a room, choose a focal point. This could be a fireplace or a feature wall. Your fireplace could be a grand Victorian period example complete with tiled hearth and surround. Or you might prefer some geometric wallpaper a la the 1960s within your bedroom to draw the eye. Focal points give areas of interest in your living spaces to make your home aesthetically pleasing.
Don’t overstretch yourself when carrying out renovations and take your time to allow your savings pot to replenish without falling into debt. This is a long term project. Even if your renovations take a year or more, you will end up with your dream home as a result. Set yourself a budget and stick to it.
Moving home isn’t something we do too often because of the scale of the operation. When you do move into your new pad, don’t forget these fundamental aspects to making your transition into your new dwelling as seamless as possible.