8 TASKS to mark OFF YOUR to-do LIST

Thanksgiving is next week, which means the winter holidays are almost here. If you are planning on moving during the stress of the holidays, you might be freaking out a little inside with all of the shopping and packing to do in the short weeks ahead. We know that completing your gift lists and move-in lists at the same time may be a bit difficult, so we have done one of them for you!

Check out these 8 tasks to complete before moving into your new home this holiday season:

1. Change the Locks: After closing on your new home, make sue you get the locks changed. The odds are, someone – a previous owner, real estate agent, neighbor or old friend – may have a spare key to the home lying around somewhere. Give yourself peace of mind by making sure you have the only keys to your new home.

2.  Get Connected: Before you are quick to open the front door to your new home and start unloading, make sure all the utilities – electric, heat, water, trash, cable, internet and any other utility or service – are hooked up. Service providers may be busier and have modified hours during the holiday season; so call ahead!

3. Update your Address: While you’re getting connected with all of your service providers, make sure you update your new home address on all necessary documentation, too. This includes: your driver’s license, vehicle registration, voter ID card, insurance policies, bank accounts and even magazine subscriptions.

4. Clean the House: If you’re lucky, the previous owners might have left your new home in spotless condition; unfortunately, not every new home may be so clean. While moving, the previous owners may have stirred up some dirt, had pets, or forgot to wipe out their kitchen cabinets. Make your move-in process easy by ensuring your new home is clean from the start.

5. Don’t Wait, Paint: Not quite in love with the colors your new home’s previous owners used throughout the house? You could wait to paint these rooms until after you move all of your belongings into them. But, if you’ve got time before you move in, take care of this colorful task early!

6. Hang the Blinds: Just like it’s easier to paint an empty room, it is also easier to add blinds or other window treatments before you have to work around beds, sofas, desks or even moving boxes. If you’ve got time before moving your belongings into your new home this holiday season, hang the blinds and curtains. That way, your new home will feel even more like your own while you’re stacking moving boxes along the walls.

7. Recruit Help: This tip should be a no-brainer; but, during the holiday season, you may feel reluctant to rely on other busy friends or family members who may be more than willing to help. Promise your holiday helpers some some food and drinks, and they’ll certainly be glad to move a few boxes or look after your children or pets, so that you can get properly moved in as quickly as possible.

8. Meet the Neighbors: You don’t have to host a holiday soiree while you’re trying to get moved in. But, be active in your new neighborhood and you may just get invited to a community get-together or two. Remember, you’re home now! Get to know the potential new friends around you!

Happy homeownership – and happy holiday season, too!

AskHomesale.com provides real estate advice and information for home buyers, home sellers, and homeowners alike. Askhomesale.com is part of the Homesale Realty Family. The Homesale Family of Companies is the leading real estate company serving the Baltimore, Maryland, South Central and Southeastern PA real estate markets.  Homesale Realty has more than 27 offices with over 1,200 REALTORS®. Homesale Realty’s footprint includes Maryland real estate offices in Baltimore Metro, Federal Hill,  Harbor East, Phoenix, Timonium, and Westminster. Pennsylvania real estate offices include Lancaster,Ephrata,Elizabethtown, Mt Joy, Quarryville, Camp Hill,Carlisle,Chambersburg,Harrisburg,Hershey, Lebanon, Schuylkill Haven,Wyomissing, York,Dallastown,Gettysburg,Hanover, and Shrewsbury.

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