Leaving behind the home you’ve known for many years can be emotionally stressful. All that is now behind you, and you’re ready for your new home. The process of relocating is both fun and exciting, but it can also elicit the fear of the unknown. If you don’t enjoy the hassle of moving from familiar spaces, relocating can be an anxious experience. Here are some moving tips to help you settle down with your family in a new city.
1. Find a New Family Dentist
After settling in your new neighborhood, search online for dentists in your new location. Always read the reviews of other clients to know more about the dentist. You’ll need a nearby dentist to deal with your family dentistry needs.
After choosing your preferred dentist, the first of your moving tips is to check which services they offer and whether your dental insurance program is applicable here. If your payment options are cash, discuss this with the dental practice before deciding which dentist to see. Ask about their charges and payment options and if they have special deals and discounts before seeking care.
Once you settle on the dentist, call your previous dentist and ask them to release your private information to the new dentist. The new dentist will require a signed release form acknowledging your request to change dentists.
The new dentist can ask your family to complete an official request form before communicating with your former dentist. Get clear information from both dental offices to know what you’ll need to effect medical data transfer.
2. Find a New Chiropractor
When scouting for a chiropractic clinic, research online for chiropractors in your neighborhood. As part of your moving tips, read the reviews of the clinic and the doctor to get insight from other clients. Next, research the chiropractor’s credentials to ensure they have the requisite licenses and are certified to operate legally.
The licenses will determine whether the chiropractor has the requisite training, experience, and skills to provide effective chiropractic care. Find out the doctor’s history of indiscipline and malpractice and confirm if there are negative reports about their integrity. When booking your chiropractor appointments, find out if they have any experience with neck pain treatment.
Find out the techniques they use to treat your type of condition. Some techniques include spinal manipulation, manual adjustments, and soft tissue therapies. Next, schedule your first visit. The free consultation is for both of you to meet and discuss your treatment needs.
During this discussion, ask questions to decide whether they fit your needs. Establish their consultation fees, preferred mode of payment, and if they accept health insurance. The chiropractor’s office can give you a breakdown of the services covered by your insurance. If you’re paying in cash, inquire about the cost per visit.
3. Find New Medical Doctors
Finding someone you can trust with your private information can be daunting. Depending on the new locality, you may have access to hundreds of primary care physicians. As part of your moving tips, have a list of what you should not compromise on when looking for a new medical doctor.
Ask yourself these guiding questions: Do you want a doctor close to your home? Do you want them to have specific qualifications and certifications? Review your health insurance specification to see which doctors are covered in your new location.
If you have specific health issues, search for specialized doctor services within your locality. Consult with friends who are seeing a particular doctor. Ask them why they prefer that doctor.
For eye examination needs, research ophthalmologists in your new neighborhood. Don’t compromise professional standards. If possible, ask your former eye doctor for referrals in your new city to simplify your search.
Consider other aspects of seeing a particular doctor, such as how long it takes to secure an appointment. How far do you have to travel to access their offices? Can you secure an appointment with the physician through a phone call, email, or other means?
Some doctors may not need past health records, especially if there’s no history of recurring illness. They will ask basic questions to establish your medical history. Be open about any allergies you may have and the medications you use. A competent doctor can piece together your medical history based on what you tell them and the medications you’ve been taking.
4. Search for Pet Grooming Companies
Your pet will suffer if you choose the wrong groomer. Pet grooming is a serious business, so your moving tips must include researching pet groomers in your new location. Get a visual idea of the groomer’s location and pay attention to how organized their pet grooming services are, which points to their professionalism.
Check the hygiene standards of their office. If the place doesn’t look clean, or you aren’t pleased with it for one reason or another, it’s not ideal for your pet. Find out if your pet groomer is licensed and certified to practice. Ask for their certificates, licenses, and other documentation as proof. In some states, the pet groomer must take practical and written examinations before getting a license to practice.
Where possible, observe how they work to understand their expertise. Interview prospective groomers and note the questions they’re struggling to answer, as these will indicate areas of incompetence. Inspect the products a groomer has in their office. A professional groomer will stock more natural and safe products that won’t harm the animal. Others are likely whatever commercial product is available.
5. Install Solar
If your previous home had a solar panel system, your moving tips should include packing and carrying it to your new home. If you’re considering a new solar system installation, this is the best time. A solar installation boosts the value of your home. It also gives you a reprieve from paying high monthly electricity bills.
A solar panel’s final price depends on how much electricity your house needs. This will determine the number of solar panels you’ll need. Before installing solar systems in your home, research to understand what you need versus what you’ll get.
Seek the guidance of a solar installation company. They’re best at helping you navigate the complicated installation procedure. They’ll advise on the equipment you need, and the costs involved, so you can avoid costly pitfalls.
6. Work With a Professional
Have the solar installer conduct a site evaluation to identify your home’s most suitable solar panel system. They’ll inspect the space available for installation, as these will affect the number and type of panels you’ll need. Your past electrical consumption bills will shed light on the number of panels your home needs.
The next decision you’ll have to make involves the placement of the solar panels, whether they’ll all be on the roof, ground, or a mix of both spaces. The consultant will study the sun’s movement to spot the best location for the panels. Constant, reliable sunlight is essential.
Avoid placing solar panels in shaded areas or where the shadows from nearby structures block sunlight access. Check your roof for its durability before placing the solar panels. The panels are generally heavy, so a strong, sturdy roof is the best.
7. Do Some Landscaping
When considering the above moving tips after relocating to a new city with your family, don’t forget the yard. You can buy grass seed or soil for the exercise. Lift the existing grass by digging it out from under the roots. A sod cutter is useful for lifting and loosening the soil.
Where the rut is too deep, or there are holes in the yard, add soil. Mix compost with soil to give your grass a better rooting mix. This also works when mixing soil and sand. For a lawn with barely any grass, reseed the whole ground. Consider the grass seed needed based on your new home’s climate. Get warm-weather grass varieties if you’re in an area that experiences hot summers and not-so-cold winters. If you’re in a location with freezing winters, consider getting cold-weather grass.
Add some plants in your landscaping to keep pests, insects, and bugs away. You can landscape around a tree flowerbed on your front porch or create outdoor seating with landscaping around it. Select the areas you want to beautify, then start landscaping.
If you’ll need a tree trimming service to deal with dangerously hanging or rotting branches, ask a professional landscaper to help. They’ll inspect the trees in your compound before offering solutions. Removal may be the only option if the trees are dead or are near power lines. The tree removers will do stump grinding, raise canopies, and clear your roof of debris.
8. Find Handyman Contractors
The new home should be safe for occupation by your family. If unsure, get a handyman with a team of professionals to conduct the needed home repair, installation, and maintenance services. A handyman service team comes armed with the appropriate equipment, tools, and expertise for efficient repairs. A plumbing technician can check the home’s system for abnormalities like leaks and broken parts.
An electrician brings the appropriate tools and gear to conduct electrician services. They’ll first inspect the electrical system and fix or repair broken wires and appliances. The AC specialist will ensure the filters and other items needed for the system to work are inspected, replaced, or repaired.
Another item to include in your moving tips is to have roof contractors inspect the roof. They’ll inspect the roof’s gutters, shingles, and leaking parts and recommend repairs and replacement if the current roof is badly damaged. Where the roof can be repaired, the contractor will recommend the best materials and their costs.
9. Update Your Registrations
Updating your licenses and other legal documents should make it to the list of your moving tips. If you’re in a new state, update your driver’s license and vehicle registration by visiting the DMV. Also, update your voter registration to be eligible to vote in your new city.
Carry your driver’s license, permit, documents showing your date of birth and social security number, zip code currently on file with DMV, and your new address details. Once at the DMV office, complete an application form for an identification card or driver’s license.
At the DMV office, expect to have your photo taken and your thumbprints registered. You’ll also be charged an application fee. This may seem like a cumbersome activity, but it’s a crucial activity upon moving to a new city. Include it in your moving tips checklist so you don’t forget.
10. Get Familiar With the New Location
You’ll need to figure out where all the necessary amenities are located. Find out the location of the grocery store, convenience stores, gas stations, the hospital, bus stops, and other amenities. Familiarize yourself with potential natural disasters common in the area and the existing response mechanisms in case they happen.
Plan your routes to school, shopping centers, work, and the gym. Find a favorite new library, bar, park, or coffee shop where you can relax. Your moving tips should include finding the exits and entry points into the new neighborhood.
11. Introduce Kids to their New School
Arrange with the previous school to move your kids’ records to the new school. The new school will help you enroll them. For your moving tips, discuss the move with your kids to ease their integration and adjustment in the new school.
Visit the school with your kids when it’s not open to give them a feel of the new place and what studying there will be like. Walk around the facility with them, and let them see their classrooms if possible. Where practical, arrange for them to meet their teachers before school opens.
Moving to a new neighborhood can be exciting and anxious. The sorting, packing, cleaning, and running around to check on this or that is exhausting. The process is more complicated when you move with your family to a new city. Make a detailed plan to avoid leaving out anything by following the above moving tips. Sell off what you don’t need, and once you’re settled, supply your contacts and important accounts, such as the banks, lawyers, and your employer’s human resource department, with your new address. Update your mail subscriptions so you don’t miss your deliveries. Last, set your mind on settling in and enjoying your new home. You may plan on a housewarming party for your family and new friends to help you settle in.
