When you have a mountain of pre-move tasks to do, including packing, downsizing, and hiring movers, renovating your new place is likely the last thing on your mind. However, it’s actually best to tackle home upgrades before moving when your new home is free from furniture and your family. If you’ve got some extra time on your hands, definitely consider these 10 home improvement tips before your big move.
1. Interior Painting
Imagine the hassle of clearing all the furniture out of a room before you paint it. Thankfully, if you paint while your home is still empty, you can avoid a potential mess. Whether you hire painters or do it yourself, painting is definitely something you should consider.
2. Winter-proof Your House
If your home isn’t prepared for winter, you could be in for some outrageous heating bills. So, make sure that everything in your home is properly insulated, including your pipes and the attic. It’s also a good idea to change your furnace filter.
3. Fix Your Walls, Carpets, and Flooring
You’ll likely never get another chance to see your home’s walls, carpets, and floors completely uncovered. So, before you move in, inspect these areas for imperfections and make sure to make renovations, remove scuff marks, and fix scratches before you move in.
4. Upgrade Your Closet Shelving
The first thing to get cluttered in your new home will likely be your closets. So, before these spaces are filled, install extra shelving and other closet fixtures to make the space more efficient and appealing.
5. Change Exterior Locks
You never know who the previous owner of your home gave keys to. So, to make sure you’re safe and secure in your new place, definitely change the exterior locks and alarm system codes before you move in.
6. Check Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are two things that often go overlooked. Before you move in, definitely put fresh batteries in these alarms to make sure they’re working by move-in day.
7. Popcorn Walls and Ceilings
If your home was built before the 1990s, it may have textured walls and ceilings. Although the popcorn style used to be quite popular, it has since fallen out of fashion. On top of being an eyesore, these walls and ceilings can contain asbestos. Removing the texture is a relatively easy, yet messy process. So, save yourself the hassle and have this taken care of before your move.
8. Repair the Roof
Leaks of any size can drastically damage your home over time. You’ll want to fix any holes in your roof as soon as possible in order to avoid mold, mildew, and rotting wood.
9. Childproof Everything
The last thing you want is your children or pets running around in your new home on move-in day with hazards hanging around. For that reason, it’s a great idea to babyproof everything by covering outlets, securing cabinets, and putting gates near the stairs.
10. Make Major Renovations
If there are any major renovations that you know you’ll be making in the future, it’s best to get them out of the way before you move in. Rather than inconveniencing yourself down the road, knock down that wall, upgrade your bathroom, and install that kitchen island as soon as possible.
Hopefully, these home improvement ideas will make you even more excited about your move. Although most of us love to procrastinate, you’ll thank yourself when you move into a home that’s in tip-top shape.