![Moving into an apartment will change your perspective of life - literally.](https://www.mymovingreviews.com/move/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/high-rise-apartment.jpg)
Highlights
- When moving into an apartment, you need to make sure your new place suits your needs, preferences, and available budget.
- When budgeting to move into an apartment, be sure to factor in not only the moving costs and the monthly rent or mortgage, but also utility bills, insurance costs, and different kinds of fees.
- When preparing to move into an apartment, you’re advised to make a floor plan of your new place, pare down your belongings, make a moving inventory of the items you’re going to take with you, pack them well, and take care of all the necessary paperwork in a timely manner.
- When moving into a high-rise apartment, it will be best to hire apartment movers to help you relocate.
If you’re moving from a house to an apartment, it will cause an abrupt change in your lifestyle. Many things you have always taken for granted will no longer be available and many things you have never thought of before will become a part of your daily routine.
You won’t be able to have dinner out on the patio or make a barbecue in the backyard, there will be no safe outdoor space where your kids and pets can play at will and no charming garden to provide you with a quick escape to nature whenever you feel overwhelmed by the chaotic city life.
However, you’ll be able to drink your morning cup of coffee on the balcony and enjoy the fantastic view of the city or have a chat with your neighbor over the terrace. You will probably feel safer when living in a large residential building, will have more social contacts, and will participate more actively in community life.
All in all, moving from a house to an apartment will bring a drastic change to your life, so you need to know what to expect and how to prepare for your relocation adventure and your new lifestyle.
And even if you’re currently living in a flat, there will still be many things to consider and preparations to make when moving into a new apartment.
Read on to find out how to move into an apartment smoothly and easily.
What to Do Before Moving Into an Apartment
When considering moving into an apartment, you need to assess your lifestyle, your needs and preferences, and your budget and choose the right new home for you.
Weigh the pros and cons of moving into an apartment
![Consider all the pros and cons of moving into an apartment before making your final decision.](https://www.mymovingreviews.com/move/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/apartment-view.jpg)
Your life will become simpler when you first move into an apartment. There will be less space, so you’ll have to pare down your possessions before your move and get rid of everything you don’t need or don’t like anymore. You’ll have the chance to start afresh with less material possessions to worry about and less clutter in your home.
Besides, living in a smaller property will let you enjoy more free time. Maintaining an apartment is much easier than taking care of a large house with a spacious yard. You may miss your nice garden but you will no longer have to sacrifice your free time for mowing the lawn, trimming trees and bushes, removing snow from the driveway, etc. You will be able to rest, have fun with family or friends, or practice your hobbies instead.
To top it all, your financial situation will improve. Your housing expenses will drop considerably when you move into an apartment as smaller properties are generally less expensive and incur lower monthly maintenance costs – lower mortgage or rent payments, lower energy bills, fewer items to fix around the apartment, etc. And you will have made some profit by selling your unneeded household items or even your old house.
Downsizing your house to an apartment may be really beneficial, but remember that you will have to get used to a smaller living space, less privacy, and more rules (many residential buildings have restrictions concerning renovation projects, pets, usage of common areas, etc.).
Besides, some issues that concern all the residents of the building, such as roof leaks, problems with the plumbing system or the electrical system, etc., may take long to resolve (the more people are involved, the more difficult it is to reach an agreement).
You may even find yourself in conflict with inconsiderate or disrespectful neighbors – loud music from next door may keep you awake at night, repair works in an adjacent apartment may disrupt your daily routine, etc.
You need to make sure that moving into an apartment is the right choice for you, before taking such a life-changing step.
Find the right apartment for you
Once your decision is made, you need to start looking for an appropriate place to call your new home. There are a couple of important factors to consider when choosing your new apartment:
Finances
This is pretty obvious but you need to find an apartment that will suit your needs and your available budget.
So, the first thing to do even before you start shopping around for an appropriate apartment to rent or to buy is to decide what type of dwelling you can afford – take into account not only the rent/mortgage but also the monthly utility bills and maintenance costs.
However tempting the idea of buying or renting a nice modern apartment in a prosperous neighborhood may seem, think twice before choosing a place with a monthly rent or mortgage of more than 25% of your disposable income.
Location
![Be sure to find the right new apartment for you.](https://www.mymovingreviews.com/move/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/apartment-complex.jpg)
When choosing a place to live, look for proximity to your workplace and other key places you’ll be visiting on a daily basis, convenient infrastructure, safety, thriving local businesses, available recreational activities, etc.
Learn to recognize the signs of a bad neighborhood (deserted houses, broken fences and windows, heavy locks, garbage all over the streets, etc.), so that you avoid moving to a place where you’ll never be able to feel at home.
If possible, explore the different neighborhoods in person – see what the community life is like, talk to the locals, etc.
See also: How to choose a good neighborhood to move to
Available features
Determine what size apartment you need, if you prefer a high-rise or a low-rise building, and make a list of all the important features you want in your home (large balconies, open floor plan, plenty of storage space, etc.).
When you find a flat that meets your needs and requirements, be sure to speak with the previous owner/tenants and find out about unresolved issues, possible problems, and other concerns so that you know exactly what to expect and how to prepare properly.
Get your apartment ready for moving in
There are a number of essential things to do before moving into an apartment:
- Complete any necessary repair works and desired renovation projects – have the HVAC system upgraded, the walls and ceiling painted, and whatever else is necessary to ensure the safety and comfort of your new home. Keep in mind though that some buildings allow renovations only by licensed contractors and only during the working hours of the working week;
- Set up the utilities – Arrange to have electricity, gas, and water in your apartment on move-in day. Other not-so-essential services (Internet, cable TV, etc.) can wait a bit (See also: How to transfer utilities when moving);
- Give the apartment a thorough cleaning, so it is spotless and bright on move-in day (See also: Move-in cleaning checklist)
When the apartment hunting process is over, you need to organize the actual process of moving into your new apartment.
That picture of the guy on the balcony. He’s so good looking! Must be a professional model or something.
Thanks for explaining that it would be smart to consider making a good inventory of what is in your apartment or stuff you will need. Personally, I would want to get some type of locker in them to help keep some of my stuff sectioned off or safe. It does seem like it would allow me to get an expert to help with getting that installed.
Thanks for the tip about getting rid of everything you don’t need before moving. I’m hoping that I can find an apartment this month to move into with my boyfriend. I’d like to find a space with two bedrooms so we can have an office.