For many people, apartment life is ideal – it is often smaller and easier to maintain, and quite sociable given the way apartments are built. If you value your privacy and want a bit of extra space, though, buying a home is the obvious choice. Today, many people choose to move into homes after living in an apartment. Things change, though; what are the major considerations when making this move?
Be prepared for a busy move
The first thing to note is that you are highly unlikely to be able to make the move on your own. You will either need a moving company or a friend/family member with a van that can take your stuff back and forth. Get people involved if you can and use any help that people can offer.
Moving into a house after being in an apartment is too much to handle on your own, so enlist help where – and when – you can.
Get the foundations managed first
The best thing that you can do, if you can afford it, is to stay in your apartment whilst you do up your home. This means paying for things like painting and getting all of the basic stuff done; tidying up walls, changing flooring/carpets, etc.
This is useful as these are much harder to do when your furniture and accessories are all in place, so keep this in mind.
Find cost-effective ways to fill space
Even if you live in a large apartment you will be unlikely to have enough furniture to fill your home. This can make it look quite bare, so you should be smart. Look for charity stores and people who are selling/giving away used furniture via classified ads. Often with a lick of paint and some sanding and TLC, you can turn an old piece of furniture into something that can look fantastic in your new home. At the same time, it helps to fill the place up and make it look busier.
Pack your apartment by room
This might seem obvious but in the excitement of a move, many of us just throw everything into boxes and deal with it upon arrival. This often leads to a messy and chaotic move, though. Instead, make sure that each room is packed into clearly marked boxes. It might even be easier to move your apartment out one room at a time, so you can keep re-using boxes and storage as you prepare for the move ahead.