Tips for Settling into Your New Apartment

Moving into a new apartment is an exciting experience. Whether it’s your first place after college or an upgrade from a smaller space, getting everything moved in at the new address is always enjoyable.

Of course, it takes more than just the placement of belongings to get your new home up and functioning. There are many things you’ll need to be doing along the way, and many of them have to be done right in the middle of your work to get everything else moved in. Add in the possibility of a deadline to get out of the old place and it’s no surprise that moving is such a stressful experience for some people.

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Good organization can keep all this transitional activity from ruining the fun of the move. Get started with these ideas.

Getting Insurance

One of the nice things about renting an apartment is that you aren’t responsible for insuring it. But while it’s true that the property owner is responsible for any damage from weather, theft, or fire, it’s also true that your personal belongings are not covered by their policy. You need to insure those things yourself.

You may feel like coverage for your car and health are enough insurance payments in a month, but it can be well worth the investment to get renters insurance in your apartment. Even your yard-sale furniture would have to be replaced if lost, so make a plan.

Renter’s insurance is beneficial even if the apartment is furnished, because you still have clothes, electronics, kitchen appliances, and valuables like jewelry that will be covered in the event of a fire or natural disaster. And it will start to build insurance expenses into your personal budget, making room for homeowners’ insurance later on.

Make The Switch

There are a lot of things that will have to be changed over when you move. If you still use a landline, it will have to be relocated, and along with it, your broadband services like internet and television. Make sure you receive any utilities deposits that are due back to you, especially since you may have to put down new ones elsewhere.

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You’ll also need to make changes in your mail. Your first step here should be to put in a forwarding order with the postal service, but you will still have to do a change of address with everyone you do business with. That includes creditors, the various schools you’ve attended, your employer, everyone.

Check Out Your Place

This may sound a little strange. You already got the grand tour, what’s left to discover? It can actually be quite a bit.

Depending on the type of place you’re renting, you may have access to spaces that can accommodate a basic home inspection. While it’s true that the upkeep of the structure isn’t your problem, there are also financial and safety concerns that can affect you.

A good first step is to check the plumbing for leaks. Before moving in, turn off all the water inside–not just at the faucets but at the valves inside the cabinets and behind the toilets. Write down the reading on your water meter. Check a day or so later and see if it has changed. If it has, there is water leaking out somewhere–water that you may be paying for.

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Check batteries in smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms. Ask if the locks have been changed, and make sure they latch solidly. See if there are any loose windows, and check the breaker box for tripped circuits or other signs of electrical problems.

Moving into a new place is often a big step toward independent adult living. It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of having a pool or a fitness center on site, and those amenities are great. But it’s more important to be financially sound and personally safe, so be sure you take care of all those other considerations as that new key jingles in your pocket.

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How Kitchen Appliances Affect Your Home

The kitchen should be an enjoyable space that inspires you to cook. In recent years, the kitchen has developed into a space which is used not only for cooking, but also for eating and entertaining. As we spend more time in the kitchen, it’s becoming more important to us that it should be an aesthetically pleasing environment. Creating such a space not only requires a lick of paint and some desirable furniture, but a change to your appliances, too.

Here, we take a look at a few appliances and consider how they can improve your home life.

Washing machine

We used to do our best to keep appliances like the washing machine away from the kitchen. They were large, noisy and unsightly; while their introduction to the home was welcome, we weren’t keen to be reminded of them.

Today, it is a different story. Washing machines not only look sleek, but they are far less intrusive than ever before in terms of size, shape and sound. The result is that we can gladly incorporate the machine into our kitchen environment to make life a little easier.

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Cookers

The kind of cooker you choose for your kitchen is, of course, a matter of personal choice. With so many to choose from, it’s now possible to tailor our cookers to our cooking style. This means making decisions on looks, size and power options. If you’re unsure of what might suit you, it’s worth researching belling cookers to understand what each style of cooker can offer you and your kitchen.

Dishwasher

If you’re using your kitchen as a space for entertaining, the last thing you want after dinner is a pile of washing up. Dishwashers can transform a kitchen, allowing us to tidy away the dirty dishes immediately, without that lingering feeling that we’ve got something to do.

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Fridge freezer

One effect of the changing way in which we use our kitchens, is that the rooms are getting bigger. As such, more of us are opting to include large American style fridge freezer combinations into the room. Not only are these stylish, but they can offer us plenty of cooling space, not to mention the host of smart features included on top-of-the-range models.

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Everything You Need To Know To Find The Perfect Apartment

The dream for most people is to buy a nice house and live happily ever after. But, the reality is a lot different. Houses are expensive and hard to find, which is why many first time homeowners go with an apartment. A brand new apartment is a great way to get on the property ladder and live in a nice home without spending a fortune. And when you are ready, you can sell it and move onto bigger and better things.

Still, it isn’t always as easy as that because finding a great apartment can be tricky. To help you find your perfect living quarters here’s what you need to consider.

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Your Budget

Apartments may be cheaper than houses, but they are still expensive. In fact, the cost of an apartment is enough to put you in a spot of financial difficulty if you are not careful. As a result, you want to make sure that you don’t overspend as it could haunt you for the rest of your life. There is a simple solution to avoid this problem, however: create a budget. All you have to do is total up how much you spend in a month compared to how much you earn, and the difference is how much you can afford. Every apartment within that range is an apartment that you should take seriously.

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The Location

The perfect apartment is an apartment that is in the right location. Just because it hits every other aspect of your needs doesn’t mean it is perfect because the location is more important than everything else. For example, if you want to live in Santa Monica you should look for Santa Monica apartments not apartments in LA or San Diego. Once you choose a place you want to live, do not waver. It is okay to compromise as long as the area is not miles away from your original destination. But, in a perfect scenario, you want to be slap bang in the middle of your dream area.

Your Credit Score

Almost every landlord will do a credit check before signing a contract, so it is important you know your credit rating beforehand. The last thing you want is to find the perfect place and then to lose it at the last minute thanks to your poor rating. At least if you are aware of it in advance, you can attempt to come to an agreement. For example, you could try and get a friend or family member to secure the contract by agreeing to pay if you cannot pay.

The Amount Of Money

The majority of the cash for the mortgage will come from the bank. But, you still need a down payment or deposit to secure the property. For the most part, a deposit is about ten percent of the overall cost. So, if you are buying a property worth $50,000 you will need $5,000 in cash. The bank won’t lend you this money as it is a sign that you can afford the apartment. As a result, you will need it secure before signing on the dotted line.

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