As we inch closer to closing on our house, I’m working down our checklist of minor decisions to make. If you’re planning to move into a house here are a few things to consider in advance. If you’re recently moved, please share your wisdom!
DirecTV or Cable?
The house we bought has DirecTV dishes already installed, so now we’re trying to decide between DirecTV or simply transferring our current cable over. The first year, DirecTV is cheaper. The second year, cable is cheaper depending on the number of Premium channels we opt for. However, our cable box broke this weekend, which isn’t earning points for the cable company. We still haven’t made the final decision on this.
Home Phone or Cell Phone?
We’re also still debating whether or not to keep a home phone in our new place. On the one hand, we rarely use our home phone. On the other hand, you can’t trust VOIP in a major earthquakes, and cell phones are questionable. We would also need a home phone line if we wanted to use the installed alarm system. Once again, no decision yet.
Standard Fridge or Fridge with Ice Maker or Water Dispenser?
We’re moving our current fridge in because we need to get some carpentry work done before installing a new fridge. We’d also have to get a water line run through the floor if we want to buy a fridge with a built in ice-maker. We have a filtered tap on the sink, so no need for a water dispenser on the front. So, we’re debating whether we should buy an ice making freezer or not.
Professional Movers or Friends?
Since we’re moving into a house and are over the age of 30, we’re hiring professional movers. We’re just not up to all that lifting and hassle anymore. The movers will also be much faster than us and our gang of friends. However, we’ve both moved in the past with the help of friends. As long as they’re good friends and you’re up to the job, start rallying friends well ahead of the big day.
Professional Painters or Friends?
In this case, we’re asking friends and relatives to help paint. We’re not doing all of the rooms before moving in, just a few, so it’s a job that can be tackled in a weekend. In this case, the cost savings is also substantial. Professional painters would cost over a thousand dollars for just those four rooms. We can buy paint for less than $500 and borrow most of the supplies.
These are just some of the many decisions we have to make in the next two weeks. If you’re planning to move, keep a notebook handy and add to your list of decisions each time something pops into your head. You should also keep a list of things to buy and a checklist of things to do. Add to it as you go to make sure nothing’s forgotten. With some things, it won’t matter if you forget them, but with others it could cost you a lot of money if you miss a deadline.
If you’ve moved recently, are there any seemingly minor decisions that became major? I’m sure there’s something we’re forgetting.
