Preparation is key, and that doesn’t exclude preparing your new home before you finally move in. Although you might feel like there isn’t much to do because it’s a “new” home and all the work went into setting up the move, there are plenty of things you can actually get a jump-start on.
 
Do a Walkthrough

First and foremost, do a thorough walk-through of the home while it is empty. This will give you an opportunity to start a mental plan for where items and furniture will go, measure the spaces, check on any agreed-upon repairs or appliances that were supposed to be left in the home or taken out, check outlets and other electrical components, check that doors and windows work properly, or look for any new issues that might have come up. It’s best to bring up any issues sooner than later to avoid hassle.
 
If you’re unable to do a walk-through, see if you can schedule a virtual tour with your realtor to cover these important tasks. You might even be able to get a 3D scan of the living space and a blueprint with dimensions so that you don’t have to physically be there to measure
 
Perform a Deep Clean

It wouldn’t make sense to do a deep clean after all of your belongings and furniture are moved in because then you’ll have to clean around a bunch of clutter. So instead, try and get into the new home before the moving day and clean the place from top to bottom.
 
If you aren’t able to physically get into the home yourself to do a deep clean, hiring a cleaning company to do it for you is another option. Since there won’t be additional furniture and items collecting dust and causing messes, there’s a good chance the cleaning service will be cheaper than a standard service for a home that has all its furniture and belongings.
 
Create an Unpacking Plan

Just like a packing plan is helpful, so is an unpacking one. Labeling your boxes during the packing process is key, but so is prioritizing what boxes need to be moved in and unpacked first when you arrive.

For example, you might want to prioritize unpacking the kitchen items before the living room items so you can care for your basic needs when you first move in and worry about the “luxuries” later. An unpacking plan can be done without physically being inside your new home, so this one shouldn’t be hard to plan if it's an out-of-state  or long-distance. move.
 
Set Up Utilities, Internet, Etc.
I’m sure you don’t want to spend the first night in a cold, dark house or bored without cable or internet so make sure to set up your utilities beforehand and schedule them to turn on on your moving day. This includes electricity, heat, gas, water, internet, phone and cable.

For some companies you can simply transfer services but for others you’ll have to cancel and restart, depending on the company or where you’re relocating.
 
Change Locks

Something that not many people think about is changing your locks. Even if you might not be concerned about the previous owner, you don’t know who else might have a copy of the key.

Schedule a locksmith to come by beforehand to change your locks, including locks on the windows. The expense will be rewarded with peace of mind.
 
Childproof / Petproof the Home

If moving with children or pets, take extra steps to ensure their safety. Have an emergency first aid kit and extra supplies easily available, childproof the house by protecting outlets, sharp corners, or open doors/windows, keep dangerous tools out of reach (scissors, box cutters, glass), keep dangerous cleaning chemicals out of reach, setup playpens, install security cameras or baby cameras, etc. The safety of your pets and children always come first.
 
If this isn’t something you can do before your move-in day, just make it a priority and get it done as soon as you get to the new house and before you unpack everything. Do a quick walk-through and protect where you can, or have your kid’s playpen or dog’s crate in an easy to access location for a quick setup.
 
Explore the Community

Whether you physically drive around the neighborhood and town or do some google searching, it’s always a good idea to get an idea of the neighborhood before you move in. Make sure to have addresses and phone numbers for the nearest grocery store, pharmacy/drugstore, doctors office, emergency vet and regular vet, and police station.
 
Having a plan is the best way to reduce anxiety, make sure nothing on your to-do list gets missed, and make for a smooth and easy moving experience. Make a checklist to keep yourself on track and prevent yourself from getting overwhelmed, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. You can also ask your moving company what kinds of additional services they offer to help reduce the load on your plate!

Back in the day when people were about to move or simply just looking to get rid of items, their first thought would be to host a garage sale and sell their items for dirt cheap just to get them out of the house. But now with today’s technology, there are so many apps and websites you can sell your belongings on instead AND make a decent chunk of change back too depending on what you are selling.

Let’s take a look at some of the apps you can start using now to sell all the items you need before your move.
 
OfferUp

Considered the best overall app, Offerup lets you sell your items nationwide and sends you a prepaid label when you sell your items. There is the option to sell locally as well, and you get paid directly through the app into your bank account to make it easy. It has a large user base, is very versatile, and allows you to message potential buyers.

OfferUp also has a number of designated “Community Meetup Spots” which are brightly lit areas with video cameras around, making your selling experience safe and offering some peace of mind.
 
LetGo

Letgo is an app that will help you sell items locally as well, and offers many different categories to list your items in so you can be very specific about what you are selling. It’s free, which is a huge bonus, and has verified user profiles so you know the buyer isn’t a bot.

This app has been featured by the New York Times and published by The Balance Everyday as the #1 app of their 7 best local selling apps. The nice thing about this app is you can tag your items and make it easy for buyers to find what you’re selling.
 
Decluttr

The Decluttr app is known for being a great place to sell electronics, gadgets, games, books and other like-items. This app is a little different from the others because you sell to the app itself instead of potential butters. All you have to do is login, get a quote, and if you like the offer, and then you ship off your item. It’s free, fast and easy, and allows for free shipping on all orders.

Another great perk is you can even sell your broken electronics! They accept gaming consoles, tablets, computers, smartwatches, cell phones, textbooks, CD’s, DVD’s and more.
 
Poshmark

More than 80 million members around the world use Poshmark, and it is one of the greatest places for selling second-hand clothes that are still in good condition, as well as home decor, makeup and more. Its as simple as taking a picture and uploading them with a description and price!

Poshmark even provides a prepaid label addressed to the buyer when you make a sale. All you’ll have to do is package it up, drop it off at the post office or have USPS pick it up from your home for free!
 
Facebook Marketplace

We know that Facebook Marketplace can be a bit of a hassle sometimes but believe it or not, this is considered one of the best places for quick sales and it’s easy to find someone local through it who is willing to pick up the item. It never hurts to have your item listed on facebook marketplace in addition to other places.
 
5Miles

If you’re looking to sell furniture or other big-ticket items, 5Miles is a good place to sell. You can share your listings with buyers in your area and the app offers a meet-up location finger to ensure the buyer and seller can agree on a safe and neutral place to exchange their items.

A cool thing about this app is there is an in-app translation tool for non-English speakers to improve the experience for everyone. This app currently has more than 14 million users, so expect a wide reach on this app!
 
eBay

If you’re looking to make some bigger sales and get top dollar for your items, eBay might be your place to go to sell.

However, expect to ship your items because it isn’t as good for selling locally. The good thing about eBay is it is well-known by a lot of people so you have a wide reach, and you can access it from a laptop, computer or tablet as well as your smartphone.
 
When it comes to getting rid of items nowadays there are so many options available. Whether you list multiple items across many platforms or pick and choose platforms based on the items you want to sell, you are almost guaranteed to sell your items without much effort.

Just always make sure to stay safe and be alert and aware of your surroundings at all times if you are meeting someone up for a sale, or even buying an item from someone. So, what are you waiting for? Sign up now and get selling! Your next buyer is waiting!