Moving in together as newlyweds is a fantastic time. Whether you’re moving into a house, getting a new apartment together, or just officially beginning a life together, it can be very exciting.
However, there are some pitfalls to avoid when moving in as a newlywed couple. Combining two lives can be difficult – you’ll often find that you have multiples of just about every item, and if you don’t have a solution for this problem, you’ll find yourself going through frustration as you try to figure out what to do with all of your unnecessary stuff.
So we’ve put together some quick tips on starting your new life together as newlyweds – how to avoid the pitfalls of moving into a new house, and ensure a smooth transition to your new place.
Plan Ahead
First of all, you need to plan ahead. Who is moving in with who? Does one of you have to break your lease? Do you want to find a new place? Are you going to start looking for a house, and get a mortgage?
With all of the fuss about the wedding and preparations in place for the big event, planning for where you’re going to live can be an afterthought, but it’s important to make these plans sooner, rather than later.
Once you’ve decided on a place to move, you have to come up with a plan to determine what stuff to bring with you
Integrating Your Stuff
The biggest hurdle facing newlyweds is the “duplication problem”. You both led full lives before meeting each other – and probably lived on your own.
That means that you likely have duplicates of just about everything – appliances like toasters, microwaves, televisions, household goods like pots, pans, knives, cutting boards, dish sets – the list could go on.
And that’s not the end of it for newlyweds, because you’re going to be showered with gifts at your wedding – usually some kind of household goods. So planning ahead for integration of your stuff is important – you don’t need three toasters or four microwaves.
Modern technology has made this easier, as most couples register online at big stores like Target and other big-box retailers. With these automatically-updating lists, you and your significant other can keep an eye on what’s being bought for you – and ditch your old appliances if you see that you’re getting a new one.
Once you’ve determined what kind of duplicate items you’re likely to get, you can move on to tossing the stuff you don’t want anymore.
Getting Rid Of The Stuff You Don’t Need
Make a checklist of everything that you need when you move in together, and then take a look at each other’s stuff.
Is your microwave nicer than hers? Is her TV better than yours? Do you need your knife set that you’ve had since college, or would you rather use her German-designed knives? Did your grandma get you a better set of dishes from your registry?
Take into account everything you know from your registry and from your checklist, and start getting rid of stuff you don’t need any more.
Working appliances can be taken to Goodwill or other thrift stores, as can unwanted household goods. Trashed or ruined appliances can simply be thrown away.
The end goal is to have just one set of everything you need – and to ensure that all the household goods you’re using are top quality. This will help avoid conflict, and ensure a smooth transition to your new apartment – and your new life.
This can be tough for some people – but remember, you don’t just have to throw your stuff away. You can re-gift it to others if you want – younger siblings are often in need of cheap microwaves, sets of dishes and flatware, and other household goods, especially if they’re about to graduate from college.
Take A Look At Your Furniture – And Your Space
It’s tempting to hold onto all of your furniture, and if you’ve got a large enough space to move into after getting married, you might be able to.
However, this is often not the case, and you may even have to buy some new furniture – a queen or king-sized bed, for example.
Take inventory of your furniture and make sure you understand the layout and space capacity of your new home or apartment, and figure out what you can actually bring with you, what you’ll have to leave behind, and what you may need to buy.
Craigslist is a great way to get rid of unwanted furniture – you can post your stuff for pennies on the dollar, and those who wish to buy it have to take care of hauling it away themselves, so you don’t have to worry about paying for removal.
Making sure you bring the right amount of furniture will reduce moving costs, and ensure you don’t overload your new apartment or house with unnecessary futons, duplicate chairs, or ratty sofas.
Arrange Everything Before Your Honeymoon
Once your wedding day is imminent, you’re not going to want to think about anything else, and chances are that you’ll be whisked off to Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or some other exotic locale for your honeymoon afterward.
Arrange your moving services, lease for your new place, utilities, and everything else important to beginning your new life together – before the wedding. Your honeymoon should be special, and its afterglow shouldn’t be ruined because you forgot to turn on the power at your new apartment.
Hire A Good Moving Service
If you’re planning ahead and getting your stuff together to move before the wedding, a professional moving service is the best way to reduce stress, save time, and ensure that all of your stuff gets to your new home quickly and safely.
Professional movers can take care of awkward furniture, pack up all of your stuff, and get it all to your new place before you even move in, minimizing the amount of time you have to spend doing the boring stuff, and allowing you to focus on your big day.
If you’re looking for movers in the Annapolis, MD area, get in touch with Movers USA. We’re a company of full service movers, and our experienced professional movers can take care of all of your moving needs, and allow you to focus on your big day.
So get in touch with Movers USA today. We’d love to discuss costs, service, and timeframes with you, and help your wedding day and newlywed life begin as smoothly as possible.