Moving into a new home often necessitates the purchase of quite a few items. From appliances to area rugs and all the knick-knacks in between, the list of must-haves can get very long very quickly. Dividing your list into what you need before you even step foot in the door and what you can buy after moving will help you manage your finances during an expensive transition and make better informed decisions about what you need.
There’s often a temptation to gather everything you need for your new home before you move, but that just means more things to pack and transport. It can also be a bad call for items like décor, which can be hard to make decisions on without having a better idea of the space itself that you’ll be living in. While there certainly are plenty of items you can and should acquire so that you have them for those first few days at your new place, there’s also plenty that can wait. Here are some things you should buy after moving, and not before.
Smart devices
Some smart devices, think basic security cameras and robotic vacuums are compatible with pretty much any home and can be purchased prior to your move if you’re trying to spread out expenses. But when it comes to what to buy after moving, wait on the smart device purchases that require you to have a specific set up in place. Not all homes are properly designed for the installation of smart doorbells, thermostats, or smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors, and you don’t want to make an expensive purchase only to find that it can’t even be installed.
Furniture
Unless you’re starting completely from scratch with your move, chances are you have the basics that you need in terms of furniture. Planning to upgrade or swap out your furniture in your new place makes total sense, but it’s something that’s best done after moving, when you know exactly what size, color, and shape of furniture makes the most sense for each room.
Area rugs
The same logic that applies to furniture also applies to area rugs. You really won’t know what size rug you’ll need until you’re in the rooms themselves, so buy after moving instead of playing the guessing game. This is especially true if you intend on buying new furniture, since you’ll want to be sure that the rugs go with your general design and color scheme.
Food
A house isn’t really a home until there’s food in the cabinets, but packing and moving food can be an additional challenge on top of what you already have to get done when you move. Instead of adding on to the food that you will have to transport, wait until after you move and do a big grocery store run. In fact, the less food you have to move the better, focus on eating or donating what you already have in your fridge, freezer, and pantry prior to moving day so that you have less to take with you, instead of trying to make sure you’ve got plenty to get you through those first few days in the new home.
Plants
Both indoor and outdoor plants have some unique complications when it comes to transporting them from one home to another. Plants like most living things are finicky about their environments. A plant that thrived in your old home may get stressed out when trying to adjust to somewhere new. If you’re doing a long distance (currently unavailable service) move, you’ll also have to figure out the best way to safely get your old plants to your new place while keeping them healthy. It’s a lot to navigate and arrange. While you will probably want to bring your existing plants with you when you move, wait until after you’re at your new home before heading back to the nursery for more.
New pets
Moving is as big of an adjustment for animals as it is for humans. Maybe even more so, since they have less of an understanding of what’s going on. If you’re planning to adopt a new pet into your family, wait until after you’ve settled in instead of making an animal go through a major transition with you right away. This will help ensure that your new companion has a safe and stable environment to settle in to when he or she does join your family. Everyone will be happier for it.
The more you can buy after moving, the less guesswork you’ll have to do about what will be a good fit in your new home. It will also mean less items that you’ll have to worry about finding a way to bring along with you. Stick to the basics for your move, and add on what you need or want for the new place after you’ve settled in. You’ll be glad that you did.
