Of course, a move into your new home requires thorough planning and organisation to ensure a smooth transition into a new living space. In this guide, we’ll share our best apartment hunting and moving tips to help you build the life you’ve been dreaming of in 2024.

Why Moving at the Start of a New Year Can Be Advantageous

If ‘new year, new home’ is one of your new year’s resolutions, the start of a fresh year can be one of the best times to move into a new neighbourhood and an apartment with Vertus. Aligning major life changes with a new year can offer many benefits, from helping you to take advantage of your fresh start mentality to using your renewed optimism to tackle the challenges associated with moving home.

Additionally, many businesses and organisations work on yearly cycles. So, starting a new chapter of your life at the start of a year can make administrative tasks, paperwork, and logistical requirements simpler. Starting your new year in a new place can also offer great opportunities to expand your social circle afresh. 

Even the financial aspects of moving change at the start of a new year. Certain costs, such as hiring movers and renting out storage units, may be more affordable after the festive season, as many service providers have promotions running. Moreover, numerous residents make their moves out of apartments in January before the peak as summer comes around, meaning that there may be more appealing housing options for you to choose from.

Preparing for Your Apartment Hunt

Are you ready to start the apartment hunting process? Here’s how you can prepare yourself.

Firstly, assess your monthly income and expenses to identify a comfortable rental price range, including potential moving fees, parking, and utility expenses. Next, research your target neighbourhoods to find the areas that best complement your lifestyle, considering amenity access, safety, commuting times, and public transport services. Use community forums, reviews, and even local social media groups to find your ideal fit.

Create a list of your must-have amenities, including balcony access, pet friendliness, communal spaces, or close access to shops and schools. It’s also important to understand common lease stipulations like pet policies, rental increase clauses, and security deposits so that you can prepare for your move. January is peak rental season, so contact landlords or apartment providers like Vertus to schedule viewings as soon as possible. When apartment hunting, always arrive at your viewings with prepared lists of questions to find the perfect apartment for your needs. Our dedicated leasing team are on hand to answer any queries you have.

Packing and Organising

Streamline your move into a new apartment by packing like a professional. De-clutter beforehand by donating unused items, and pack one room at a time, labelling your boxes as you go for easier unpacking. Pack heavier items like books and kitchen supplies at the bottom of your boxes and keep light and fragile items on top for safety. 

Use towels and linens to fill empty box corners and protect breakable goods, and prepare a separate box with essentials like toiletries, fresh clothes, and chargers for effortless access on your first night.

Moving Day Strategies

Moving day is traditionally a stressful affair, but with smart planning, it can be seamless and smooth. A few weeks before the big move, create a checklist of tasks (finalising packing, confirming with the movers, etc.), separating them into weekly or daily to-dos. The day before your move, pack your ‘first night’ box and ensure all your boxes are clearly labelled. 

When moving into a new apartment, have a communication system in place with your movers and ensure that you have a good breakfast and stay hydrated throughout the day. Choose a reputable moving company, be clear about your inventory and needs, and discuss fragile items, parking access, and other pertinent information before the move begins. Remain available during moving day to answer your movers’ questions and direct them as needed.

You’ll also need to take care of your health and safety when moving in winter. Wear warm, comfortable clothes and sturdy shoes and take caution when navigating icy walkways. And don’t forget to use extra padding to protect fragile electronics and home items from getting wet.

Settling Into Your New Apartment

Using a few apartment move in tips to your advantage can make the settling-in process much quicker and more comfortable. Start by unpacking intentionally, beginning with essentials like kitchenware and bedding and unpacking one room at a time. Keep your new space brightly lit to create a welcoming ambience, and decorate your new home with throws, pillows, plants, rugs, and photographs.

When you are ready, introduce yourself to your new neighbours and check out local groups and bulletin boards for upcoming community events to get involved in. You could even host a New Year’s/housewarming party for your neighbours and friends to break the ice and start making new social connections.

New Year, New Home: Starting Fresh With Vertus

Take advantage of your refreshed new year motivation by moving into a new apartment with Vertus.  Our apartments at 10 George Street, 8 Water Street, and Newfoundland are situated in the heart of picturesque Canary Wharf, providing access to a vibrant community, world-class amenities, and exclusive Vertus+ benefits like an in-house events programme, discounts and perks, and social opportunities for residents. 

Our studio apartments, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom apartments offer a diverse range of curated living spaces to choose from. Enquire about our available apartments today and transform your life this coming year!