Congratulations! You have found a new property and are ready to get started. To ensure that everything goes smoothly, you should prepare your move to your new apartment or house properly. A checklist and the following blog post with lots of moving tips can help you with this. Please also note that you will get furthest with friendly helpers and a lot of patience. The effort of moving will be worth it as soon as you can move into and enjoy your own four walls!
Plan your move properly with a checklist
First of all, you should make sure that your new rental agreement or purchase contract is valid. Once you have signed, you will receive your official move-in date and can plan your move accordingly. It helps to create a checklist so that nothing is forgotten. With the help of the moving checklist, also remember to terminate the old tenancy agreement in good time.
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Before moving from your old home to your new home, you must deregister with your old municipality. Depending on the canton and city, you may have to go to the residents’ registration office in person. Please inform yourself in good time regarding deregistration.
Your pets should also be on the moving checklist, as you not only have to deregister them, but also organize a move that is as uncomplicated and relaxed as possible. Moving house can be very stressful, especially for cats, as they are creatures of habit. That’s why you should pack their sleeping places last in boxes and unpack them first in the new apartment.
According to our checklist, you must also notify the following authorities of your move:
- Military (if applicable)
- Civilian service position (if applicable)
- Responsible civil defense office
- Relocation notification at the post office
- Road traffic office
- School authorities and teaching staff (if applicable)
In addition, create a list of your service providers so that you can cancel everywhere in good time. Your telephone and Internet provider should also know about the move.
Last but not least, you should change your address with contractual partners and organize the forwarding of your letters at the post office, even if you remain in the same canton. In addition to the bank and your employer, you should also notify the compensation fund, doctor, dentist, health insurance company, your insurance companies and any newspaper publishers of the move. Many insurance companies have an extra form for removals on their website that can make the process easier.
Plan the organization of the move effectively
In addition to all these administrative tasks, you should also think about the practicalities of the move in good time. For example, make sure that you can use a parking space near your old home for the day of the move. Another item on the moving checklist is to scout out the area around the new home, because nobody wants to carry more than 100 meters of furniture.
Ask and organize your friends and acquaintances in good time if they can help you with your move. After all, there is a lot of furniture, moving boxes and other items to carry and load. If your own vehicle is not big enough, you should look for a suitable removal van a few weeks before the move.
About one to two weeks before you move out of your apartment, it’s time to start packing. If you work full-time, you should start even earlier to take advantage of the time at the weekends. First, pack all items that you use less frequently. Remember to pack a few basic everyday objects last.
In addition to moving boxes of the same size, you will also need furniture covers and tension belts for transportation. This means you can safely stow even fragile or unwieldy objects in the removal van.
Tip: Do you need to move your piano into your new home? You should have this transported by a specialized forwarding agent to avoid damage.
Carry out the move without any problems
On the day of the move, you should draw up a detailed handover protocol with the landlord or landlady or the previous owner of the old apartment. Remember to look in all corners for any damage and record it carefully to protect yourself. Please return all keys to the apartment with a receipt. You can find more tips on handing over rented apartments in our blog or on our moving checklist.
You must hand over the apartment thoroughly cleaned so that the new tenant can move in straight away. If you already know that a new coat of paint or certain repairs are necessary, you should schedule the handover accordingly. As a tenant, you are responsible for small jobs in particular.
As soon as you arrive at your new property, you should also request a detailed handover report and document any damage. You and your helpers can only put away the moving boxes, furniture and other items once the keys have been handed over.
Tip: If you would like to carry out work in the new apartment or house before moving in, you should ask for an earlier handover. This means the apartment is ready to move into and you can put everything away on moving day. Remember that paint takes up to two weeks to dry.
Tips for the time after the move
After the move, you should take time to settle into your new home, get to know your new neighbors and introduce yourself to them in person. It is also advisable not to let cats out of the apartment for the time being. The animals need 1-2 weeks to get used to the new home, otherwise they may try to return to their old home.
You should register with the residents’ registration office in your new municipality within 14 days of moving in. This then forwards all the necessary information to the relevant tax authority. You must also register your children and pets accordingly. Use the above list to re-register with all authorities and services.
Tip: Let our experts advise you on transport companies!
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Remember to put your name on the letterbox and doorbell. Then the move is complete and you can enjoy your new property!
As you can see, a move requires a lot of preparation and planning. Even if you want to move your entire office, there are a few points to bear in mind. We recommend that you deal with the move and the associated tasks for your employees as early as possible so that the whole team is pulling in the same direction when the moving boxes are packed.
Tips for moving to Switzerland
Real estate in Switzerland is also very popular with people from neighboring countries. If you want to move to Switzerland from Germany or Austria, for example, you should note the following special features:
- In order to import your household effects into Switzerland, you must provide proof of a change of residence (e.g. with a rental agreement or employment contract).
- You should also carry a list of the imported items.
- The removal goods must be imported during the opening hours of the customs offices for commercial goods.
You should also seek support from your employer and the local authorities. As there are numerous regulations for foreigners in Switzerland, for example with regard to tax payments, you will need a little time to get used to them. Also familiarize yourself with the regional dialect to avoid communication problems. Welcome to Switzerland!
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All data are without guarantee. The information on these Internet pages has been carefully researched. Nevertheless, no liability can be assumed for the accuracy of the information provided.
