How to Prepare to Move into a Cabin

*Collaborative Post

Moving into a cabin is a big transition, but you can make it easier to feel at home in your new space by making it move-in ready. Prepare to relocate into a cabin by setting up your essential facilities, employing an unpacking plan and getting to know the community, among other pre-move arrangements. Here’s how to get ready to move into a cabin:

Take precautions

Make sure that your cabin is safe and protected even before you settle in. As an example, if you’re cabin is located in British Columbia (BC), an essential pre-move stop is to take out cabin insurance in BC to safeguard your space from the common risks that come with this type of property.

Do a walk-through

If you can, walk through your new cabin to get to know the space, do some checks and visualize how you want to design your new home. Doing a walk-through can help make the place feel more familiar, making the transition easier.

It also allows you to confirm that all terms of the sale were completed, including agreed-upon repairs, appliances that were supposed to be left or taken out, etc. A walk-through is also a great way to visualize your home for the future; it can help you map out where you want to lay things out and see where you can make improvements.

If your cabin isn’t accessible from your current address–making it impossible to do an in-person walkthrough–ask your realtor if they can provide you with a virtual tour or a 3D render of the property.

Locate necessary functions

Look for the necessary functions of your new cabin. These include the circuit breaker, fuse box, water valves, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and security alarms. You’ll want to take note of any functionalities that your place is lacking so that you can address these before the move.

Set up utilities and connectivity

Set up the essentials: electricity, heat, gas, water, phone services, cable and internet. You want to move into a cabin that works. These utilities and connectivity systems can take a while to prepare, so you’ll want to get on it as soon as possible.

Clean key areas

Do a quick cleanup of key areas in your cabin, such as the main bedrooms, the living room and the kitchen. You’ll be hanging out here a lot after you move in, so you’ll want them to be free from anything that could make them uncomfortable.

Make an unpacking plan

An unpacking plan can help you settle into your new cabin much more efficiently, helping you feel at home quicker. Label your moving boxes properly, then prioritize what you’ll unpack based on what you’re going to need most often and immediately, such as kitchen, bathroom and bedroom items.

Get to know the community

Cabin living is greatly centered around community, especially as these properties occasionally lack the neighborly proximity you’d get from urban and suburban areas. Your neighbors will become your close friends and your community will be your first point of contact for most things. Make connections and explore the area.

*This is a collaborative post. For further information please refer to my disclosure page.