Moving to a new apartment is both exciting and stress-inducing. You need to pack up all your possessions and move them while you manage your usual day-to-day activities.

Here's a list of six things you can do to help make the move easier. You can start with some of these as early as the day you sign your lease.

1. Change Your Mailing Address

Stop by your nearest post office to fill out a change of address form so that all your first-class mail gets forwarded. Or, you can fill out the form online. Magazine subscriptions are usually excluded from this service, so call the companies and let them know of your new address.

2. Switch Utilities Into Your Name

Unless your landlord includes utilities in your rent, you will have to put most or all them in your name. This can vary by your city of residence, so check with the landlord to see which power, water, gas, and recycling companies serve the home. Call ahead of time to ensure the service starts the day you move in.

3. Give It A Thorough Cleaning

Your new home should be in move-in condition, but you might want to give it a quick once over to ensure it's up to your standards. This is a good time to take note of any existing issues. If you find any, notify the landlord.

4. Make A Spare Set Of Keys

Unless you have key-less entry, you'll want a spare set of keys. Hide the extra set in your car or give them to a nearby friend or relative for safekeeping.

5. Replace Batteries

This is something that the landlord should have done between tenants. But it's better to spend the couple bucks on new batteries than wonder how old they are. Change out the smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector batteries. So long as garage door remote batteries aren't expired or showing damage, they are okay to use until they give out.

6. Update Your Address

Even after you switch your address with the United States Postal Service, don't rely on mail forwarding. Contact your financial institutions, your renters insurance provider, your place of employment and organizations you belong to about your new address. Don't forget family, too! Otherwise, you might see fewer birthday and holiday cards next year!

Make your move to your new home as stress-free as possible by doing these tasks as soon as you're able. If you aim to do one task a day in the week leading up to the move, and you'll be all set!

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