7 set-up essentials when moving home

Moving house is stressful, even for the most organised of homebodies. From the planning stages to unpacking boxes, a host of must-do tasks can easily fall through the cracks. Here are the seven things you need to have in place before moving to ensure a smooth and stress-free relocation for the entire family.

Get Connected

A key decider when you are moving home is your broadband provider. The strength of your internet connection allows you to function practically, working from home, for instance, but it also helps stay in touch with family and friends and will help you create new, all-important memories. Whether it’s snuggled up together on the sofa watching your first movie together as a family in the living room or sharing the first pictures of your new abode on social media, a strong and reliable broadband service connects you to those you love most.

The movie mad will want a streaming service that allows the entire household to immerse themselves in the storyline while gamers want glitch-free sessions in front of their consoles so they can stay in touch with their old pals and make news ones with the push of a thumb.

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Before you move, consider what your needs will be. You may not yet know how many devices will be online at any one time or if you need wifi range extenders in any areas of the house but help is at hand for all your queries.

Virgin Media offers up to 1Gb broadband packaged to suit every household’s individual needs. Deemed by Bonkers to be the best broadband provider of 2022, Virgin Media has everything you need to plan your broadband installation for a seamless connection and happy streaming.

It’s Connect app allows customers view their usage, and ideal for parents for it allows them visibility on how many devices are connected at any one time, and to even pause connectivity to some devices. It can help them manage their kids time online and ensure plenty of digital downtime before bedtime. And its Parental Controls ensure your family is safe by restricting access to websites that contain age-inappropriate content, while devices are connected to your home broadband.

Once your home is mapped on the Virgin Media network you can enjoy its first-rate service. The key considerations for consumers are reliability and speed. Its network offers 99.9 per cent broadband reliability and over 97 per cent of homes on the Virgin Media network can get broadband speeds of 1Gb.

The service is straight forward and simple to install with over 80 per cent of customers able to set it up themselves. To get coverage all around the house a central location is the best place to install the modem.

If, after you move in, you discover you have some wi-fi black spots, the Virgin Media wi-fi guarantee has you covered. Its Smart Wifi Pods use next level wi-fi mesh technology to help get rid of such problems.

Tap In

When upgrading your living space, it’s also worth upgrading your water quality. While tap water in Ireland is safe to drink, mineral deposits in some water supplies can, over time, cause damage to plumbing and appliances.

Installing a filtration system will help remove sediments and chlorine, provide great-tasting water on tap, save on plastic water bottles, and give your appliances the best chance of a longer lifespan.

Choose from point-of-entry filters, an under-sink filter, most commonly used in residential homes, or a countertop Quooker tap, which offers both cold and boiling filtered water on demand.

Pic caption: Energy monitoring and remotely accessed smart thermostats will help manage usage

Switch On

In the face of climate change and the ongoing energy crisis, opting for a renewable energy provider makes financial and environmental sense.

Many providers now offer 100 per cent green energy generated from wind, solar, or a combination of the two. Use a price and service comparison website to match your needs and budget with a provider before you move.

It’s also worth checking if your new home has a smart meter. By the end of 2024, every home, farm and business in Ireland will have the option to have a smart meter installed.

Smart meters can be read automatically, enabling more accurate billing and significantly reducing the need for manual meter readings and estimated bills. Smart meters also allow you to track your usage in real time and say on top of your bill. It’s worth contacting the ESB about a quick and easy installation at your new place.

Waste ways

Waste management is a large part of any move. From throwing away, rehoming, donating or recycling unwanted items to organising your new home’s waste system, it’s essential to have the right services and processes in place.

When unpacking and setting up your new space, ensure as much of the waste generated as possible is dropped off at your nearest Bring Centre. Appliances, large amounts of cardboard packaging, batteries and bottles can all be dropped off and managed responsibly at these local recycling sites.

As for household waste, consider the placement of your wheelie bins at your new home to ensure you have easy access to them and can quickly relocate them for roadside collection each week.

If you’re hoping to reduce waste in your new home, consider installing a MyGug, a new Micro Scale Anaerobic Digester. Installed in your garden or yard, it digests all raw and cooked food waste and uses it to produce a free, reliable source of biogas perfectly suited to cooking.

Think Smart

Energy-efficient and intelligent appliances are set to become the norm over the next five years as we look for new ways to save money and time in the home.

Simple swaps can mean significant savings, like LED lightbulbs which save approximately 75 per cent of energy compared to traditional incandescent or halogen bulbs. Another way to smart up your new place is by installing a smart thermostat, allowing you to control your home’s temperature remotely.

Making your new place as intelligent as possible will enable you to live a simpler, more streamlined lifestyle.

Safe & Secure

When you move, your home’s security and safety should be top of mind. As soon as you’re ready to move in, install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Carbon monoxide detectors should be located on every level of your new home with fuel-burning appliances and outside bedrooms. A licensed electrician should install smoke detectors in every room of your home.

As for security, whether you choose a traditional security system or opt for a more modern device like a smart doorbell, small security checks can help you sleep soundly and ensure your new home remains secure and safe.

Location Update

Lastly, remember to change or update virtual addresses. Your voting address, TV license, tax details, doggy license, bank details and online shopping order addresses should all be switched to avoid any headaches down the line.

If you’re still stressed about missing out on post and parcels, An Post offer a convenient service that will forward all your post to your new address for one year.

For more information on Virgin Media’s Broadband packages, visit virginmedia.ie