1. Buy Renters Insurance
Obviously this doesn't apply to you if you own a home, because you'll already have thought through insurance. If you're renting you landlords might require it in your contract, but even if they don't you want to be sure to do this! If something happens (fire, flood, earthquake, break-in, etc.) the landlord's property insurance will cover just that --their property. So if you own anything more than a toothbrush I'd recommend getting a policy to cover your possessions. These policies will often even cover things like jewelry even when you're not home. If you're a newly-wed your life savings might just be in that little rock so you definitely want some insurance on it!
The great thing is that these policies are generally REALLY affordable. Depending on where you live and your provider it will change of course, but we've had policies as low as $10/month. Totally worth it! You can often even arrange for the policy before you move and you just get billed starting with your move-in date. Just be sure to work with the agent to make sure you have enough coverage for all of your possessions -- start roughly adding up your furniture, electronics, clothes, and housewares and you might find you have thousands of dollars worth of belongings.
2. Check All Fire Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Check all the smoke detectors/fire alarms to make sure they are working and have good batteries in them. If there aren't detectors be sure to install some!
If you have anything running off of gas (an oven, dryer, water heater, etc.) be sure there is a carbon monoxide detector in the home. You can usually smell a natural gas leak, but if you're sleeping you won't detect it. There have been some tragic stories recently, like this whole family who died because of carbon monoxide poisoning, while their oldest 2 children were serving church missions. Such a heart breaking story. You don't want that to happen to you when it is so preventable.
3. Know Where Shut Off Valves Are
In case of a natural disaster or other break or leak you should know where the shut off valves are for the water and gas coming in to your home. You should also learn where the shut off valve is for the the sprinkler system is there is one. Being able to shut these off could prevent further damage from occurring.
4. Put Local Phone Numbers in Your Phone
Obviously 911 works wherever you are, but some things may not be crucial enough for a 911 call. Some places you would want to be able to contact in a pinch might include: the fire department, the police station, poison control, urgent care, and possibly your children's schools.
5. Get Your Locks Changed and Distribute a Spare
If your landlord doesn't do this for you or if you are a new home owner you should change your locks. You never know who has had a spare key to your house in the past and you don't want just anyone having free reign to your new abode -- especially not some strangers' crazy uncle who doesn't know they've moved.
Also it would be wise to find someone you trust to give a spare key too. Let's say you're at the airport and you need a picture of your child's birth certificate texted to you or else you have to purchase a $300 ticket for your 18-month-old (almost happened to us). Or like my friend who accidentally left their ENTIRE family's Christmas presents in the garage before they left on a 12+ hour road trip for the holidays. You'd want someone to be able to get in and mail that off to you ASAP. Or maybe you don't want to pay a locksmith to either let you in to your house because you're locked out (been there). Or the only spare key to your car is in your house, but you can't get that either because your keys are locked in the car (also been there).
6. Add Escape Ladders if there is a Second Floor
You should have escape ladders for at least all the upstairs bedrooms. They're about $30 a pop on amazon. If you can't afford to buy them for all your rooms at once (especially after forking out all the other extra money that comes along with moving) just add it to your budget and buy one each month. If you're renting, you might even ask your landlord to cover the cost. Be sure to check if you need the 13 ft or 25 ft.
7. Locate the Nearest Hospital and Drive There
Like I said, 911 works and you know ambulances can come to you, but sometimes it might just be easier to throw your child and his severed finger with some ice in to the car and get there yourself.
The last thing you want to do is get lost on the way to the hospital! Knowing where the hospital is located is totally different than being able to navigate there under stress. So when you're out and about just take a few trips to the hospital to make sure you know how to get there without thinking about it.
Also, you may want to check that the hospital is covered by your health care plan so you don't get charged through the roof just for taking a dehydrated baby there at 2 in the morning. If there's one thing worse than dealing with health complications it's dealing with complicated billing and costs of those health complications. Driving 5 more minutes to an in-network hospital could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars.
*****
So there you have it. Hopefully some of these were helpful for you. Even if you haven't recently moved you might need to take care of some of these things. Confession: some of these things we still need to do since moving in to our new place in California! Having this list will hopefully help me to get on it!
What other things have you done to make sure you and your family are taken care of in a new place?
No comments:
Post a Comment