Your First Week in a New Glasgow Home: What to Do and When

The van has pulled away, the keys are in your pocket and every flat surface has a box on it. This is the bit nobody writes guides about, so here is ours. It is the order we would tackle things in after hundreds of Glasgow moves, and the local admin that catches people out.

Day one: the four things that make tonight bearable

Do these before you open anything else.

1. Beds. Rebuild the frames, find the bedding box (you labelled it, right?) and make the beds. A made bed at 9pm is worth more than anything else you unpack today.
2. Kitchen basics. Kettle, mugs, tea, a pan, plates for one meal and the box with the cutlery. Everything else in the kitchen can wait.
3. Bathroom. Loo roll, towels, soap, toothbrushes and a shower curtain if the flat needs one. Check the hot water is actually on; combi boilers in Glasgow flats are often switched to "summer" by the last tenant.
4. One clear seat per person. Sofa or chairs unwrapped, throw on top, boxes shoved to the walls. You need somewhere to sit and eat a takeaway.

If we did your move, the boxes are already in the right rooms with labels facing out. If you are unpacking a friend's van, sort boxes by room before you open a single one. It feels slow and saves an hour.

Day two and three: rooms in order of use

Unpack in the order you use rooms, not the order the boxes came off the van.

• Kitchen fully. Wipe shelves first. Put the things you use daily at eye level and the good plates up top.
• Main bedroom and wardrobes. If you used wardrobe boxes, clothes go straight on the rail in ten minutes.
• Bathroom cupboard and cleaning kit.
• Living room. TV, lamps, the box of chargers and remotes.
• Kids' rooms get done together with the kids if they are old enough. It helps them settle.

Leave the loft, garage, shed and "misc" boxes for the first weekend. Nobody has ever needed the Christmas decorations on a Tuesday in March.

Flatten boxes as you go

Every empty box gets flattened and stacked by the door the moment it is empty. It keeps the flat feeling like it is getting better, not worse. Glasgow City Council will take cardboard in the blue bin, but a full house move fills it several times over, so either save the boxes for a friend, list them free online (they go within a day), or take a car load to the recycling centre at Polmadie, Dawsholm or Shieldhall. If we supplied the boxes, tell Peter and we can collect the good ones.

The Glasgow admin list

Most of this takes ten minutes each and saves a headache later.

Job	Who	When
Council tax: moving in	Glasgow City Council (or East Ren, East Dun, Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire if you are outside the city)	Within the first week
Council tax: moving out	Your old council	Same day, so the bill stops on the right date
Electricity and gas meter readings	Photograph both meters on day one, send to the supplier	Day one
Royal Mail redirection	Royal Mail	Ideally set up before the move, otherwise now
Resident parking permit	Glasgow City Council, if the street is in a controlled zone	Before the visitor permits run out
Bins	Check the collection day on the council website; new-build flats may use communal bins with a fob	First week
GP and dentist	Register if you have moved out of your practice area	First fortnight
Driving licence and vehicle log book	DVLA, free online	First fortnight
Electoral roll	Register at your new address	First month
TV licence	Update the address	First week

Bank, insurers, employer, pension, school and the vet can follow over the month.

Small jobs that make it feel like home

• Find the stopcock and the fuse box now, not during a leak at midnight. In a tenement the stopcock is often under the kitchen sink or in the close.
• Test the smoke and heat alarms. Scottish law requires interlinked alarms in every home, so if they are missing or ancient, tell your landlord or get them fitted.
• Introduce yourself to the neighbours, particularly in a tenement. You will share a close, a bin store and probably a factor.
• Ask the factor or landlord about the stair cleaning rota and any door entry codes.
• Change the locks if you bought, or at least ask the seller how many keys exist.

If something arrived damaged

It happens rarely, but if it does, photograph it with the packaging and tell us within seven days. We would rather sort it quickly than have you stew on it.

Need a hand?

If the move went well, a short Google review helps Peter more than you would guess. If you have a friend moving next, the quote form takes two minutes, or they can call 07481 469221. And if the unpacking is defeating you, our packing team also does unpacking by the hour.