Moving day is finally here and your new home in Stoney Creek is waiting for you! Although there are a lot of things you need to do, you can make this transition seamless with a bit of local information and some simple organization techniques to get you started.

Begin by arranging service of your most important utilities. Electricity is distributed through Oncor, but the choice of providers is yours. You may access this information by visiting http://powertochoose.com/ and putting in your Stoney Creek zip code—75182. A list of the different companies you have at your disposal will populate and you can make an educated choice of which company to use, based on your needs.

Water and sewer service are your second priority and they are easily set up at the Sunnyvale Town Hall. A deposit will activate both, which are billed monthly. Bring a closing disclosure with the homeowner’s name and an in-state or out-of-state driver’s license to get the process started. While at the Town Hall, you can sign up for trash pick up as well. More about that in a minute!

Once the moving boxes start lining the floors of your new home, the biggest question on your mind might be where to begin unpacking. Starting in the kitchen is usually the best place, followed by the bathrooms. These are essentially the most important rooms in your home, at least initially. From there, organizing the bedrooms will be your next important step. Make sure you pull out the linens, make up the beds, and find your clothing boxes. That way, the first night in your new home will be ready to enjoy when you tire, and the next morning, you won’t be hunting for what to wear.

When you unpack that first box in each room, be sure to keep it handy. This is a good time to assess whether you really need each item you have brought with you. Often, we expect to use everything from the other home, or we were in such a rush to pack, that ALL our possessions were quickly loaded into boxes. Maybe you really don’t need all the cookware or sets of glasses that made their way to your new home. Sometimes we have less cabinet space than at the last house – and if there is more – you don’t want to fill them all up just yet. Pack that empty box with donations to keep your new home clutter-free. That goes for each room you subsequently organize. The once empty box is now filled and destined for a new home – not yours. So, load it with nice things others might benefit from.

Now that the cartons are being emptied and your house is looking more like the home of your dreams, you might be thinking, “How do I get rid of all these boxes?” You probably won’t want them laying around – many are large, untidy and definitely don’t enhance your décor! However, keeping a large one temporarily for your children to make into a play house is probably a must-do. Otherwise, take a moment to flatten them and place them at the curb for recycling pick up. Stoney Creek’s recycle collection day is every Thursday and trash is collected on both Tuesdays and Fridays. Have everything curbside by 7 a.m! You can sign up for these services at the Town Hall.

Finally, if you have children, getting them enrolled in school is another essential task. They will be in good hands when they attend school within the highly-regarded Sunnyvale Independent School District. Whether they are in pre-kindergarten, elementary, middle or high school, this district’s goal is to make sure they will be well-prepared at graduation to enter the workforce or move onto college. Just click on the link above to get them enrolled today. All the schools are within minutes from your home.

Once you feel settled in, it’s time to take a well-deserved break! Relax in your new home in Stoney Creek, check out all the amenities this beautiful development has to offer, and take some time to get to know your new neighbors. Your time in the sun has come!