Planning a move can seem like a never-ending mess of stress, chores, and utter confusion.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
As long as you know what you need to do and when you need to finish each task, moving can become much easier. We’ve put together this guide to show up some of the most important tips to keep in mind during your move.
Let’s get started!
1. Create a Moving Checklist
About eight weeks before your move, sit down and write up a moving checklist. This list should contain everything you need to complete before moving day, such as changing your address and packing boxes. Make sure you put the most important/time-sensitive tasks first so you have plenty of time to finish them.
You should also take some time to put together a moving budget. Moving to a new home can be more expensive than you think, and you don’t want to end up going into debt due to poor planning.
Here are some expenses you should plan for:
- Professional residential movers
- Packing supplies
- Cleaning costs (for both your old and new homes)
- Storage units
- Traveling expenses (if you’re moving to a different city or state)
- Emergency money
- Etc.
Setting up a budget in advance will keep you from spending too much on the moving process, keep you relaxed, and ensure you’re ready for any surprise costs.
2. Change Your Address
One of the most important moving tips to remember is to change your address before you arrive at your new home. Otherwise, some important mail might get left behind in your old mailbox, which can cause a lot of headaches later.
Don’t make the mistake of changing your address with the post office and DMV and thinking your done, though. You’ll also need to change your address with your bank, your insurance company, your utility company, your employer, etc.
3. Gather All the Necessary Packing Supplies
If you need a lot of packing supplies quickly, you can buy everything you need, including boxes, packing tape, bubble wrap, and more, at a local moving store. However, if you’re working with a tight budget, you don’t have to spend any money on these supplies at all. Instead, gather boxes of various sizes from grocery stores and other organizations that are throwing them out anyway.
4. Organize as You Pack
Do you want to get rid of some of your belongings before you move everything into your new house? That’s a good idea, but you don’t need to sort through your items before you start packing. Doing these two jobs at the same time will make everything move a lot faster.
As you pack your things, create a pile for donations and for trash. You can even add a “selling” pile if you want to make some extra money. Then when you’re done with a room, you can take all the items out of the house at once.
5. Label Every Box
Create a detailed list of everything that’s inside a box and tape it to the cardboard. After that, add a second label that tells you (or the removing team) which room of that house that box belongs in. This will prevent you from losing anything important during the move.
6. Don’t Do It Alone
The easiest way to feel stressed and overwhelmed by a move is to try to do everything by yourself. Not only will this slow everything down, but it will also make the process much more difficult.
Instead, ask some friends and family members for help as you get ready. Then, when moving day arrives, make sure you have a team of professional movers ready to do the hard work for you.
Now You’re Ready to Start Planning a Move
Planning a move involves a lot of organization, careful planning, and complicated steps. However, if you stick to this guide, you’ll be able to get through your move without any major disasters.
Want to learn some other helpful tips for new homeowners? Make sure you take a look at the rest of our blog!
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