When you decide it is time to move, you experience a mixture of emotions. One minute you are excited at the possibilities of a new start, the next minute you are stressed and thinking about all the things that must be done before you experience the benefits and last you can be found on the couch overwhelmed, procrastinating and eating a loaf of french bread while watching Netflix. Well, that last part may just be me! Usually, you wish you had a professional moving assistant, but you can be a pro too! Moving like a pro is easy with these tips!
Establish a Preferred Moving Timeline
Set reasonable expectations for when you would like to move.
Apartment
If you have a lease and know you do not want to stay where you are at, check your lease for how far in advance you need to give notice. Many times this is 30-60 days ahead of time. Not meeting the notice deadlines can cost you fines or even an extra month in the residence. You must also take into account how long it will take you to find the right place. Starting in advance and checking multiple places can help you avoid moving in another year if you are unhappy with the location or the amenities of your new place.
House
If you are planning to buy a home plan to start this timeline around 4-5 months before you like to move. Finding the right home and closing can take more time than you anticipate. You do not want to be stuck making the choice to renew your lease or pay higher monthly rent for a month-to-month arrangement while you wait on finding the right home and the financing. Remember that this timeline may need to be a bit flexible, but by setting the timeline you will stay organized with all the other moving arrangements you will need to coordinate. Give yourself the time to find the right fit!
Start Looking For a Place
Once you have established when you need to start the process based on your timeline, start looking for your new place. If you are not familiar with the area, start looking online for neighborhoods that fit your needs.
- If you are single and enjoy the nightlife or being close to public transportation use google to determine the areas best for what you are looking for.
- If you have kids you can search the best neighborhoods for children with parks and lots to do for kids.
If you know the neighborhoods, start researching complexes and get an idea of what is available in your price range. Sites like areavibes.com can help you with finding the right neighborhoods as well. Once you find a place you like secure the place by putting your deposit down and scheduling your move-in date.
Inventory your Belongings
Now that you know when you will be moving and have given yourself enough time you can begin preparing for your actual moving day! Chances are you have forgotten how much you actually have and there are probably items you no longer need or want. This step can sometimes happen at the same time as step 4 if you are efficient like me. I like to do the following:
- Pull everything out of the closets, cabinets, and drawers one section at a time.
- Keep a box for things you want to sell, a box for things you want to give away and a box for things you can pack right away.
No sense in putting items back that you know you will not need in the next month. Once you know exactly how much you have left it makes it so much easier to determine how many boxes you need and the size moving rental equipment you will need.
Sell or Give Away Unwanted Items
As you take inventory find the items you want to get rid of and as mentioned above pick the items that you would want to sell or give away.
Giveaway
For give away items, consider giving to Big Brothers Big Sisters, Salvation Army, and Goodwill. They are all pretty good with taking all items and not picking and choosing items. If you lug the items to donate and they turn you away or do not want what you have it can be frustrating to haul it back home or find someone else to take it.
Selling
For selling items you can use places like Buffalo Exchange, Plato’s Closet, Urban Exchange or even try selling them on these online stores. For selling used furniture try using Facebook Sales, Craig’s List or local second-hand stores. The more you get rid of, the less you have to pack, move and unpack.
The worst thing you could do for yourself is to move with things you do not want anymore. It is too much work! Use these tips to help you with reducing clutter. The more you can prepare ahead of time the easier your move will be and the sooner you do this the sooner you will only be looking at what needs to be moved.
Reserve Your Moving Equipment
Believe it or not, there is a busy moving season! It is important to reserve your moving equipment ahead of time to ensure you get the size you need. Since you took inventory you should have an idea of what you need to put in the moving truck or trailer, but if not use this to help you choose the right size truck for your move. Don’t forget to reserve a dolly and order your moving supplies. You can even order online and pick them up the same day at the store near you.
Pack Ahead of Time
If you successfully followed the above step you already have your needed supplies. So get started packing!
- Start by packing seasonal items that are not needed right now. Then you can move to your knick-knacks or other decorations around your home.
- Pack all items that you will not be using in the next 2-3 weeks. This is the step that everyone pushes back because who wouldn’t rather watch Netflix or do pretty much anything else? But this is the most important step to move like a pro! Saving it all for you moving day or the night before will ensure exhaustion and will make it hard to stay on track and on time!
- You should also take the time to label all your boxes. Be very descriptive and do not pack items from other rooms in the same box. It is better to use a brand new box than mix them like that. Imagine every box feeling like that one “junk drawer” everyone has! Chaos will ensue and it will take you much longer to unpack later. Using Smart Move Tape also helps divide the boxes by color so you can take them directly to the right room. For more tips on packing, read this blog on everything you need to know about packing.
Hire Moving Help®
If you really want to move like a pro, hire professionals. They know moving hacks, the safest way to load the trucks and they can move especially quick if you have done most the packing ahead of time. Moving Help® is reliable, convenient and has reasonable prices from local moving companies. If you do not want to hire help, ask your most reliable friends and give them enough time to put it on their calendars! But again this is moving like a pro and even the pros hire help because it just makes the process so much easier!
Un-Pack in Order
Once you get to your new place you usually will not want to unpack. There have been times I have left boxes packed for a couple of months just trying to avoid it. If you follow these steps you will have an easier time just jumping right into unpacking or will know what you can wait on to unpack depending on your mood!
- Take your well-labeled boxes to the room they belong right away. This allows you to unpack your boxes based on what you need right away.
- Remember the seasonal boxes you packed first? These will be the last boxes you need to unpack.
- The first items you unpack can be the bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom. This allows the guest room, office and other spaces like the garage to stay packed for a couple of days or until the next weekend. This takes the stress and urgency out of unpacking and also organizes the process.
Make your New Place a Home
After you get unpacked make your place home by adding some DIY decorations or projects. After all this work you should enjoy your home. Once you are settled and have everything unpacked you officially moved like a pro! Now get out there and show the world how to move like a pro!
What tip for moving do you think makes you move like a pro? Tell us in the comments!
