Adulting, let’s face it- it’s hard! I mean, you get to be in charge of your own destiny and make decisions for yourself, but the flip side of that is you now have much more responsibility and bills! Whether you want to or not, adulting is a necessity and a rite of passage. Remember, Peter Pan is just a fairy tale! When it comes to adulting your move, the benefits outweigh the cost. I recently adulted my move for the first time and found that the options made my move much more manageable and less stressful. Below are ways to adult your move. Some of these I tried myself, and a couple I added after considering how to make my move even easier next time.
Plan Ahead
- Start the process of finding a new home
- Get rid of things you don’t want
- Set the date for your move
- Reserve your rental equipment needed as soon as possible
- Make repairs to your rental to ensure you get your deposit back
- Pack anything you can, as soon as you can
Budget
- Save money for your move
- Consider all costs like gas, coverage for the rental equipment and any new items you may want to purchase
- Save 20% over the amount you think you will need, just in case unexpected costs of moving come up
Buy Moving Supplies
- Shocking, but professional moving boxes are actually stronger than the free ones at the grocery store
- Specialty boxes and kits protect things you love like your TV or framed art
- Surprisingly, moving supplies are also affordable
- The U-Haul buyback guarantee promises to take back unused supplies
- Consider the cost of the items you will have to replace by not packing your items properly and just spend a fraction of that to protect your belongings
Purge, But Don’t Over-Purge
- In college, you probably think throw everything out at the end of the school year is a good idea. Don’t do that if you are adulting. Items like sofas, mattresses and other household items cost money to replace. So, do not get rid of things just because it is easier than moving. You might hold on to them until you can afford that replacement.
- Definitely get rid of anything you do not want, do not use or do not need
- Do not go through the effort of packing, moving and unpacking things that you do not want or need around
Use Supplies and Equipment Correctly
- Don’t overfill boxes! Overfilling boxes makes them much more difficult to handle and can make your move more difficult
- Use a dolly to move boxes or furniture
- Cool products can save your back and time
- Know your equipment when renting. Watch how-to videos or read the manuals to ensure you use the equipment correctly. This is not just for safety reasons, although that is important too. If you know how the equipment works your move will be easier and more efficient.
Rent Moving Equipment
- I know in actuality you could move all your items in your car or friend’s hatchback. The fact is, you shouldn’t. It takes multiple trips, so much more time and is the least efficient way to move. It also causes unneeded wear and tears on your vehicle.
- Renting a moving truck will make the move in one trip. That means one-time loading and unloading!
Hire Help
- It costs more, but it is the best choice money can buy. Until my last move I would never have suggested this, but hiring help did not cost as much as I was thinking. I got help for a couple of hours and I was amazed by what they were able to do! They loaded all my things in the truck, tied all my items down safely and then met me at my new home and unloaded.
- There was still plenty to do while they were loading. I was able to finish any last minute packing and tidying up and then I spent my afternoon unpacking.
- I will do this every time I move! The time it saved me made it priceless.
During my last move, I hired moving help, packed ahead of time, rented moving equipment, purged and bought moving supplies. I did not use the supplies correctly one hundred percent of the time and I could have used more supplies. More money should have been budgeted for incidentals that I did not consider. I tried to save time by bringing some items over little by little. It did not save me nearly enough time on moving day to make the effort, blood, sweat, and tears of me and my friends worth it! Adulting your move will cost more, but you will find that the cost will save you so much time and stress that it will be worth it. And, your items will also be protected and in good condition when you arrive at your new home. I found by making these changes it allowed me to focus positive energy on my new beginnings and I enjoyed my move much more!
What suggestions for adulting your move can you offer? Share in the comments.
