Moving can be an exciting but daunting time. Even the world’s most outstanding planners struggle when it comes to sorting and packing, especially if organizing isn’t your strong suit.
Luckily, there are some precautionary steps that you can take to make this process easier. Not every move needs to be overwhelming!
Here are the top 10 best moving tips to help you have a successful moving experience.
Plan Ahead
Even if you’re moving right across the street, there is still a lot of planning that goes into it.
First off, make an approximate timeline. Write down all the tasks that need to be done and allocate specific dates and times to them. It will help you feel like you’re on top of the job once you have a set plan that you can follow.
Make all significant decisions beforehand. Are you going to hire movers or do it yourself? Will you need a storage unit? Figure out your budget right at the beginning. Start gathering supplies and purging items three months before the move, if you have the opportunity.
Waiting one week before moving to start organizing everything will only make your head hurt, and it will end in needless stress.
Savor the Last Moments in Your Home
Moving can often be quite sentimental. You’ve probably spent years or at least months in your home, collecting memories and making it feel warm. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by various feelings. You should enjoy all the little moments in your current place, especially if you’re moving to another state or city.
Visit that friend you never found time to call back or go to your favorite restaurant without any occasion. Spend quality time with your family and friends because when you start packing, you will be in way over your head with tasks that need your attention.
Purge Your Items
I can’t emphasize enough the importance of decluttering and purging before starting your move. The logic behind it is simple — the less stuff you have, the less you will need to pack, move, and organize.
Start decluttering by sorting your belongings into three categories: gifts/donations, selling, and keeping.
If you have enough time, garage sales are a great option to avoid clutter you don’t need, assuming the items are still in good condition. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to earn extra money. Moves are costly, after all.
Gather Supplies
The amount of tape, boxes, and other things you’ll need for packing your possessions may surprise you! Figure out what supplies you need and start gathering them before you begin packing.
You can buy everything you need — boxes, tape, and bubble wrap — but that comes at a cost that is often unnecessary.
Some people like to gather it all at once and get it over with, but you can also get creative and use what you already have. Pack your belongings in duffle bags, laundry hampers, and any other storage bins to save money. You can also ask local grocery stores for their unused boxes at the end of the day. It’s likely that they will be happy to get rid of them.
Pack Strategically
While it’s true that you should begin preparing far in advance, it doesn’t mean you should start packing at that point as well. According to NDMS, if you pack your things too early, you’ll have to search through them to find that perfect hat you forgot you’d need, which increases your stress level. Instead of packing early, do it strategically.
The best time to start is usually around three weeks before the move. Begin with vacant areas and items you don’t use often. Pack a box here and there whenever you catch the time, but don’t overstress about it.
When moving day arrives, put your regularly used items close by and pack them last so they’re easy to find.
Packing an overnight bag with essentials for your last night at home and the first few days at your new house will also save you a lot of trouble.
Decide if You’re Hiring Movers or Not
Deciding whether you’re going to DIY your move or hire professional movers is a big decision. Each option comes with its pros and cons. While hiring professional help is more expensive, it also takes a lot of stress off you.
Hiring help is sometimes unavoidable unless you have your truck — for example, when you’re moving to a different country and have a lot of bulky furniture.
If your priority is to save money, find a way to make a move by yourself. And if you want to hire movers, get quotes from a few companies and book them as far in advance as possible.
Ask for Help
This goes hand in hand with the previous one. If you have a lot of friends or family that can jump in and help you with moving, especially if those friends own a vehicle maybe you won’t even need to consider hiring movers. It saves a lot of money, plus makes the process more fun.
If you’re a parent to younger kids, consider finding a babysitter or a place where your kids can stay. It’s overwhelming enough as it is without having to take care of your young ones, and having them at their grandparent’s house or with a babysitter on your moving day will make all the difference.
Change Your Address
If your address has changed, be sure you’ve informed everyone who needs to know. Meanwhile, make sure your new address is updated with essential organizations, including USPS, your healthcare providers, credit card companies, and friends and family. Updating your location will also be necessary if you want to vote or register a car.
Pack an Overnight Bag
Make a list of everything you’ll need on the day of the move and put it in an extra suitcase or bag.
Packing necessities in an overnight bag will prevent endless rifling through all your things as soon as your moving boxes are in your new home, and you will have everything you need in the next couple of days with you.
You can pack snacks, a change of clothes, toiletries, and even your kid’s favorite toy. It will prevent a lot of stress, and it will allow you to take a day and night to recharge after an eventful day.
Unpack ASAP
You’ve finally made it, but the work isn’t done yet. It’s easy to let boxes stay unpacked for a long time once you arrive at your new home, but it’s essential to unpack as soon as you catch your breath from moving.
Try giving yourself a timeline, and stick to it. Take your first weekend or days off to unpack and get situated so that you can start your new life without the stress of boxes everywhere.
If you already have acquaintances or friends, it can be an excellent trick to schedule a housewarming get-together, so you have a strict unpacking deadline that you can’t miss.
In the end, unpacking will alleviate all the overwhelming feels, and it will allow you to start making your new house a home.
Moving Can Be Easy
Moving can be an exhilarating and even stress-free experience, despite common belief. Just keep in mind that stress is best beaten when you start before things get overwhelming.
These hacks are all about making this whole process as easy for you as possible. If you follow them, you’re making a move that can even be fun, especially with friends involved!
