Moving can seem as intricate as performing open-heart surgery. Chances are you’ve been stressed out for a few weeks already with securing your new home, selling or ending the lease on your current home, and possibly working out the details with a new employer. The idea of packing up everything and moving to a new location can be overwhelming to say the least. That’s why we’ve compiled a concise checklist to keep handy in preparing for the big move.
The Move
- Find three reputable movers and gets quotes from each one. Select the one that not only fits your budget, but also your expectations and needs.
- Book the movers in advance. Set a date for them to load your current home and what date they’ll be unloading at your future home.
- Line up help if you’ll need it at both locations, food and drinks are typically enough to bribe your close friends into helping.
- Plan out meals for the moving days. This may seem a little OCD but having a plan in place and knowing where your meals are coming from will relieve a ton of stress later on.
Packing
- If you’ll be packing yourself, get all the supplies you need well ahead of time. There are multiple resources online that will estimate what supplies you’ll need based on the size of your home and how much stuff you have.
- Start the packing process early. Start with lesser used items and work your way towards the everyday essentials. Keep your boxes organized by room with the largest ones closest to the door.
- Be sure to label fragile items as such, in large, bold letters. A professional mover will notice these labels and will be sure to handle them with care and place them in appropriate locations.
- Try to box items you’ll need immediately together and label them “essentials”. Have this be the last boxes loaded onto the truck.
Know When You Have to be Out
- If you are selling your home, know the exact date and time of closing and confirm with your Realtor if you must be out at that time, or if you have a buffer period before you must vacate.
- If you are leasing, confirm with your landlord the date and time you must be out by. Have it in writing and easily accessible.
- If possible, arrange to have your mover done loading hours before this date and time. Some movers may allow to have your things stored overnight in their trucks. If so, pay a little extra for this so you’re not stressing out on the day you hand over the keys.
If You’re Moving for Work
- Hammer down your start date with your employer, make sure to allow yourself enough time to get into your new home and your clothes unpacked.
- If you’re relocating for work, find out if they reimburse moving expenses and get all the details. You may need documentation, quotes, receipts etc. They may have preferred moving companies or may handle it entirely for you.
Moving can be mind boggling. Finding a moving company, renting storage units, packing all of your life into a truck and making it all go off without a problem can be a monumental task. We believe that any move starts with a great plan and we hope our checklist on preparing for that big move will get you going in the right direction.