College kids and some young adults have an easy time moving. They might be able to pack everything into one car or truck, cross their town to their new place, and then unload everything. Moving is more complicated for most people, whether they’re single or moving a family. Knowing what to set up before moving is crucial to pulling it off successfully. Here are some things to consider before moving.
Inventory Your Things
Sort your things into several categories. Always keep an eye out for things that need to go to your new home, but also start seeing the things that can just go away. Sell them, gift them, or donate them. Free yourself of clutter whenever possible, especially if you’re moving from a larger home to a smaller one. Also, try and stow away things that are going but won’t be needed right away first.
Gather Some Boxes
No one moves without boxes. Ask around for boxes when you are about to move. You might not have enough, but neighbors may have many! If you can’t find a lot, you may consider asking businesses for their leftover boxes. Many retail stores deal with hundreds of boxes a day. If you need to though, you can always buy some new boxes.
Pack Pack Pack
One obvious thing you will need to do is Pack. Fill those boxes to the brim! Keep in mind that large boxes are not good for heavy loads. Keep the books and cans in smaller boxes. Clothes can go in larger boxes. But before you pack you should keep the rest of this article in mind. Some steps are vital to not only the packing but the unpacking too.
Label Everything
Nothing is worse than needing something at the new house and not being able to find it. Label the boxes as well as you can. One method is to label everything by room. But if that’s not specific enough, start labeling by room then also by subcategories. No matter who you are, you will eventually come across an item with no easy category. In these cases, it is okay to make a miscellaneous box. However, keeping a room on the miscellaneous boxed will help. If you end up making more than one miscellaneous box, start numbering the boxes. That way it may be easier to remember what was in each box.
Prioritize the Move
Once you sift through your things, you need to find out what order to pack things in. Your least-used room is a good place to start since it will have minimal impact on everyone until the move. You might even want to make it your packing room. A packing room lets you clear out more rooms in your home without running out of space. Then you can start filling boxes and containers with your many personal possessions.
Determine Your Needs
As the move date approaches, you will need to start packing even more stuff. You will want to have as little packing on the day of the move as possible. How many sets of clothes do you need? Prepare a box for your toiletries so you can pack them quickly on the day of. And with cookware, see if you can afford food out on the day of to save you from packing more dishes. By finding out what you need, you can cut down a lot on the stress of the day of moving.
Consider Professional Movers
Arranging for a professional moving solution can help make your move easier to accomplish. Professional movers mean you don’t have to arrange as many of your own acquaintances for all the lifting. It would also mean that you wouldn’t have to find vehicles that can carry all of your things. So check locally for a company like Christofferson Moving & Storage if you think you could benefit from some help.
Get Time Off
Whether you’re targeting a specific day or a general week or weekend, you might want to take off time from work. That way you have a whole day or even more to move. The less stress on the day of the move, the better. You want there to be as little friction as possible since moving is already hard enough. If possible, schedule your moving date for a time that friends and family have time available to help you. Many hands make light work, and moving is a heavy task.
Transfer the Utilities
Make sure the necessary utilities are active for your next home before or when you arrive. Having no water or power would be a very bad situation. The cable might not be something you need immediately, but power and water certainly are necessities to have turned on. Make sure you know about any transfer fees, and set up the transfer to happen close to, but before, the day of the move. Using your neighbors’ bathroom may be a great way to meet the neighbors, but it will get old fast.
Move days can be the most stressful times. While it is exciting that you have a new place, it is still a lot of work. Luckily just a little preparation can make your move go ahead in a relatively orderly fashion. Make sure you don’t skip any of these steps to give yourself the best odds of a quick and calm transfer from one home to the next. Happy moving!
