According to statistics moving is one of the most stressful events one can have in a lifetime (if he is lucky of course). We aren’t saying that moving into a bigger city, a better and more comfortable place or moving in with your loved one cannot be very exciting and full of joy, but even then some interruptions may occur. A lot of people tend to delay their moving preparations at the last minute and procrastinate as much as possible. Because of that they end up looking for first class movers and packers at the last minute and become very nervous and anxious.
If you are alone it can be unpleasant, but it is not the end of the world, but if you have a partner, kids or even a pet, think about how your actions and your condition will affect them. In order for you to avoid any complications or troubles and move stress free with a peace of mind, we offer you the best tips for preparing a move.
Create your ultimate moving checklist
When you are about to move there are so many things you have on your mind – your new neighborhood, your kids, your pet, your old place, your new place, paperwork, the packing, the cleaning etc. It would be nearly impossible even for the greatest minds to remember every single little detail and don’t miss to do anything during the process. Now imagine how it is going to be for a full-time working person that has to go to work, or has a family and kids to take care of every single day!
The best advice there is is the most simple one – create your ultimate moving checklist! You can do it many ways: you could create a special section in your notes on your phone, you could make a document on your computer or you could do it in an old fashioned way – with a pen and a piece of paper! You can use some colorful pens, papers with bullets, a playful notebook, the options are unlimited!
Everything you get finished you can just check in your checklist and this way you will always have an organized and clear insight in your process! After you have moved, go through your checklist once more and make sure everything is finished.
Find your moving company early enough
Even if you are the most capable person there, you cannot handle everything on your own. You need to do your research and find the best local moving company that will do all the hard work for you. There are some important things you should consider when you are looking for your moving company:
- Check that they are licensed
- Inform yourself about their insurance policy
- Get some information about the sizes of their trucks and make sure they will fit all your needs
- Check if they offer packer and movers as well or only movers
- Ask how they feel about canceling or rescheduling
- Get some information about whether they have some storages you could place your stuff in if there would occur some unpredicted situation
You should call your company some weeks earlier to get all the details and agree on the date of move. You should make all the arrangements – including what kind of service you wish to get – only movers, packers and movers, only the truck or some other option.
Decide on your budget
It may seem like an irrelevant thing to think about now but creating the budget on time is, in fact, the most important thing that will determine further steps in your moving plans. Every service in a moving company comes with its own price range and therefore you should decide on your budget before you make arrangements with the moving company. You should make a list of priorities, the things you really need professional help with and make it the first on your expense list.
Ask yourself whether you need only movers, packers and movers or just a truck and a driver? If you have a bigger budget here are some opinions why it is better for you to hire professional packers and movers:
- They have all the right equipment you need. Don’t forget that it is their job to make your moving process the most efficient and fast it can get. time They possess all the gadgets you could think of and might need during your move – the boxes, protective papers and materials, scissors, tapes etc. This way you won’t have to look for any of these, they will come to you with your packers.
- There will be no heavy lifting for you. If you are a woman or have some back pain or any kind of health-related issues then it is not recommended for you to lift even the lightest piece of furniture. Your movers will do all the hard work for you and carry your furniture even though the smallest door is faster and more efficient than you ever would.
- You will keep your peace of mind. Don’t forget that your movers are well trained professionals who have gone through many hours of practice and have tons of experience. This is why they will quickly and gently wrap and pack even the most fragile delicate vase you possess and you won’t have to worry about it or think if it will get broken or not.
- They have their custom made trucks. If you decided to move on your own you would have to find the right sized truck and then either borrow it or rent it. The question is how much time you will need to find the right truck if you manage to find it at all. If you hire your movers truck is the last thing you would have to worry about!
- They have storages. If anything unexpected happens and you have to leave your old home before entering a new one, your company would provide you safe storage to delay your stuff until your new place is ready!
Decide what you wish to bring with yourself
If you have lived in a place for a while it is more than normal to have a bunch of stuff you probably don’t need anymore in your life. This is the perfect time you make a big spring clean up and decide what you wish to bring with yourself and keep using and what you find completely useless and need to get rid of. We offer a couple solutions for the things you wish to give up:
- Making a garage sale can be a way to get rid of unnecessary stuff and create some fun for the whole family, but also bring you some socializing with your neighbors!
- Donate your old things. If there is an option, we always recommend donating your old things to those who need it more and will be more than happy to get them. You could call some charity organizations and learn about their actions and terms!
- Sell it online. Of course if you are in possession of some more expensive or luxury goods you don’t want anymore you could sell them on your Instagram account or some other online platform made for this kind of stuff.
- Drop it in the dumpster. The last option is, of course, to drop in the dumpster those things that are broken, damaged or so worn out there is no way you could donate or sell them.
Prepare for packing!
If you have decided to do the packing on your own that is fine as well and could even be more fun than you think! The first thing on your to do list is to find all the things you will be needing while packing. This means you should find enough boxes, tapes and newspapers or some other protective materials.
Important:
You should wrap all your fragile items in wrapping paper or some protective material and then put it in a box. You should also consider which items belong together in boxes – it is best that similar items go in a single box, for example books, video tapes, small electronics etc. You should get enough tapes or colorful markers and pens and label every box so you could unpack easier and always keep track of your belongings.
Do all the paperwork on time!
Sorting out the paperwork is one of the things everybody forgets about but is one of the crucial ones when you are moving. You should go and empty your deposit box and make all the arrangements with your bank assistant. It would be the best if you visited your new local hospital and transferred your medical records there.
It could be very tricky if you decided to wait until you have already moved and got sick! If you have any kids, transfer their medical records as well. We advise you to go to a new local school as well and have a chat with the principal. On that occasion you should transfer their school records. If you have a pet go to your chosen and trusted veterinarian and get your pets medical records and transfer them as well.
Prepare your pet for the move
Even if you are moving alone it can be very stressful or get difficult, but if you are moving with your pet things can get really tricky.
In order to make yourself a favor and ease yourself as much as you can, we offer some tips on how to prepare your pet for the move:
- If you have a dog there are few things you can do. First of all, take him to your new neighborhood. Dogs live through their senses and need to meet their new territory through it. Take him for a walk in your new neighborhood and let him get friendly with the environment. If you can, take him inside your new house and let him familiarize with it. If this option is not possible, then you can take something from the house as well and bring it to your dog. Do not forget to pay enough attention to your puppy during this process so it doesn’t become stressed. During the pack allow it to sniff around the boxes and be included in the happenings.
- If you have a cat the most important thing is to get your kitty used to a carrier. If your cat has never been in a carrier there are a few tricks to make her get comfortable with it. You can leave the carrier in some corner in the house where she likes to hang around and put some snacks or cozy blankets inside. This way your kitty will connect the carrier with positive emotions and will grow to love it! No matter which animal you have – a dog, a cat or a parrot, it is important that you give them one trial ride by car before you officially move and make sure they get used to car drives!
After you have done everything we have suggested and followed every step from your recently made checklist, you can relax and watch your moving go smoothly according to your plans.
