5 Easy Checklists Before Moving to Your New Place
So you’re moving to a new place. Congratulations! Moving homes can be both exciting and scary as you pick up your entire life to start over somewhere new. Moving can also get overwhelming very quickly if you’re not adequately prepared. That’s why we’ve created the complete checklist for moving to your new place!
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#1: Decide When You Want to Move
If you have the freedom to pick when exactly you want to make your move, there are several things to consider. One is the cost. If you want the best rates from reliable moving companies, you want to move during off-seasons, such as in the spring or late fall. You’ll especially want to avoid booking your move on the weekends, over the summer, or on the first of each month. This is when rates will be at their highest.
However, there are certainly reasons why you may want to book your move during these peak times. Summer has ideal weather for moving. As a result, the weather is less likely to damage your belongings because of the cold or changing temperatures.
Additionally, if you have children in school, summer is the time your move will be the least disruptive to them. That way, they won’t have to change schools mid-way through the year—we know that’s no fun for anyone. When choosing when you want to move, you’ll have to weigh the pros and cons to determine what is most essential.
#2: Determine How You Want to Move
Once you’ve chosen when you will make your move, your next step is deciding how you will make that move. Many people opt to hire movers. This can alleviate a lot of stress on moving days, as once they arrive, they’ll do all of the heavy lifting (literally). Choosing the right movers can be stressful, however.
My biggest tip is to get recommendations from friends, neighbors, co-workers—anyone you know and trust who has moved recently. That way, you’ll know you’re hiring people you can trust who will get the job done well. You can also look on savings sites like Living Social to see if they have any deals on movers. Just read reviews first to know what you’re getting into!
Movers, however, can get quite expensive. Why not do it yourself if you think you’re up to it and not moving too far away? Rire firm friends to help you (bonus if someone has a truck). You can reasonably move all of your belongings in a day. You can rent a truck or U-Haul relatively inexpensively if no one has large cars. It’ll still be much cheaper than hiring movers. I’ve moved several times with my mom, and we only used actual movers when moving out of state. It may be exhausting, but if you do the move yourself, you’ll know it’s done how you want it. Plus, you’ll save loads of money.
#3: Find (Don’t Buy) Your Boxes
Once you’ve decided when and how you want to move, the genuinely daunting part comes: packing up all your belongings. The first step to packing is finding some boxes. There’s no reason to buy lots of packages for your move. My mom and I have never bought boxes in the many times we’ve moved houses. So many stores will have unwanted boxes just lying around.
Like Costco, go to your local grocery store or warehouse and ask if you can have some of their boxes. You can also watch in your neighborhood for anyone who has recently moved. They’ll likely have plenty of packages they no longer need, and chances are they’ll be happy to pass them on to you.
#4: Start Your Packing
Ideally, it would be best to start packing as soon as you know you are moving. If you fill a little bit daily, the process won’t feel so tedious. Begin in less frequented rooms, such as your basement or guest room.
However, my number one tip is to decide carefully what you want to take to your new house. If, when going through your basement, you find items that you haven’t used in a year, donate them or give them away. It’s no use wasting valuable energy moving items you’ll never use again.
It’s also helpful to pack everything in a box literally. It may seem silly to put things like lamps into boxes, but it’ll make your life so much easier when you can stack all your packages and not worry about making many extra trips to carry out things like lamps or flower pots.
You should also clearly label every box you pack with what is in it and which room it should go to. This will help immensely when you arrive at your new home and unpack everything. Make sure you label the sides of the boxes in addition to the top so you can tell where they need to go when stacked on top of each other. To be even more organized, you can also number your boxes and keep a detailed list of what is in each box. That way, unpacking will be a breeze.
#5: The Night Before
Your house is finally packed, barring what you need that night. What do you do now? If you haven’t done so, ensure you have an overnight bag or “open first” boxes that you’ve packed or will pack in the morning with all the essentials you’ll need on your first night in your new home. You’ll never unpack everything your first night, so you want to ensure everything is in one place when you arrive at your new home.
This should include sheets and pillows for your bed, pajamas, toiletries, towels, soap, and toilet paper for your bathroom (and shampoo/conditioner if you want to wash your hair that night), any medicines you need, and clothes for the next day. You’ll also probably want food in an easy-to-reach location because your move will leave you hungry.
There you have it: your complete checklist to move to your new place. Moving can seem daunting, but planning it well doesn’t have to be stressful. Good luck with your move!
Resources: The Spruce, Real Simple, Moving.tips, Huffington Post
