Moving can be exciting but it often turns into a stressful task. The good news is, with proper preparation, you can avoid most of the common problems people face. Here are some simple tips to help you plan a hassle-free move:
Consolidate Paperwork
Moving can quickly become overwhelming with all the details and documents involved. You’ll need to keep track of things like contracts, estimates, inventories, service orders, bills of lading, lease agreements, along with important personal papers such as birth certificates and financial records.
Since you never know when a question might come up during a move, it’s smart to keep all important paperwork in one folder. This way, if an issue arises, you can quickly find the information you need without searching everywhere.
Create a Schedule
Putting things off until the last minute almost always means something important will get missed. To stay organized, it’s best for homeowners to take a little time at the beginning to list everything that needs to be done and assign when it should be completed.
By setting clear deadlines for key tasks—like buying moving supplies, arranging travel and sorting belongings—you can keep the move on track and make sure everything flows smoothly from one step to the next.
Book Movers in Advance
After deciding on a moving date, homeowners should reach out to a moving company immediately. Movers’ schedules fill up quickly, especially in spring and summer—the busiest moving seasons. Since weekends are the most in demand, it’s important to book as early as possible to avoid disrupting the entire plan.
Transfer Utilities
No one wants to arrive at their new home and find the lights or internet not working. To avoid this, contact your gas, electricity and internet providers at least two weeks before the move. Make sure services in the new home are turned on the day before you arrive and that everything in the old home is shut off the day after you move out.
Renovate Before Moving In
Most new homes need some improvements. It could be a fixer-upper or maybe it just needs fresh paint or better lighting. Whatever the case, it’s always easier to handle upgrades before moving in instead of after.
When checking out the property, homeowners should note any upgrades they want to do and try to finish as many as possible before moving in. This may not always be possible, like with interstate moves but it’s much easier to work in an empty house. Renovations go faster without furniture, rugs, TVs and decorations in the way.
Start Packing Early
Packing up a whole house takes a lot of time and energy. It’s not something you can finish in just a night or even a week without running into issues. As moving day gets closer, other tasks keep adding up, leaving even less time for packing. That’s why the smartest way is to begin packing early.
When making a moving schedule, homeowners should plan an hour or two each night for packing. To keep daily life running smoothly, start with rooms that aren’t used often. Pack as much as you can ahead of time but keep out essentials like TV remotes or computers until a day or two before moving. If done right, the night before the move should only take an hour or two of packing.
Label Boxes
Since all boxes look alike, it can be hard to know what’s inside. To make it easier for movers and friends, label each box with the room it belongs to (like kitchen, bedroom, etc.). This way, everyone will know where to put things without needing instructions.
Create a Space Plan
Arranging furniture in a new home can be tricky. You need to know if there’s enough space and whether items can be moved upstairs or through doorways. To avoid problems, plan where tables, chairs, couch, desks, beds and shelves will go before moving in. Once everything is mapped out, you just need to guide the movers as they unload each piece from the truck.
Pack an “Open First” Box
When everything is packed away, the first night in a new home can feel uncomfortable. To make it easier, homeowners should prepare one box with essential items they’ll need right away—like a toothbrush, toothpaste, toilet paper, medicine, snacks, pajamas and a change of clothes. This way, instead of spending the night digging through boxes, they can relax and wait until the next morning to start unpacking.
Keep Pets & Kids Out of the Way
Moving isn’t safe for dogs, cats and young children. Movers are carrying boxes and heavy furniture, while parents and owners are distracted. In these conditions, accidents can easily happen. For their safety, keep pets and children away. Arrange a babysitter or pet sitter to watch over them until the move is finished. While the kids and pets are being cared for, parents can focus on getting everything loaded onto the truck and into the new home.