Are you planning to make move in the near future? Are you already in the process of selling your house and/or purchasing your new home? If you have a big move ahead of you, it’s smart to start planning as soon as possible.
Here are some moving tips to consider:
1. Don’t Wait
It’s easy to get caught up in the home buying/selling process and then forget to properly prepare for your actual move. Figure out now if you are hiring a moving company and start packing up what you can. Don’t wait until the last minute. Prepare yourself mentally and physically for the move.
2. Declutter and Pre-Pack Unnecessary Items
If you are selling your house, there’s a good chance you may have already decluttered the space some as part of the home staging process. If not, do it now. It’s helpful to pack up some of your décor and excess items that you won’t necessarily need until after you move into your new home. This will make your move feel less overwhelming because you won’t have to pack up as much when the time comes.
3. Pack Incrementally
We’ve all been in this situation. You decide “today is packing day” and then you realize halfway through the day that you’ll never get it all done—or, you do get it done and completely exhaust yourself for moving day. Pack incrementally. Set aside an hour or two for packing each day for a couple weeks leading up to your move. Stay organized. Focus on one room at a time or pack up similar items each day. This will make the process much less exhausting!
4. Invest in Quality Moving Boxes
If you are hiring a moving company, they may provide boxes or storage totes that will help you pack everything up safely. If you are moving on your own, you should invest in good boxes and packing materials. Take your time to wrap and pack fragile items and mark every box/tote so you know exactly what’s in there for unpacking.
5. Pack the Right Amount in Each Box
You shouldn’t overpack any boxes. Keep them so they are not too heavy to carry and so that they won’t fall apart during transit. At the same time, you shouldn’t underpack too much either. Empty space allows for cardboard boxes to cave in and/or items to shift around, which can cause significant damage.
6. Hire a Professional Mover
Though there are some sensitive items you may want to pack and transport yourself, you should highly consider a professional moving company to help with the big items and awkward furniture. They know what they are doing and it will save a lot of stress for you. Just make sure that you feel good about any movers you hire. Ask questions, get referrals and review any insurance policies they offer.
7. Organize Your Utilities and Bills
One of the biggest pains of moving is switching over all your utilized and billing accounts to your new address. Take the time before your move to organize everything. List out all your accounts and know your account numbers and online passwords. Figure out when each account needs to be switched over or edited. Go through the list one-by-one to ensure the smoothest possible transition in services and billing.
8. Keep Essentials and Valuables with You
When you are packing, you may have certain boxes that you won’t want to trust with any movers. These may include valuables, important documents and even items that you need everyday like your toothbrushes, clothes and shampoo. Keep these boxes close to you, so you have everything you need when you move into your new place and your valuable stuff is never out of your sight.
9. Pack Your Kitchen Carefully
It’s important to take special care when packing up kitchen items, especially dishes and glassware that are fragile. Odds are this will be one of the last rooms you pack up since you need to eat. Then, it will be one of the first rooms you unpack in your new home. Keep everything organized, labeled and protected for a safe and easy move.
10. Label Everything!
There’s nothing worse than moving in and starting to unpack, only to realize that you have no idea what’s in some of the boxes. Label everything carefully. Use color codes for each room of the house. If you do have any sensitive or valuable boxes, consider using a secret code or something else that you will remember. Don’t label your box “gold and jewelry.” That’s begging for trouble!
These are just a few simple and useful moving tips we recommend. If you are planning to buy or sell a home in Southeastern Pennsylvania or Northern Delaware, contact The Cyr Team today. Let us help you get better prepared for your move while getting the most out of your real estate experience.