Purchasing or building a new home is exciting, but the thrill can quickly turn into stress once it comes time to actually move. Then the hard work really starts. Even the most organized homebuyers can find moving to be downright chaotic. The truth of the matter is a smooth move begins weeks, or even months, before the actual moving day. Through preparation, planning, and anticipation, you can reduce stress and avoid numerous issues that can pop up during the moving process. However, this is often a lot easier said than done. If you’re planning for an upcoming move, keep these tips in mind to help things go as smoothly as possible.
1. Declutter Ahead Of Time
The less you own, the easier your move will be. Decluttering is a great way to minimize your belongings before a move, so it’s a good idea to start a few months ahead of time. Go through all of your belongings and create piles of things that can go. If you’re on the fence about parting with a particular item, consider how frequently you use it, and whether or not it actually brings you joy. Once you’ve sorted through all of your unwanted items, consider selling them online, having a garage sale, or taking them to the local thrift store. You can also call local non-profits to pick up any unwanted furniture. At the end of the day, the fewer items you have, the easier it will be to move.
2. Prioritize The Essentials
While you’re decluttering, it’s also a good idea to group your belongings into categories based on what is needed for daily life and what you can go without. This way, you can get a jump start on packing things that you rarely use so that by the time moving day comes around, you’re only left with the absolute essentials. Things like old toys and clothes, extra linens, and picture albums are just a few examples of things that you can pack up right away. On the other hand, you’ll want to keep frequently used items like kitchen utensils and cups around as long as possible. It’s usually a good idea to pack up the attic and the basement first and save the kitchen last.
3. Pack Every Day
Packing everything at once isn’t realistic. After you’ve prioritized your belongings based on usage, you should then try to pack incrementally each day. By spreading out the work over a series of weeks or months, the process will seem significantly less overwhelming. By the time you near your moving date, you’ll be able to spend more time on the actual logistics of the move itself.
4. Labels Are Your Friend
To make it easy on the movers and simplify the unpacking process, you’ll want to develop a good label system. Boxes containing fragile items should be labeled appropriately. You can also use a label color to represent each room in your new house and indicate the box’s contents on the label itself. This way, you can be sure all boxes end up in the right room, and you know exactly what’s inside.
5. Avoid Half Packed Boxes
One mistake many movers make is attempting to over-categorize items, which often leads to half-packed boxes. When you don’t fill your moving boxes, items have more room to move around which can cause damage. It also means you’ll likely have more boxes than you need to, which can result in more trips up and down the stairs. If you do have a few partially packed boxes, be sure to add newspaper or bubble wrap to help keep your belongings safe and secure.
6. Create Checklists
Not only is moving stressful, but it also creates a series of logistical challenges that can be difficult for anyone to coordinate. From scheduling services to turning on utilities, it’s easy for things to fall through the cracks. Keeping a running to-do list is the best way to stay organized.
7. Hire Reputable Movers
Moving by yourself is a good way to save a bit of money, but if you have room in your budget for professional movers, it’s certainly worth the investment. Professional movers will save you a ton of time and headaches, and will ultimately result in less stress. Experienced movers will also give you the peace of mind of knowing that your furniture and belongings will make it into your new home without damage.
8. Store Your Important Documents In A Safe Place
The last thing you want is to lose important documents during the chaos of a move. Passports, social security cards, birth certificates are all examples of documents that should all be stored in a small safe or lockbox. Even if you hire movers, it’s a good idea to keep these things within your possession to prevent them from being lost.
9. Ask For Help
Even if you’ve hired movers, it’s still smart to ask friends and family for help. Friends and family can help you plan how to set up your new home, help you unpack, or simply serve as moral support. Surrounding yourself with loved ones is a really great way to minimize the stress associated with moving.
Moving can definitely be a major pain, but proper planning and organized packing are the keys to getting through it. The best part about moving is that once it’s over, you get to enjoy your brand new home. If you’re in the market for a new home, contact us today at Atlas Homes. We aim to improve our local neighborhoods by building high-quality, energy-efficient, custom homes for our customers. From designing to moving, our team would be happy to support you every step of the way.