7 Ways to Get Ready for Moving Day
Whether you’re moving across the country, or to a neighboring town, moving homes can be a stressful and time-consuming process. You may be overwhelmed and wonder how to prepare for a move. In addition to packing all of your belongings, hiring movers, and decluttering, there is a laundry list of other things that need to be done prior to moving into your new home. If all of the little details are addressed before you actually move, it will make the process go smoother.
Continue reading to learn seven ways you can prepare efficiently for a faster, easier, and less stressful move.
When To Start Planning For Your Move
Preparation is the absolute key to success when you move, and it’s especially important if you want to have an easy transition from your old place to your new one. Generally, it’s recommended that you begin to prepare to move at least two months before your proposed move-out date. This way, you’ll have plenty of time to declutter your home and pack all of your belongings without the added stress of a quick turnaround.
How To Prepare for a Move In 7 Steps
The moving process can be hectic, but it doesn’t have to be! Below are seven tips to help you prepare for your move.
1. Create a Timeline and Schedule
As soon as you decide that it’s time to move, it’s essential that you make a plan. Think about what needs to be done in your current home, whether that be decluttering, general cleaning, packing, or small maintenance repairs that need to be taken care of. Creating an organized list is a great place to start when preparing to move, and will help you stay on top of all the minuscule details.
2. Gather All Important Documents
The last thing you want is for important documents to be lost during your move. To avoid this, make sure to compile all of your family’s documents and keep them together in a binder. This way, if you happen to need them throughout your moving process, you’ll know exactly where they are. And, if you don’t need them, you’ll at least have them all safe and organized when you get moved into your new home.
3. Determine If You Want to Hire Movers or Move Yourself
Regardless of whether you hire professional movers or move everything yourself, you need to plan ahead. While working with a moving company will likely be more expensive, it will quicken the moving process. However, if you choose to transport all of your belongings yourself, it could extend your move by days, or even weeks. No matter which routes you choose to take, you will need to have a plan and budget. Below are common fees associated with each option:
Moving Yourself
- Packing materials (such as boxes, tape, and bubble wrap)
- Moving equipment (such as a dolly, ramp, and truck rental if needed)
- Gas
Hiring Movers
-
Moving fees
-
Packing services
-
Unpacking services
Pro tip: When you work with a Redbud Group REALTORS®, you are able to rent our trucks for free during your move! Learn more here.
4. Take Inventory of Your Things
It’s important to take inventory of your belongings while in the process of moving. That way, you can account for everything you own. Especially if you’re working with professional movers, you will want to be sure of exactly what they need to haul from home to home.
5. Get Organized and Declutter
If you want to know how to prepare for a move like a pro, you should know that getting organized and decluttering your current home is key. It’s time to sort through all of your things and donate or throw away anything that you don’t need. Completing this step prior to packing your belongings will ultimately save you more time and space in the long run.
6. Begin Packing
The most time-consuming and dreaded part of preparing to move is packing. For the most stress-free experience, we recommend beginning this process at least one month in advance. Use our tips below to make moving less of a hassle:
Make an Essentials Bag
When packing, set aside a separate box for your first-night essentials. This can include items such as sheets, towels, blankets, phone chargers, toothbrushes, medications, or anything else you might need for your first night in your new home.
Leave Clothes on Hangers and In Dressers
To make transporting your clothes a little easier, we recommend not emptying your drawers. It will be much easier to move if you keep your clothes in your dresser and secure the drawers with tape or shrink wrap. And when you get to your new home, all you will have to do is remove the tape or unwrap it!
Color Code or Label Boxes
Color coding or labeling your moving boxes will make it so much easier when loading and unloading your belongings. Additionally, you, or your movers, will know exactly what’s inside each box and what room it belongs to.
7. Update Your Mailing Address and Subscriptions
An important, and often forgotten, step in preparing to move is updating your mailing address. You won’t want your mail to continue being sent to your old home, so be sure to give plenty of notice for your change of address, as some business and government offices take a while to process the change.
Contact a Redbud Group REALTORS® For All of Your Buying or Selling Needs
There is no denying that preparing to move can be a stressful venture. And on top of that, you won’t want to deal with the added stress of buying or selling a home. Thankfully, our expert agents here at The Redbud Group are more than willing to assist you through your buying or selling journey. Having an experienced real estate agent on your side will make all the difference, and provide you with a seamless transition — and Redbud Group REALTORS® are dedicated to giving you just that!
If you are planning on selling your home and moving in the near future, don’t hesitate to contact our team! We would be happy to connect you with one of our incredible agents. Use the button below or visit our website to speak with a real estate agent!
