Moving is one of the most stressful things – more stressful than a divorce even or having children. Well, at least according to one survey. American families often start to think of cities to move to in seek of better opportunities. If you’d like to read a guide on cities to move to, I highly recommend checking out this post on moving to Dallas, Texas.
How stressful moving is varying from person to person, but there’s no doubt it can be quite a pain. From packing your staff to unpacking them in your new home, moving isn’t one of the tasks you want to take on.
However, there are things you can do when moving to a new home that’ll make the transition smoother and less stressful.
Continue reading to learn more.
Start Planning Your Move Several Weeks in Advance
We get it: sometimes you have to move on short notice.
Perhaps you have just received a job offer in another city and you have to pack your stuff and leave in a day or two. Or, you’re no longer feeling safe in your current place and need to move asap.
In such cases, it’s understandable that you won’t have enough time to plan for your move.
However, if you’re under no time-pressure to move, you have no excuse for not starting to plan your move several weeks in advance. Even a thing as small as making a list of all your belongings can make a big difference when move day comes along. You’ll have a clear picture of what you own and establish whether they’ll all fit in your new place.
Without a list, it’s possible that they won’t fit in your home, forcing you to look into storage solutions offered by companies like iStorage.com.
Get Your New Place Ready for a Move-In
Some people don’t give a thought about their new home until the day they’re going to move in. Don’t make this mistake.
A week or two prior to your move, visit the residence and make sure it’s cleaned up. If there are some structural changes you need to make, such as installing some cabinets in the kitchen or bedroom, now is the time to get the contractors in. You don’t want to make repairs or upgrades after you’ve moved in.
Ensure the property is properly hooked-up to utility services providers. If you work from home and need a steady internet supply, ensure your provider connects the home before your move, so that you go in ready to continue with your work.
It also helps to familiarize yourself with any local regulations or homeowner association rules that could impact your move. For instance, some gated communities don’t allow new residents to move in very late in the day. If this is the case with your new residence, you’ll want to ensure that you’re moving in early enough.
Update Your Address
Postal mail might be dying, but that doesn’t mean your physical address is no longer important. In fact, at a time when online shopping is the in-thing, your address is even more important.
As such, you need to update your address just before you move.
Find all the sites that have your address and make the change. However, ensure you don’t order something online immediately after you have changed your address. The order could be delivered to your new address before you move in.
If you run a home-based business, notify your clients of your impending move.
Start Hunting for Professional Movers
Professional movers will make the work a lot easier, so if you were planning to move without their help, think again.
And if you’re hiring movers, don’t wait until it’s a day or two prior to moving to find a mover. If you’re looking for a mover in a rush, you might not get the best service providers.
You ought to start hunting for professional movers about two weeks in advance. Get multiple quotes and compare them. Call in and ask questions.
For instance, if you need storage services, ask a mover whether they offer the service. You preferably need a mover that will handle everything that pertains to your move. The last thing you want is to work with two or more service providers.
Ask them if they have adequate liability coverage. This way, you’re protected from losses should a valuable item break during the move.
Get Rid of Things You Don’t Need
For most people, moving is a time to start afresh. You don’t want to move with stuff that you no longer need.
Considering that the average U.S. household has about 300,000 items, you probably have a ton of stuff you can do without. Things like old pieces of furniture, kitchen appliances, clothing, and whatnot.
Get rid of these things before the movers come in to do an evaluation. This way, you stand a good chance of getting an even better quote.
Getting rid of unwanted items can be as simple as trashing them. There are companies that offer this service. They’ll come and collect whatever you’re trashing.
You can also sell some of them. This is a good way to raise funds for your move. A backyard sale can yield positive outcomes, but in these COVID-19 times, you’re better off selling them online.
You could also donate some items to a charity organization in your neighborhood.
Get a Few Days Off Work
Moving day is almost here.
Get a couple of days off work and work on the move instead of squeezing yourself during the weekend. This gives you enough time to move and arrange stuff in your new place before you start going to work.
Moving to a New Home Made Less Stressful!
The act of moving to a new home is energy-draining but, as we’ve demonstrated, it needn’t be. The secret is planning, really. When you take enough time to prepare for the move, there’s a good chance everything will go well.
Follow our guide and keep reading our blog for more tips.
