Moving – How much is in this word! The anticipation of changes in a new place is mixed with anxiety – will I have time for everything, will everything go well? To those who have not faced moving, it may seem that there is nothing complicated in this: you have collected things, loaded them into the car, transported them, arranged them – and you continue life in the usual rhythm. But as soon as it comes to business, there are a lot of questions that need to be solved urgently and as efficiently as possible. After all, no one wants to live on suitcases for a long time, and it is not always possible to stretch the move.
A well-thought-out plan, coherence of actions and a sufficient amount of time for preparation are the main components of success when moving. To reduce stress check moving company reviews before hiring the out of state movers and ask for a moving Quote. Be prepared to save your money and download and print a moving checklist. What is the best way to pack things, what is definitely worth doing in advance and how to organize transportation so as not to lose a lot of time and save your nerves? Read about it in our detailed guide.
Table of Contents
Preparatory Period
So, you are planning to move. The first step is to plan when and how you will transport things. It is good if you have the opportunity to do this in several stages, gradually transporting boxes and packages to new housing, for example, by private car, so that only large-sized items can be transported on the main day. But if not, then it is worth choosing the date and time of the move especially carefully.
Be sure to keep in mind that the process affects every family member. Therefore, coordinate the terms with all the household members, so that it does not happen that the child has exams, and he is forced to sit on suitcases, or you have a serious project at work, and you are trying to manage the move at the same time. For the preparation and transportation of things, it is optimal to lay at least one, and preferably two weeks, to avoid haste.
At the same time, it is better to deal with cases that relate to moving no more than three hours a day. Then the process will not be too much exhausting and knocking out of the usual rut of life. Otherwise, in a couple of days you risk burning out, and the forces for organizing the move will run out.
If you have the opportunity, take a vacation, postpone the rest of your business and immerse yourself in the hassle of moving. You will have to review the things that have been accumulating in your old home for years, and this is a serious job that requires time and full immersion in the process.
With all the desire and confidence in your abilities, it is very difficult to move alone. We recommend you to enlist the support of relatives, friends, colleagues, neighbors who will be ready to help you in solving a variety of tasks from disassembling and packing to transporting and unloading boxes in a new place. Make a list and agree on the date with everyone. Each person may have unforeseen circumstances, so additionally agree with those who, if necessary, will be able to quickly join you.
Declutter When Moving
Moving is the best reason to sort things out. Surely you have no idea how much has accumulated in your home. It is pointless to transport everything in order to restore order already in a new place. Therefore, take the time and sort things out, choosing what will move with you, and what will go to the trash can.
Start with something that is rarely used (Christmas toys, out-of-season clothes, packed sets, etc.), and, moving from room to room, form the first batch of things. It can be moved to a new home in advance, if there is such an opportunity, so that on the very day of moving, you can do furniture, appliances and things that are needed daily.
How to understand what to move and what to throw away? Evaluate the functionality and condition of each item. Mugs with chipped edges, old T-shirts with holes, never opened books – it’s time to get rid of such an extra load. It can be difficult to part with souvenirs and trinkets. According to the Japanese method of cleaning KonMari, it is recommended to do it this way: take a thing in your hands and fix your emotional state. If it causes pleasant feelings and memories, leave it, if not, throw it away without regret.
Furniture must also pass a strict selection, because its transportation is the most troublesome task in the process of the entire move. Think about whether you need an old chair or a battered sofa in a new place? Perhaps it is better not to waste energy on transporting them, sell them or take them to the dacha, and instead buy modern furniture.
The rule of good form is to transfer the housing to the new owners in a clean and tidy manner. Do not be too lazy to clean up. Do not take a swing at the general one, because buyers will probably clean themselves before moving in. But it is necessary to wipe the surfaces from dust, wash the bathrooms and, of course, take everything out, without forgetting skis or sunsets on the balcony.
Wash and Clean
Before transporting things, it is logical to arrange a large laundry and dry-clean things that need it and that have not been reached for a long time. After all, it’s so nice to spread out updated carpets in a new place and hang clean coats in the closets!
If you take home appliances with you, wash and clean them. Vacuuming cabinets, sofas, beds, mattresses, wiping books and other things on the shelves, you will not move the dust from the old house to the new one.
But do not get carried away and start a large-scale cleaning with a thorough laundering of everything, otherwise the move risks being postponed indefinitely. Moreover, during transportation, things can still get dust or get dirty.
Moving Company and Movers
This is the most important stage, because you want to deliver all your things to a new address safely, and it depends directly on the carriers. It is necessary to think over the logistics, determine the time, find someone who will be engaged in transportation, and agree on how much it will cost.
It is good if a proven company that you have worked with before will transport your things. If there is no such thing – ask your friends for recommendations.
You will need not only transport, but also people who will carry things: professional movers and assistants from among your friends. At the same time, it is better that you do not participate yourself, but control the process from the outside, helping the movers correctly distribute things in the car and in the new place.
Give yourself a small amount of time. If you plan that you will be ready for loading at 13 o’clock, order a car for 14:00, so that you can definitely catch everything, have a snack and relax a little before transportation. On the contrary, ask the assistants to come early so that the transport does not stand idle, and you have time to take some of the things out on the street in advance.
Preparing a New Place for the Delivery of Things
The housing to which you are moving should be completely ready for the arrangement of furniture and things. Before transportation, you should try to carry out all the dusty work (for example, strobing and drilling walls) and carefully clean all the rooms. To protect the doorways from damage, wrap them with a film or cover them with cardboard, and remove the doors themselves from the hinges and take them out for the time of delivery of things.
You can prepare and bring a set of household accessories (napkins, a mop) in advance in order to quickly clean up after moving and not spread dirt throughout the apartment. And it will definitely appear, because during the transfer, movers usually do not take off their street shoes.
Organize a Snack
And one last tip for the preparatory period of the move. Take care of the food. You and your assistants will probably get hungry, and everyone will need to be fed.
On the eve of the day of moving, prepare several dishes, give preference to what is convenient to eat “on suitcases”, without plates and appliances.
You can order food and grocery delivery directly to the new apartment or bring a box with the most necessary things there in advance.
You will thank yourself for such foresight, because it is very likely that a few more days after moving you will not be up to cooking and shopping.
