It has been said that moving is one of the most stressful of life’s events, only slightly less stressful than divorce and death of a spouse. However, getting organized in advance of the move can greatly reduce the stress and make the move much easier. Here are four tips to help your next move go smoothly.
• Don’t Move what you Don’t Want or Need
Having to pack up your things and get them moved is hard enough, so there is no point in moving items that you won’t need or don’t want. Have a garage sale well in advance of your move to sell unwanted furniture and home accessories, lawn care equipment, sporting equipment, appliances, unused gadgets and so on. You may also think about donating items to a charity and of course, anything that is broken or malfunctioning can go to the trash or recycle bin. Think about what you really need or want to keep: For example, if you’re going to a condo where your lawn care is included, sell your mower, rakes and weed trimmers and rejoice! Movers charge either by weight or by time, so either way, the less you have to move, the lower the cost will be. This is a great time purge your possessions and whittle them down to only those items that you absolutely need and love.
• Start Packing Early
One of the best ways to reduce stress and expenditures during a move is to start packing early. Start with the rooms that you use least, such as guest bedrooms or a formal dining room. Big box stores offer the best prices on moving boxes. Buy a few boxes in various sizes each week and start packing. The more you can do in advance, the less stress there will be near moving day when unexpected issues inevitably arise.
• Label Boxes in Detail
Label all your boxes in carefully and provide plenty of information: Mark boxes that are fragile and use a marker and large print to designate in which room each box will go; this will save time, effort, money and frustration. This way, all your kitchen contents end up in the kitchen, for example, so you don’t have to move them again to unpack. In smaller print, write an list of the contents on the outside of each box to make it easier to find what you need in your new house the first few days. If items are high priority – like sheets for the bed or your coffee maker – label them as such.
• Reserve Needed Services & Do Price Comparisons
You may want to compare the price of a moving ‘pod’ to a moving company for example; get at least 3 estimates. Consider whether it is realistic to move yourself or whether you need a moving company. Price shop and reserve the services of painters, cleaning services, and carpet cleaners or installers in advance so these services can be done before your furniture is moved in and in the way. If you are moving a long distance, you may also want to check into the price of a car carrier; the cost is surprisingly low, especially when you compute the cost of gas and wear-and-tear for driving it instead.
Maya Willis designs and writes for Metal-Wall-Art.com. She is an expert at creating stylish interiors incorporating horse wall hangings and iron art, and enjoys sharing her ideas with others.