Even if you think you’ve taken all the necessary steps to set yourself up for a smooth move, chances are, you’ll still experience stress and anxiety. Hiring a moving company to handle your moving needs is one way to reduce stress, but there are other tips you can follow to ensure your move is well organized and efficient.
Whether local or long-distance, all relocations have their unique challenges, and these tips are helpful for any type of move. As you plan your move, keep the following tips in mind to make your move day as smooth and stress free as possible.
Don’t Procrastinate
Procrastination is going to make your move harder, more stressful, and can end up costing you more money. Successful moves are planned in advance, and a good rule of thumb to follow is to start planning and taking action eight weeks before your move date.
Having a checklist to keep you on schedule is a must. What kind of steps would you take eight weeks in advance? Creating a budget and connecting with moving companies to see if they provide moving benefits to cover some expenses are good places to start. Sorting through your things to figure out what you’ll pack and get rid of should also be on your agenda.
Other important tasks that must be done ahead of time include hiring professional movers and packers, renting a moving truck, and locating storage units. You’ll also want to make sure you change your address well in advance and promptly notify any parties who need to know about your relocation.
Ensure You Have Enough Moving Supplies
When it comes to moving supplies, it’s better to have too much than not enough. Having enough moving boxes, bubble wrap, tape, and markers is key to a stress-free move. Finding yourself driving around looking for more supplies the day before you move is not something you want to be doing.
If you decide to hire professional movers and packers, purchasing supplies is something you won’t have to do at all. Professional packers will bring all the supplies needed. They’ll hand-wrap breakable objects to ensure they’re well protected and safely transport antiques by wrapping and cushioning each one. If you have large, fragile items that require extra care, they can build custom crates to house such things and protect them from damage.
Locate a Sitter for Both Your Pets and Kids
As much as you wish your young children and pets could help you move, they’ll most likely get in your way and slow you down. Finding a safe place for pets and young kids to stay while you move will reduce stress for you, as well as for them. If you have older children, involve them in your move. Make sure to set clear expectations with them, and keep them involved in every step of the move.
Moving can be stressful for your kids and pets. Check out our tips for moving with pets and tips for moving with kids for ideas on how to make the process easier for everyone.
Declutter Before you Move
Don’t get in the trap of packing everything you have and deciding what you will keep once you get to your new location. Not only will you waste money purchasing supplies to move items you’ll end up throwing away, but you’ll also be moving into a space that's more cluttered than it needs to be, which increases stress.
One of the first things you should do as you get ready to move is to go through your entire home, garage, storage units, and anywhere you keep stuff. Get rid of things you rarely or never use and anything you don’t want to have in your new home. Investing the time and energy to get rid of the things you don’t need will help decrease stress the day you move.
Take Photos of Items You’ll Need to Re-Assemble
If you’re packing your own stuff, understand that it’s much easier to both organize and move several things when you disassemble them first. That includes bed frames, dressers, tables, and several other furniture pieces, as well as electronics with tons of cords.
But before you disassemble anything, make sure you take photos or a video of it. Having a visual guide can be a huge help when it comes time to put furniture back together. And having a visual reference can save you tons of frustration when you need to reattach electronic cords and connections that all look alike.
Pack Essential Items Separately
Upon arriving at your new location, you’ll most likely need toiletries, plates and utensils, basic tools, etc., and you don’t want these items packed at the back of the moving truck. Make a list of what you’ll need when you get to your new location, and ensure these are packed separately in an easily accessible location.
Prepare Your Physical Body for the Move
Packing and moving can take an emotional toll by increasing stress and anxiety, and it is also a physically demanding task. Getting adequate sleep the night before moving is key to help reduce stress.
Think you should skip breakfast the day of your move to give you more time to finish up those last-minute tasks you put off? Think again! Eating a nutritious breakfast and drinking lots of water the day of your move is necessary. You may also want to pack a cooler with drinks, snacks, and easy-to-eat meals so you can keep your body fueled throughout the day.
Check out Moving Safety: 16 Tips for Avoiding Injuries Before, During, and After Your Relocation for more helpful advice.
Figure Out How You’ll Transport Non-Allowables
If you plan on hiring a moving company to bring your things to your new home, be aware that there are certain things your movers cannot transport in their truck. These items are referred to as “non-allowables,” and they include hazardous materials, flammable items, live plants, pets, and a few other things.
Some of these items — like nail polish and perishable foods — are things you might assume your moving company can handle, when in reality, they can’t. If you don’t have an alternate plan in place to transport these things, that’ll only add heaps of stress to the day of your move.
To ensure you’re properly prepared, check our tips for moving the things your movers can’t move, so you can plan ahead.
Get a Free Quote for Professional Moving Services in the Twin Cities
Life is stressful. Moving doesn’t have to be. Following these tips will help set you up for success on moving day. If you want to have a move that is as smooth and stress-free as it can be, Ace Moving and Warehousing is the company you need to contact.
To learn more about our services or get a quick quote, call us today at 763-755-2045. You can also send us a message with any questions or concerns, and we’ll reach out with more info!