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Moving to a new home is never an easy task. There are a lot of little things that you need to take care of – like packing, cleaning and getting the new home ready – and it seems like there is never enough time to do them all. This process can quickly become overwhelming, especially if you have never gone through it before. To help you out, here are the five steps you’ll need to follow when moving to a new home. By following this guide you can hopefully make your transition a little easier and a little smoother.
Make a Checklist
The first thing you’ll want to do is create a checklist for yourself. You can do this by either grabbing a piece of paper or you can create it on your phone. On this list you’ll want to keep a running tally of all the things you need to do, and the things you have already done. As something new pops into your brain, jot it down before you forget. Then, once you complete something, make sure you cross it off. Organization is the key to an easier move, and the checklist is an integral part.
To get started, here is a checklist you can use that includes many of the things you’ll need to do for a move.
Decide What’s Going
Next, you need to think about which items are moving over to your new home. Over the years we all accumulate some junk and now is the perfect time to get rid of it. Go through your things and decide which items you want to keep. For the rest of your stuff, think about either selling it, donating it, or simply tossing it away. The less things you have to bring with you to your new home, the faster moving day will go, and you may even save some money on moving costs.
During this stage you may also realize that you don’t have enough space in your new home for everything. In this situation many people choose to rent out a storage locker. These places will keep your stuff safe until you can find something else to do with it. To make your life easier you can even use a service like this storage company in Portland, which will transport your stuff back and forth to the storage locker for you.
Find a Good Mover
After that you’ll want to find a good mover to help you out. Unless you’re only moving from one small apartment to another, you’re likely going to need some help moving. Friends and family are great, but a professional mover is recommended if you have a lot of stuff – especially larger furniture items.
When looking for a mover, you’ll want to look for a few specific things. First, make sure that they are insured. If they break something of yours, you’ll want it covered. Next, make sure the moving team has experience. You don’t want someone who has never done this before, as moving furniture and loading up a truck are not as easy as it looks. Finally, find a mover with a good rate. Talk to different movers and ask them to give you a quote. This will help you to determine the average cost, and then you can choose a mover based on their other qualifications.
Start Preparing Early
One of the worst things you can do is start preparing for your move at the last minute. These things take time, and the more time you give yourself, the less stressful your moving experience will be. Mark the date of your move on the calendar, then give yourself a few weeks prior to start preparing. During this time you’ll want to start gathering packing supplies, making sure the new home is ready, and cleaning out your home.
You’ll likely still need a lot of your stuff until you actually move, but the things you don’t need should be packed away. Packing takes a while, so try to do it in little chunks. For instance, if you’re moving in the Summer, you likely don’t need your holiday decorations or Winter clothing. These can be packed away early so that they’re ready to go.
Plan Out the Day Of
Finally, have a plan in place for the day of the move. What time are the movers coming? What time can you get into your new home? If you have kids, what are they going to do all day? The same goes for your pets. Leave some room for flexibility, as things likely won’t go exactly according to plan.
If you can do all of the above, you should find your moving day to be a little easier. You’ll likely still face some stress, and you’ll be exhausted when the day ends, but you can at least make it easier on yourself. We hope that this guide was some help to you, and that your moving day goes as smooth as possible.
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