Moving in any capacity is a large undertaking and requires detailed planning and preparation. Making a moving checklist before you jump into the moving process will help you avoid any missteps or frustration. There are many steps you must take when you decide to move. Finding a new living space, choosing schools and daycares, storing items for the long term, and setting up in a new home, to name a few. We have gathered a few of the most important tasks needed to complete a move. Here are the storage, packing, traveling, and home setup tasks we feel all movers must complete.
Get An Estimate From A Moving Company
Having the help of a moving company can save you some major stress during moving day. While there may be many on the market who offer to transport your items, there are only a few quality moving companies. Doing research a few months before your moving date will allow you to compare rates and read reviews. Getting an estimate from your moving company will allow you to budget and prepare for the hiring of movers.
Declutter Before Packing Up Items For The Move
Before you start to box up your personal belongings, it can be beneficial to go through your items and declutter what you no longer need. Completing a moving checklist should help you narrow down items and trash that prolong your moving process. Decluttering your current home will lower the amount of boxes and packing materials you will need to use. Getting rid of large furniture pieces that are damaged or underutilized will save room in a moving truck and a storage unit.
Weeks before you plan to move, take time to go through old toys, clothes, furniture, and gardening tools. It may not be a huge difference, but decluttering will provide relief to future you when there is less to unpack at a new home.
Research Packing Hacks
Tossing all your belongings in a box or a tote is not the most efficient way to pack. If you want your packing, moving, and unpacking to go smoothly, take time to research packing hacks. Playing a game of Tetris can translate to packing up for a move. Rolling clothes or using packing cubes can save space in boxes. Disassembling furniture will make it easier to stack or slide into small spaces in a moving truck. Find blogs or videos online about how another family packed up their home for advice.
Find A Storage Unit
Even after decluttering, you may need to put some seasonal or large items in a storage unit. When moving, easing into a new life or unpacking slowly can help you embrace the new space fully. Many storage units can be used to help improve your organization and keep seasonal items safe from deterioration or damage. Researching multiple storage facilities will give you a clear picture of what is most affordable and what facilities have more appealing features.
700 Block Storage has a modern facility with security features on the exterior of the building as well as individual units. We offer packing materials to help organize your unit and each self-storage unit is no farther than 100 feet from an elevator. Our team wants to help you tackle your move with less stress, which is also why we work with Rocky Mountain Movers to help move items into a storage unit for you.
Disassemble Furniture
Furniture that is collapsed or disassembled is easier to store in a moving truck or storage unit. You will be able to fit more personal items in your moving vehicle when you break down beds, dressers, chairs, and tables. Anything that can be taken apart and put back together can be put into boxes for your move. Make sure to take inventory of all the pieces and pack them together, or label boxes if you need multiple.
Plan Travel Accommodations
Travel is important when it comes to moving, even if you are just moving inside the same state, families will need a moving truck, a small U-haul trailer, or plans to get your vehicles to the new space. Planning how you will transport items, family members, and pets is an important item on the moving checklist. Travel accommodations will help ensure comfortability during moving and less stress on moving days.
Plan For Pets
Pets are a part of your family, so they deserve extra care and attention during the moving process. For a long move, you will need to think about stops for pee breaks, exercise, and treats to keep them happy and healthy during the move. If you have to travel by airplane, making accommodations before the day of the move with the airline could limit confusion and concern later. Maintaining a similar routine for your pet during the move will help them avoid stress.
Create A Folder For Important Documents, Bills, And Receipts
These small documents can get lost among other big pieces of furniture. Passports, cash, licenses, birth certificates, tax information, and recent receipts should be put in a protective folder and kept in an easily accessible place. Packing this away with all your other belongings could bring frustration later if you procrastinate unpacking in your new home.
Many people leave multiple boxes around their homes for months after moving. Don’t let your important documents get lost in a box by either mailing them to the new home in advance or keeping them on your person all during the move.
Deep Clean Your Old Home
Once your move is finalized and you have completed the other items on your checklist, it is time to deep clean. After your furniture is removed and most of your belongings are packed up, you will be able to deep clean from top to bottom. Deep cleaning before you move is necessary because there are areas that will be covered by furniture. Deep cleaning is easier when your home is empty and other belongings are not causing excess dust or other debris to spread.
Put Essentials In Your Home, Put Non-essentials In Storage
At your new home, you may feel overwhelmed by how many boxes need to be unpacked and furniture needs to be rebuilt. When moving to a new space, it can be helpful to unload essentials and daily use items into the home while others can be put in a storage unit.
Items that you should focus on unpacking include:
- Bedding
- Beds
- Non-perishable food
- Plates, bowls, and cutlery
- Drinkware
- Clothing (Seasonally appropriate)
- Hygiene and toiletries
- Electronics
Putting non-seasonal items in storage will keep the space from getting over-cluttered and put a damper on the excitement of the move. Procuring a storage unit before the move-in date will help you separate non-essential items without stress.
Put Up Curtains In New Home
Moving into a new home can make you a target for burglary or acts of vandalism. Setting up matters of security and privacy in your new home will make your first night peaceful. Hanging curtains in bedrooms and living rooms will prevent onlookers from seeing into your safe space and make going to sleep less of a stressor. If you have camera doorbells or security cameras, setting these up should be another top priority.
