A friend of mine is moving across the country next week and it’s reminded me what an ordeal moving can be. The amount of planning and foresight, not to mention financial expense and time investment, can add up to be pretty expensive. There are, however, many steps you can take to ensure your move goes as smoothly as possible.
Begin by de-cluttering.
Be realistic about what you need and what items will have a place in your new life at your new home. Then, depending on the specifics of the move you are making, you might have to get ruthless. My friend is moving into a city where space is at a premium, and he has had to part with most of his belongings to make this work. If you are just moving across town you probably won’t have to pare down at this level, but if you are moving into a fourth floor walk-up in the heart of Chicago, you’ll want to consider putting some of your grandmother’s home made quilts into storage for the time being.
Get organized.
I am a list maker and a scheduler by nature, and this serves me well during big projects like moving. Make detailed to-do lists that won’t leave you scratching you head in confusion about the instructions. Create a record-keeping system to sort your boxes and try to keep track of when they need to be unpacked and the whole process will go considerably smoother. Keeping items together will also ensure a quicker, easier move into your new home.
Use what you have.
Rather than using boxes and creating extra clutter, use your luggage to transport clothes, sheets, towels and linens. Use storage containers you already have to transport items, and if possible, move drawers without emptying them out—this has saved me a lot of time.
Keep track of your valuables.
For your peace of mind, set aside your valuable items and important documents and carry them with you. When I have to move I make sure to take my passport, social security card and my mother’s jewelry in my handbag to eliminate the possibility it could be lost.
Need more information?
Check out the Homes.com moving center for more details.
How do you plan to make your next move a stress-free affair? Talk about it in the comment section below!
Christine is the Content Marketing Coordinator for Homes.com. She's a small town girl at heart, who currently lives in Norfolk, VA with her husband and their fur baby. When she's not working, she enjoys cooking, decorating, traveling, and binge watching Netflix. As a proud Virginia Tech alum, she also loves cheering on the Hokies!
