How to Make Your Move Easier

Are you planning a move for this year? That’s great. Moves can be a very exciting time for you and your family, but they can also be a major pain if you don’t take the time to plan them properly.

There is a lot that can go wrong if a move isn’t planned right, so knowing how to make them smoother is an excellent way to make your life easier. We love it when people are more informed about the moving projects they want to tackle, so we came up with a list of tips that will make your move easier and more efficient.

Making your Move the Most Efficient Ever

You can make your move super easy if you just follow these 8 tips:

1. Research and Hire a Mover Early

Research is not the most enjoyable activity. The sheer variety of choices for household moving firms on Yelp and Google will overwhelm you, but don't succumb to the pressure and hire the first four-star rating you see.

Choosing the right moving company is critical since it may make or break your whole moving experience. The more time you invest into finding a reputable company with excellent customer care ahead of time, the less worry you'll have on moving day.

Book early if you're hiring moving services, renting equipment, buying supplies, or engaging specialists to work on the property, such as painters or cleaners. Waiting more than necessary could have you end up paying more for the move or even worse, not able to get a booking at all. A lot of movers offer same-day services, but those can be more expensive and limited.

So that you can plan ahead, you should think about hiring movers at least a month in advance. If you have some flexibility in your calendar, play around with different relocation dates to discover what the optimum time to book an appointment is.

Weekends are the busiest days for moving companies, so if you can avoid the rush between Fridays and Saturdays, and move during the week instead, you might save a lot of money.

1. Invest in Supplies and Equipment

You should load up on all the supplies and equipment you’ll need for the move way before the actual move takes place. The last thing you want to do when packing moving boxes or making sure everything is out of the house is rush to the store. Bandages, box cutters, packing tape, markers, garbage bags and paper towels may all be ordered or purchased. Even if you don't utilize them all during the relocation, they'll come in handy afterwards.

Consider renting moving equipment from a moving firm for heavier items. If you employ a moving company, they'll almost certainly bring their own. If you move regularly, you might want to invest in these products. Make sure you have a furniture dolly, furniture cushions or coverings, and tie-down straps or rope on hand throughout the relocation, whether you buy, hire, or borrow them.

1. Make a Plan and Have a Folder

You'll need an efficient travel plan whether you're relocating inside the city or across state borders, so you don't squander your move-in day stuck in traffic or pulling over three times to punch an address into your GPS.

Determine the quickest and most efficient route to your destination. Plan ahead of time by looking up prospective highway rush hour timelines. Also, when preparing your plans, consider traffic, diversions, and required stops.

You should also begin gathering new addresses, rental or purchase paperwork, relocation contracts, and other information in a single folder. If your computer or phone batteries expire during the move, consider a physical copy rather than a digital copy. You'll have the answer, as well as all the records of agreements, estimates, payments or anything along those lines, on hand. Should any issues arise during the planning phase or during the move itself, you’ll be better prepare to tackle them.

1. Disconnect Your Current Utilities and Set Up the New Ones

Contact your utility suppliers to schedule service at your new house after the dates are set. The last thing you need is to arrive at your new home only to realize that the water, electricity or heat has gone out. It's best to plan ahead of time and keep track of your requests in a moving folder. Request service stops for your present home's move-out date at the same time.

Call your cable, internet, power, and gas suppliers at least a week before your move to find out when you need to turn off everything. Make sure you allow extra time in your schedule to grab any required goods you may need to return, such as cables, remotes, or cable boxes.

1. Pack Ahead of Time

You should be aware of a move weeks or even months in advance, even if the final location is unknown. Begin by packing products that aren't in season or that you won't miss. If you're relocating in the summer, you may pack your winter jackets ahead of time, as well as books and other occasional goods. When the time comes to relocate, many goods will already be packed and ready to go, reducing your worry.

Do the following to make packing a little easier:

• Use soft items like towels to wrap up items that are fragile and can break easily, like glassware. They can provide padding to help mitigate the effect of blows or vibrations from the truck. They can also work to great effect when wrapping up objects, especially towels or linens. Wrap up knives or other harmful kitchen cutlery in paper towels or newspaper to transport them, and use a band to secure the paper in place.
• Instead of removing your clothes from the hangers, pack them up exactly as they are. You can use garbage bags to pack them all together, just be sure to label them first.
• Do not empty the drawers of your dresser. Remove the drawers from the dresser, leaving the goods inside, and cover the drawer in plastic wrap to keep them safe. That way you already have packed the goods inside without too much extra trouble.

1. Get Rid of Anything You Won’t Need

It might be difficult to putting all your stuff inside boxes and bags, and them figuring out how to load them onto the truck. Reduce your clutter as much as possible to make things simpler for yourself. Do a ruthless cleansing of unneeded or superfluous stuff before packing a single box. You'll have less things to pack, move, and unpack, and you'll be able to start over in your new home.

It's impossible to emphasize how much easier your relocation will be if you arrange your stuff and dump, recycle, or give anything you don't need rather than carrying it to your new home. It's a big job, but with these pointers, you can accomplish it.

To tidy your home, follow these guidelines:

Do away with any items you wouldn't purchase again. If you're unsure whether an item has a purpose in your life, consider whether you would buy it if you didn't already have it. You probably don't need it if you wouldn't.

Consider storing items for a limited time. If there are certain goods you can't bear to part with but aren't sure you need, consider storing them in a short-term storage unit and deciding later.

Purge your closet. Get rid of everything that doesn't fit, is out of style, and/or hasn't been worn in a year.

Make arrangements for donation pick-up. If you know you'll be giving large goods like furniture or carpets, arrange for a pick-up ahead of time to ensure you have someone to take them.

1. Pack Some Basic Need Items

You're unlikely to unpack everything the first day, so bring whatever you'll need to feel at ease and comfortable on your first night.

Tuck daily essentials like a change of clothing, a toothbrush, must-have stuffed animals or toys for the kids, prescriptions, papers, and so on, into a suitcase or bag you'll keep in the vehicle, the truck cab, or on the aircraft the night before the move. If disaster occurs and the moving vehicle is lost, at the very least you'll be prepared.

1. If Renting a Truck, Get One with a Ramp

If you're doing your own moving, you'll need a truck with a ramp. While renting a truck without one may be less expensive, the inconvenience, and difficulty, of lifting each box and piece of furniture high enough to get it into the truck will add hours to your move, as well as aching muscles.

Final Thoughts

Making your move easier and more efficient is all about taking your time to plan things and knowing what needs to be done first. If you research moving companies early, and book your move as soon as possible, you will have an edge for the process.

The next best way to make your move as efficient as possible is working with Three Movers. We will ensure your move is a smooth as it can be. Contact us today.