Moving in to a new home, particularly when it involves cross-state travel, requires diligence on your end. It should be done as deliberate and careful as possible, lest you want to forget or lose valuables or damage some important items due to your rush to pack everything. Whether it’s your first time or your -nth time moving-in to a new property, the same level of care is needed to ensure that everything will go buttery-smooth.
Here are seven essential tips that you must remember when transferring to your new home:
Hire a reliable mover.
Among the first and most critical things that you have to do once you have set a target date for your move-in is to contact a reliable local moving company. Keep in mind that it’s important to go as local as possible to ensure that the mover is familiar with your location and you can easily ask friends or neighbors for recommendations. Never hire a mover just because it offers the lowest rates but because it has a solid reputation for being careful with the items that it hauls. Also, be sure to check if the mover is insured and licensed (which you can check by asking for their DOT number), so you can be sure that everything is in order when it comes to your mover.
Pack smart.
Packing is surely among the most labor-intensive tasks that you must accomplish before the set date. The good news is that you can do away with all the stress of packing by doing it the smart way. For one, you can leave clothing as is if they are not heavy anyway. Taking clothes out of the drawers or hangers, folding them, putting them in boxes, sealing those boxes, and then putting them in the mover’s truck are all labor-intensive. So, why not just leave them where they’re at to save yourself a ton of work?
Label properly.
You don’t want to end up losing or damaging items just because you were too lazy to put proper labels on their boxes, right? If so, you must take your sweet time placing those labels on the boxes to make it easy to sort things out once you’ve arrived at your new home. Proper labeling, especially when it comes to fragile and valuable items will also avoid getting them damaged or lost due to mishandling (like the fragile items being handled like they’re not breakable).
Mind your budget.
The last thing you want to happen is to go on with your planned move-in without first considering if you can afford it in the first place. Remember that there are many things to pay for when moving: the moving company and your packing supplies among the common ones. A pro tip is to use a moving cost calculator to have a rough, yet the realistic idea of how much budget you should allocate for the task. This will help avoid the possibility of getting a sticker shock once the bills came in.
Donate items or sell them.
If you have items that you’re not intent on using anymore, you should either donate them to a charitable institution such as Goodwill and Salvation Army or turn them into hard cash by having a garage sale at least a few weeks before your move-in schedule. This will not only help you save on costs but also allow you to do a good deed or get extra money for your moving-in budget.
Contact your utility providers.
As part of your duties as a responsible customer, you should inform your water and electricity companies about your planned move-in to another location. This way, they can send advance billing statements or work out a way on how you can properly settle your outstanding bills with them. You can do this over the phone or online, so it should not eat much of your allotted time to pack up your things. Do the same for the local utility companies in the area you’re moving into to have water and power ready when you arrive.
Consider your vehicles and high-priced items.
If you have several vehicles and your new home is located one or two states away from your current location, you might want to hire a trucking company that specializes in moving vehicles. Additionally, you should also check with your mover if they can handle expensive items like artwork or antique furniture pieces. If not, then you must contact a mover with expertise in hauling such high-value items.
There’s no denying that moving-in can be a stressful thing to accomplish. With these tips, you can avoid getting all stressed and instead enjoy a hassle-free trip to your new home.
