To have the easiest and quickest move possible, organization is key. Here are eight tips to stay organized during your move.
1. Don’t wait
During a move, leave enough time to get everything done that needs to be done – without rushing. When you rush, it’s more difficult to think things through.
For this reason, start preparing as soon as possible. You’ll thank yourself later.
2. Create a budget
Creating a budget is one of the first things you should do. Laying out the costs beforehand will prevent you from becoming overwhelmed when they start to pile up during the move.
Remember, a reputable moving company will always provide you with an estimate for your move. Here’s a list of things you should budget for when you work with professional movers:
- Additional valuation coverage in case of damage or loss
- Any extra moving services, like furniture disassembly, temporary storage, and unpacking
- Extra charges/fees
If you are thinking about moving without professional movers, you should budget for:
- Truck rental
- Fuel
- Moving equipment
- Packing expenses
- Unexpected costs
3. Make the decision – movers or DIY?
Will you use a professional moving service, or take care of the move yourself? This decision will set the tone for the rest of your organizational checklist.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself to make the decision easier:
- How far are you moving? DIY moves may be okay for short distances, but moving companies should be used for long-distance moves.
- Are you moving specialty items? If so, you should consider hiring movers.
- Will your friends help you out? This will make a DIY move easier.
- Are you moving for the first time? If you don’t know how to prepare, professional movers can help.
4. Make an inventory
It’s important to know exactly how much you’ll be moving, and that’s where an inventory comes in handy. Create an inventory of each room and, as you go along, make categories for ‘move,’ ‘sell,’ ‘donate,’ and ‘throw away.’ This way, you’ll be sure to move only the items that you need.
5. Organize paperwork
Keep your moving paperwork all in one place, as there will probably be a good amount of it. Even after the move is over, we recommend keeping hard-copy moving cost estimates, order of service, bill of lading, home inventory sheets, moving checklists, floor plans, lists of donations, school and medical records, and financial documents in a secure binder. In this binder, you can also keep paperwork like personal documents, employment documents, housing documents, etc. Make digital copies of all your paperwork and save them, along with any other digital records or files related to your move, together in one folder.
6. Have a packing plan
A good packing plan should look something like this:
- Start packing as soon as you can.
- Follow a packing timeline by working through one room at a time.
- Know where to start – the areas that are hardest to pack and used the least.
- Get the right packing supplies – moving boxes, packing paper, bubble wrap, and packing tape.
7. Pack essentials last
Essentials are items that you’ll use up until the day of the move. These are things like kitchen utensils, bed linen, and toiletries, and they should be packed in their own essentials box. For items that you’ll need during move day like chargers, a change of clothes, prescriptions, etc., pack an essentials bag to carry with you.
8. Label your boxes
Labeling boxes is one of the most important components to staying organized. As you’re packing up your home, clearly label each box with a permanent marker or use different color labels, indicating what room it should go in when you reach your new home. This way, you won’t have to open every box you come across and dig through it to discover what room it belongs in. You can also use this time to label boxes ‘fragile’ as well.
Moving is considered to be one of the most stressful life events, so we want to help you make your move day as simple and seamless as possible. Follow these tips to stay organized and experience a stress-free move.