Certain things and life changes are inevitable; whether they’re positive or negative, there’s only so much you can do about them. The best way forward is to accept and prepare for these changes. One great example is moving: most people move at least once in their lives. This could be because of work, interests, or anything, really.
Moving to a new place will fill you with all kinds of emotions – happiness, nostalgia, and maybe a little bit of nervousness. But one thing’s for sure; you’re likely stressing out about the move itself. There are many things you need to do when moving, aside from hiring professional movers. To help you with that, here’s a guide on how you can plan and prepare for your move.
Move With a Moving Company: How to Prepare for Professional Movers
To enjoy a stress-free move, hire professional movers. Find a reliable and professional moving company in your area that you can easily hire. After hiring a company, follow these tips to prepare for the professional movers:
- Discuss the origination and destination details. Ensure that you’ve provided accurate addresses so there won’t be any problem during the move day.
- Indicate how many things you need to move. Moving companies need to assess how many belongings you have, so they can determine the size of the truck they’ll use. If you are moving an entire household, and they bring a small truck ideal for a one-bedroom apartment move, your things won’t fit.
- Review the quotes provided by the company. See that there are no hidden fees or that all fees are based on all your demands and budget.
A Must-Have Checklist of Preparing to Move
Once you’re confident of where to move and requested help from a moving company, there’s still a lot of things you need to do. You must plan and prepare for your actual move. To make things easier, create a checklist that contains all things you need to achieve. This is also one way to prepare for movers to proceed with the move without a problem.
Most people start their checklists for preparation two months before their actual move. This way, you can ensure that you don’t accidentally miss anything crucial. Here’s a brief 8-week checklist you can follow:
2 Months Before the Move
8 Weeks Before:
- Create and decide on your budget.
- Find and hire a moving company.
- Inform your utility companies.
- Conduct research about the place you’re planning to move to.
7 Weeks Before:
- Determine which businesses and institutions you need to inform about your new address.
- Inform your family and friends about your move.
6 Weeks Before:
- Gather all the packing materials you need.
- Start assessing which of your belongings you’re going to bring.
- Start packing seasonal items you want to bring – those that you don’t use daily.
- Map out your new place to estimate how many things you should bring.
5 Weeks Before:
- Donate the things you don’t need.
- Avoid buying too many resources like groceries.
- Schedule your packing. Assign codes on which boxes would contain the things from certain rooms, like a box labeled “kitchen” for kitchen tools and utensils.
- Create a master list of the things you’ll pack.
A Month Before the Move
4 Weeks Before:
- Request time off from work if your moving day lands on a workday.
- Start to change your address for authorized institutions you have an account with.
- Cancel subscriptions that you won’t need at your new place, like gym memberships.
3 Weeks Before:
- Pack valuables like jewelry and important documents in a separate package.
- Note all existing damages or issues with your furniture or appliances.
2 Weeks Before:
- Start packing. Make sure you label your boxes appropriately.
- Confirm all changes of address and your moving insurance.
- Prepare necessary documents and papers for the new owners of your place to contact you if they have questions.
- Clean major appliances that you’ll bring, like a freezer.
- Prepare cash in case of unforeseen expenses.
1 Week Before:
- Check-in with your moving company and go over the moving details again.
- Continue packing.
- Back up any technology or gadgets in case you’re planning to pack them as well.
- Dispose of any remaining unnecessary items that can’t be transported.
Days Before Your Move
Days Before:
- Finish packing. Make sure everything is packed correctly.
- Hire a cleaning company or schedule a date when you’ll come back to clean.
Moving Day:
- Check every room for any unattended boxes or items before locking your old home.
- Communicate with your movers. Guide them or give them specific details about your move. You can also give them a tip afterward.
- Say goodbye to your neighbors.
How to Prepare Furniture for Moving
If you have furniture to move, you need to prepare them as well before moving. However, you likely have furniture that is too large or heavy to pack whole. You need to disassemble them and pack each part to help furniture movers move them easier.
Research how you can adequately disassemble them and prepare the necessary tools. Make a note of how you disassembled each item, so they will be easier to reassemble. Make sure to carefully store each component; you don’t want to lose even a single bolt or screw.
How to Prepare for a Long-Distance Move
Making a checklist is still the best way to prepare even for a long-distance move, as it ensures that you won’t miss out on anything important. Since you’re moving to a distant location, it would be hard to process any unattended matter once you’ve moved. Additionally, it’s best to hire long-distance movers to help you transport your belongings easier.
Contact Us
Long-distance or not, we can help you move your things to your new place. We’ve been in the industry for over five years and have received great feedback from our previous clients over the years. We offer high-quality and affordable services and a team of professional movers. Contact Flash Moving today, and let’s discuss how we can help you move.
