It’s moving season and you’re about to close on your dream home. Everything is happening fast! Get ready to pack up your current home and everyone’s belongings for a new adventure. But where should I start? Before the panic sets in, real estate attorney Ben Weaver shares 10 tips to make your move simple and successful.
“By beginning the planning process as soon as you know you will be moving, you can minimize stress and increase the likelihood that everything will go smoothly on moving day and afterward.” Houzz
Top Ten Tips for a Successful Move…
1. Make a Checklist! Creating a list is one of the most important things you’ll do in this entire process. This checklist needs to have a detailed timeline of all major days leading up to your move in date, for example the closing date, renting the moving truck, and the kids’ first/last day of school. It’s important to map out your moving plan. It will keep you on track and reduce the natural stress of moving.
2. Downsizing Your Belongings: Go through your personal belongings and decide what you really need. Keep the stuff you need and donate the rest. Start early and take 2-3 quick (yet thorough) passes through everything. You’ll find a lot to get rid of during your first lookover. After your initial pass, do it again a few days later with fresh eyes. The less you need to bring, the lighter and simpler your move will be!
3. Pack One Room at a Time: Pack one room fully and then move on to the next. If you take a scattered approach, you’ll end up with jumbled boxes containing items from different rooms and things might get lost in the mix. Take your time, it’s okay to breathe and take mini breaks to lower stress, refocus, and get back to packing with a fresh mindset.
4. Pack an “Open Me First” Box: Pack one box with all of the things you can’t live without to survive the first night in your new home: “a change of clothes, a toothbrush, must-have stuffed animals or toys for the kids, medications, paperwork, etc. If catastrophe strikes and the moving truck gets lost, at least you’ll have some essentials with you.”
5. Send Out Notices Before You’re Overwhelmed: Plan ahead. Make a list of who you need to notify when you move. Get creative with it! Make sure friends and family have your new address. There are a lot of loose ends to tie up before you move to a new residence. Review your moving checklist timeline, your mail, bills,and even personal IDs to get renewed within the first few weeks of your move.
6. Important Documents: Take any personal financial information and important papers with you on your person. Buy a red box or red tape to put specifically on this box! These papers should never leave your sight. They travel with you during the move. The last thing you want is to misplace your birth certificate. This will help you avoid identity theft and the stress that comes with replacing essential documents!
7. Label Everything: Don’t just label each box with the room in which it belongs. Write down the contents of each box and any special instructions associated with the contents. Don’t overuse the “miscellaneous” label. By having multiple miscellaneous boxes, you’ll end up with boxes everywhere and won’t know which room to place them in!
8. Ask for Help: Invite friends over or help you organize and pack. Most people only ask for help during the unpacking phase. Having people around while packing can keep the family morale high and it may even serve as an opportunity to reminisce through old mementos and favorite moments while doing so!
9. Storage in Your New Home: For items you think will be stored in the attic, garage or closet at your next home, purchase plastic storage bins. This will save you money from buying extra boxes, unpacking them and then tossing them when you get to your new home. These items can go straight into storage and are often weather-proof!
10. Trust the Professionals: If all else fails, hire movers! Moving from one residence to another is a big undertaking, that’s what moving companies are here for. View Yelp’s list of Illinois movers in the Northwest Suburbs!
Let’s face it, sometimes you have to decide if you’re taking on too much! It’s okay to ask for help whether it be from family or professional movers. Hiring a moving company could save you and your family a lot of stress and allow you to focus on other important things. All you will have to do is create a list of every item and box that goes on the moving truck. Have a friend or family member mark the boxes and items as they come off the truck.
Bonus money saving tips:
- Ask local retailers and businesses for their gently used boxes.
- Protect fragile items with magazines and newspapers instead of packing peanuts. Beware of the ink!
- While your clothes are still hanging in the closet, put them inside a trash bag to make unpacking simpler.
- Put stemware and glasses inside clean socks for extra padding.
- As you disassemble furniture, keep all screws and hardware in a plastic bag. Label the bag and tape it to the furniture itself, or designate a separate box with hardware for all your furniture.
- Use colored packing tape to keep your boxes organized. Be sure to label which room the box belongs to!
