Moving to a new home is not something that many people are eager to undertake. Not only are you saying goodbye to a place with some of your life’s memories, but you are also in for a lot of work. If you’re like most people, you’ve accumulated a lot of stuff over the years. The idea of having to move it all can be off-putting.
But, as long as you approach it in the right way, it doesn’t need to be a pain in the neck. Let’s look at three major steps you can take to make the move easier.
Source: Premiere Van Lines
Start Early
We know that you’d like to put off packing away your stuff, but the earlier you get started, the less troublesome this will be for you. Start at least two to three weeks before you’re due to move and you’ll have a great head start.
Choose things that you won’t need to use again until you get to the new house. Do you need all the books in your bookcase, for example, or every single pot in the kitchen?
You can ask at your local grocery store whether they have boxes you could have. Alternatively, speak to the people moving your stuff about getting boxes. You might have to pay for them, but they’ll be sturdy packing boxes.
Starting early also applies to changing your address. Get a head start on this, so you know your bills will reach you on time. You can contact each company in person, or use the US Postal Service change of address service to save time, calling costs, and gas.
Do a Big Cleanout
Many people have that one area in their home where they leave junk to accumulate. If you’re lucky, you just have a junk cupboard. For some, the garage or a spare bedroom takes on this function. Even if your home is immaculate, do an extensive cleanout before you move.
Get rid of anything that you no longer want. Things that have value can be sold on eBay so that you have more money to get new stuff. Alternatively, you can donate items that are in reasonable shape to a local charity. (Make sure that they work or are in reasonably good repair. Don’t give rubbish.)
Next, look at throwing away items that are too broken or shabby to donate. Where possible, send things in for recycling. It doesn’t matter; the point is to get them out of your home.
Source: HNH x House
Label the Boxes Properly
By this, we mean that on the outside of the box, you should write the room in your new home where you will keep the items. Also, consider creating a short list of the contents as well that can be stuck on the side or just inside the lid before closing.
That way, you know which boxes go where, and you can see what’s in them without having to rummage through them.
Overall, moving can be simpler if you get an early start, get rid of all the junk beforehand, and carefully label and organize boxes. The more you can do ahead of time, the easier it will be on moving day.
