Local moving requires equal time for planning and executing. That is why you need to prepare for everything that is ahead of you. We gathered a list of things that will help you prepare for your upcoming relocation.
- Do your research for your local movers
Research is never fun. There are many local moving companies on Yelp and Google and it might be overwhelming to choose the right local movers for yourself. Good start is to type local movers near me on your internet search, but it is definitely not enough to find the best movers for your moving needs. A moving company can make or break your entire moving experience. That is why you should pick the right movers that are reputable and that will help you by offering less hassle to you on a moving day. Make sure to read the company’s list of services, policies and reviews of course. After you do everything needed on the internet, it is time to call at least 3 moving companies to hear what they can offer.
- Choose the best moving day
Make sure to schedule your local movers at least a month before you planned moving day. In case your schedule is pretty flexible you should check out with your professional movers if they are offering cheaper prices for moving on weekdays. Whatever the case might be, just make sure to call your movers in time to schedule your spot because you don’t want to risk losing the availability or the moving company that you want to use.
- Make a master moving checklist
Moving your home requires you to keep 600 different things to do and remember, so you shouldn’t rely on your memory when it comes to this. No matter how seemingly obvious it might seem, it is very simple to slip your mind. Have a notebook dedicated to your local move and make a to-do list. If you are more into technology than paper reminders, you can always put the list in your notes on the phone or on the app Wunderlist. There is no such a thing as insignificant detail, so make sure everything is in one place. Also, put everything that is on the list on the moving calendar.
- Get packing supplies and start packing in time
More about packing itself you can find in our another blog post, but everything that we would like to say here is to get packing supplies wherever you can for free – liquor stores are always a good idea if you don’t have anything too fragile. For the rest of the boxes, you can get them separately and for the fragile belongings buy quality packing supplies. On the other hand, you should start packing in time so you don’t greet your local movers with a half-packed home. Packing will determine if your moving is going to be a smooth or stressful experience.
- Schedule disconnect and connect times
Call your cable, internet, electricity and gas providers in order to shut everything off that needs to be. Make sure to return any items that should be returned – cords, remotes, cable boxes. On the other hand, make sure to set your utilities in your new home early. Don’t forget to change your address because you don’t want to realize that the reason why your Amazon Prime shipment hasn’t arrived yet is because you haven’t changed the address.
- Call in for favors early (babysitter, pet sitter etc.)
If you want your family and friends to help with taking care of your little ones, make sure to notice them early so they can make plans as well. Moving site is definitely not the place for your kids or pets because it might be dangerous.
- Stop buying groceries a week before you move out
The reason you should do this is to save yourself the guilt of throwing away perfectly decent food. Try to make meals at home to use your food leftovers or just throw a goodbye party at your home where you will make food for your friends.
- Take pictures of your electronics
Before you take your electronics apart and pack them up take a few pictures of the back of your electronic devices. Having these pictures will make your life easier to set up your electronics back.
- Make copies of important papers
Everything valuable or irreplaceable should be packed in a separate box. When it comes to important documents, you should make a copy in case of an emergency. Though it might be a tedious project to scan or copy every birth certificate, passport, social security card, proof of insurance paper, and tax claim, you don’t want to risk damaging the only version of your papers in transit. They’re too precious.
- Do a walkthrough before leaving your old home
Before leaving your old home for good, make sure to check if your movers loaded everything in the moving truck. Also, once they finish unloading see if something is left behind in the moving truck, just in case. It is much easier to spend a few minutes extra checking than having to search for the lost item for days and weeks.