Moving from one house to another is always a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Here are some simple tips on how to do it with minimal stress and strain.
- Look at all the alternatives: hire a moving company, for example, versus renting a truck and doing it yourself. Whichever alternative makes the most sense for you, get bids from more than one provider.
- A few days before the mover is scheduled to arrive or the rental truck is scheduled to be picked up, call to confirm that everything is on track as scheduled.
- Prepare your change of address cards ahead of time and mail them as soon as appropriate. The post office, utilities, companies and people you do business with, the city hall, friends, family members all need to be notified of your move.
- Start packing early by first concentrating on items you rarely use. Each box should have its contents and the room to which those contents belong clearly written.
- Take a close look at the things you rarely or never use and throw out as many as you can. The more you pull, the less you will have to move. Every item you throw away is one less item to clutter up your new home.
- Use your extra towels and sheets to protect breakables. When your supply of these things runs low, crumpled newspaper is a great substitute. Write “Fragile” in all applicable boxes.
- Keep your valuables (such as jewelry) and important documents (birth certificates, car titles, etc.) aside in a safe place where they won’t get lost.
- When the house is empty, return for a thorough final inspection. Check closets, crawl spaces, basements, attics, out-of-the-way corners, and cracks of all kinds. Have a second person do the same inspection separately.
- Thoroughly clean your new home before you move in. It’s infinitely easier that way.
- Decide in advance where you want the heavy furniture. Changing your mind after the movers have left is no fun, especially for your back!
- Locate all fuses, circuit breakers, and water/gas and electrical valves. Record meter readings and check smoke detectors.
- List phone numbers for local police and fire stations, doctors, nearby hospitals, etc. Post a copy of your list near each phone.
Above all, plan, plan, plan and plan some more. Make a schedule you can live with, and then stick to it. Preparation and foresight will help you keep everything under control and finish the move with your sanity and nervous system intact.