Now that you’ve pulled the trigger on a new home or apartment, you’re faced with the daunting task of moving. 
Getting all your belongings from one place to another is no small feat, especially if you’ve spent years acquiring stuff. It can be a very stressful task, especially considering the reasons you have to move. It can also be very exciting as you enter into a new phase of life. Whatever your motivation, here are some important things to know about prepping for the big day.
Having a Plan
Not having a plan can be disastrous. Are you relocating within the same city, the other side of the world or somewhere between? You need to consider what’s coming with you to the new place. You also need to take stock of what items to get rid of. Are you moving to a bigger or smaller place? What do you need to coordinate? If you’re changing residences for employment reasons, is your new company funding all or part of it? Having a moving check list can take a lot of the stress out of the process as you can outline everything that needs to be done and work on each item progressively leading up to the big day.
Pricing a Move
Whether you’re paying on your own or having it fully or partially funded through other sources, you need to budget your move. You may be able to save serious money by doing the work yourself or with help from family and friends. You can also pay a moving company who will not only haul your items but can do the packing for you at a cost. You’ll also need to account for the cost of supplies and insurance to cover damage to certain items.
Cleaning and Purging
Changing residences is a great opportunity to get rid of things that you don’t need anymore. Throw away things that are clearly trash, but consider donating items that you’re not taking with you. A garage sale is a great way to get rid of things and earn a little money to help pay for the relocation. If you have items of value, you may consider selling them online also. If you’re moving out of an apartment or rental, your lease agreement may require you to clean the place. Completing a deep clean of the place may help you earn most or all of your security deposit back. This is also a great time to use up items in your refrigerator or freezer that you don’t want to take with you.
Changing Your Address
This probably goes without saying, but be intentional about changing your address. These days you can go online and register an address change with the post office. You can also leave a forwarding address for any mail items that are addressed to your old place. Register your change formally with banks, credit unions, credit card companies and utility companies. Update your family and friends with the new location also.
Coordinating Utilities
Depending on your timeframe, you’ll want to avoid paying for unnecessary utilities. Try to schedule your move so that you’re not paying to have service in two locations. If you’re staying with the same providers for electricity, gas, water, etc., you can usually coordinate this with the companies. Consider going without critical services for a few days such as internet or cable TV to avoid paying for overlapping service.
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Packing Essentials Separately
You can make detailed plans for a move and unforeseen issues cause a change in your plan. Consider packing a small bag and boxes with essentials for the new place. You might be planning to take your entire wardrobe, but what if there is a delay in shipping or an issue with the movers? Having several days of clothes, toiletries and other “must-haves” keeps you covered in the event that something doesn’t go according to plan.
Moving all your belongings and hauling them to a new place can be very stressful. Having a thorough plan with contingencies can reduce stress, even if you’re just going around the corner. There are many big factors and small details to consider and plan for. You don’t want to wait until the last minute, especially if you have a small window of time to complete the move.
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