You’ve bought a new house….now what?!? Your head is spinning a thousand miles a minute. Reality is setting in and deadlines are in place with closing dates. Moving can seem daunting, but we are here to help. In this blog post we have come up with 50 tips (and tricks) for moving AND packing. Hopefully this list can help put your mind to rest and give you the strategy you so desperately need to get out of your current home and into your new home.
Planning Phase
1. Plan ahead – it is never too early to get your plan together!
2. Prepare a budget – include costs for movers, packing supplies, travel arrangements, etc. and then add in 10% extra for unforeseen expenses
3. Organize yourself – whether you are a spreadsheet person, a list person or a sticky note person, decide on a system and keep with it throughout the move
4. Make a master moving folder with all of the necessary contact info for both ends of the move and master packing list for locating items when needed
5. Keep copies of all moving related contracts and receipts
6. Gather important records and documents including identification, birth certificates, passports, banking and medical records and store together in a lockbox in a safe place
7. Interview, review quotes and decide on whether you will be packing and moving yourself or hiring some/all out
8. Reserve your movers!
9. Notify schools of your upcoming move and register students at new school
10. Make arrangements for transfer of medical records and prescriptions to new location
11. File a change of address with the post office, insurance carrier, medical center, and banks
12. Arrange for the transfer or cancellation of utilities (change should be in effect on day of closing)
13. Make all travel and hotel reservation for you and your family if you are moving out of the area
14. Make a space plan for your new home to help you decide on how much you will need to take with you and how much you will need divest. Remember, you will be paying to move every item – why pay more than necessary?!
15. Moving is stressful for everyone. Arrange for childcare on moving day, but also consider playdates while you are packing, to keep children out of the home moving stress and give them added time with friends they may be leaving behind
16. Don’t forget your pets! Make arrangements for transporting them, but also for a pet sitter during the packing and on moving day
17. Meal plan to use up food in your refrigerator and cabinets to cut down on waste or moving efforts
Packing Phase
18. Pick up all moving supplies -blankets, boxes (multiple sizes), bubble wrap, packing tape, plastic wrap, mattress bags, etc.
19. Sort through one room at a time filling boxes to sell, donate, trash and pack. Leave out what is necessary to get you through until moving day, but make sure you have enough boxes for the last-minute items
20. Make a packing list for each box to include in your master folder
21. Select a color for each room of the house and label each box with a sticker or tape in that color. When you arrive at your new home, use the same colors to mark each room so that the movers can easily place each box in the appropriate room. Your packing lists should also be color coded for a smooth transition
22. Return any borrowed items that you uncover while packing
23. Collect any things that you lent out
24. Pack and mark special boxes that will be loaded onto the truck last and unloaded first that include items necessary for the first night in your new home
25. Look into transportation requirements and restrictions for houseplants. Gift those that cannot make the trip
26. Prepare a suitcase of personal items for each member of the household to take with them on the move. This can be their carry on luggage if traveling by plane
Downsizing
27. List items to sell on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. Give yourself enough time to get the word out and make the sale
28. Gift special items that you are unable to transport to friends and family. Arrange pick up or drop offs before your move
29. Reach out to thrift stores or charitable organizations to pick up donations.
30. Relist any unsold items on Freecycle or neighborhood gifting site
31. Drop off any remaining donations or gifts not picked up at a donation center
32. Make a trip to the local dump with any leftover items
33. Shred all sensitive paperwork needing disposal
34. Eat the food that you cannot pack and take with you
Moving Day
35. Be there to greet movers and oversee the entire loading process
36. Explain your organization system and point out your “load last” boxes
37. Specify any valuable items that need extra care in packing/moving
38. Remember that professional movers do this everyday and probably have better packing skills than you. That said, do let them know if you have concerns before any unfortunate occurrences
39. Supply drinks and food for the movers – they are working hard!
40. Clean out the refrigerator and leave empty. This goes for all of your appliances
41. Vacuum and wipe down everything in the house before leaving. Pack these cleaning items onto the truck last so that you are ready to repeat the process upon arriving at your new home
42. Do a final walk through to make sure nothing has been left behind
43. Turn off all lights, lock up and hand over keys to your real estate agent or landlord
First Night in New Home
44. Meet the movers at your new home
45. You should have already done a final walk through before closing, but this is a good time to double check all faucets, utilities, smoke detectors and security systems before moving everything in
46. Check off items as they are unloaded and photograph any damages before signing the bill of lading
47. Direct movers to place items in the proper rooms as per your color coded packing system
48. You should have available your personal carry-on case and first off of the truck moving boxes. These should include bedding for each person, pajamas, toiletries, towels, toilet paper, medications, first aid kit, pet food, litter box, leash and bowls, basic tools, lightbulbs, phone charger, flashlight, basic cleaning supplies, paper plates, cups, snacks, drinks and entertainment for the kids
49. Plan to eat out or order in food
50. Take a deep breath, take a photo or two and enjoy the first night of your new adventure!
Moving is stressful but planning ahead will definitely help ease the stress and give you a bit of structure to a very hectic process. Though we can’t magically take away all the pains of moving, hopefully these tips can start you on your way to a successful move and bring order to your chaos!