Moving is exciting, but let’s be real—it can also be a total nightmare if you’re not prepared.
Between packing endless boxes, dealing with movers (or doing it all yourself), and realizing you own way too much random stuff, the chaos is real. Whether you’re hiring house removals or going full DIY, a little planning can save you stress, time, and money.
Ready to ditch the stress and move like a pro? Let’s get into more detail.
Pre-move planning
It’s never too early to start planning if you know it’s coming. Whether you are preparing for a move a year or month in advance, focusing on reducing costs and spreading out the energy and expenditure is the hack.
While you can significantly drop your costs by doing everything yourself if you can afford professional house movers it will save you the stress. Here are some steps on how to go about your planning:
Decluttering
While the moving process in itself is stressful enough, you only make it worse if you want to pack everything you have ever owned.
Sometimes decluttering a good amount of the items beforehand will save you a lot of stress.
Think about the new place, does it have ample space for some of your items, would you rather get rid of some stuff or get new ones later on? Some of the top items people get rid of are fabrics, books they will never read, shoes, dishes, school supplies, art, finished puzzles or board games, and much more.
Start decluttering wells prior by donating books to local libraries, jigsaw puzzles to retirement communities, or giving away fabrics and clothing to local NGOs dealing with homeless shelters.
You’ll be surprised how you end up saving yourself several boxes worth of storage boxes that would only add to the work when moving.
Create a checklist
Approaching the issue with a guiding document ensures you get everything done systematically and in order of urgency. You can have a spreadsheet with all the things you need to do or download a template online.
Some of the common things that appear in checklists are:
- Changing or deleting the old addresses of places you want to ship items to. This can be the post office, credit cards, and banks.
- Empty out safe deposit boxes if you have them,
- Look for nearby moving companies while conducting due diligence to get the right ones
- Decide on what belongings you are planning to take
- Declutter and sell off items in the old location
- Begin packing items in order of priority and putting away the items you use commonly like cutlery last.
- Spend time with friends, family, and neighbors at the old location
- Get in contact with internet companies and set up utilities at the new location before moving in
Some tasks might not require a checklist, like slowing down on grocery shopping. Instead, focus on consuming the food you already have in the fridge and freezer.
Budgeting
Are you moving next summer or fall? Already have a checklist in place? The next thing you might want to look at is the cost of moving.
How you move from your current location to the next directly relates to the amount you will part with during relocation.
If you are just from college and are starting, you can look for jobs in the area and save up some money to get help from house removals.
Smart people always plan for a move way in advance. You can subsidize the cost by selling off your unwanted items in a yard sale, saving you the trouble of going off-pocket with overheads.
DIY
If you plan on doing it yourself there are several aspects to this.
Some people have the bandwidth to pack 2,000 square feet in a couple of days. In another scenario, a couple might spend a week packing up a 2,000-square-foot home, taking breaks to eat meals and buy packing materials.
DIY movers can look online for moveout guides with hacks that will make work easier and save on costs.
Professional movers
When in your 20s, you can always get help in packing or unloading from friends. However, as you approach your 30s it gets tougher to reach them as you get excuses, bad knees, back problems, and other endless reasons.
Similarly, beer and pizza are no longer the ultimate incentive. Meanwhile, you have also accumulated a lot more stuff. Meanwhile, you can now contact good moving companies. If you want to personally pack your possessions, the movers will provide everything in advance from tape guns, quality boxes, and bubble wraps.
On a moving day, the movers will use extra care to pack items that require special care in bubble wrap with special boxes and empty them at certain places.
Just remember movers are not cheap so have a clear budget plan before you reach out to them.
Choosing the right moving company
When picking a moving company, cheaper is not always better.
When moving, cutting costs on movers can backfire, as inexperienced or ill-equipped teams may cause significant damage to valuable items. Investing a little more in quality movers can save you from costly regrets and irreplaceable losses.
Check if the house movers have insurance for moving houses so your goods are covered from damage when relocating.
Packing like a pro
If you are packing yourself, you can check up on how possessions such as books, glassware, plates, linens, decor, and electronics are packed.
Moving companies also might have article or video guides on their websites to help people go about this. To keep costs economical, many people find it better to pack their stuff.
It can start modestly in the form of a few boxes every weekend so the entire exercise does not become overwhelming.
Packing supplies can be purchased cheaply or try using old newspapers, linens, towels and wine boxes. These boxes can be used for packing glassware, books, and dishes.
Moving companies charge a lot for packing material. If you can, stick to boxes of similar sizes and have them labeled on all four sides according to their contents inside. If you have more time on your hands to get creative you can color code them to help ease the unpacking process.
Get a spot in your house where you can pack your items.
If you have a spare room, use it, as looking at storage boxes huddled in your living room for months can drive you crazy.
Meanwhile, try not to buy consumables like soap or shampoo unless you have to. The fewer items to move around, the fewer chances of leaking.
Moving Day
Moving day is a big challenge that requires careful preparation and strategic execution to help with the transition.
Prepare the new and old house
It is expected there will be a lot of foot traffic, and movement of furniture and equipment can result in scratches accumulation of dirt, and dents. You can lay down cardboard or floor runners in areas of high traffic. The moving truck needs a parking space to unload so it might be necessary to book a spot to prevent delays.
Managing the movers
This is all about accurate communication and offering supervision. When the movers show up, walk them through your moving plan and highlight priority boxes and fragile items. Keep all the boxes labeled and share a printed floor plan for the new home to help streamline your unloading process.
Most movers run on scheduled timelines and will need guidance from the client on which boxes contain delicate items, glassware antiques, or electronics.
It is always advisable for people to transport irreplaceable items themselves to avoid cases of mishandling.
Loading and unloading strategies
Freely load large furniture and heavy appliances by placing them on the back of a truck for stability. Distribute this weight evenly to prevent shifts when transitioning. Always stack the lighter boxes on top of the sturdier, heavier ones to prevent the former from getting crushed.
When you lift heavy objects incorrectly, you can incur serious injury. Avoid this by using proper lifting techniques. That way you can bend your knees and remain with a straight back. Where you can use moving straps or dollies to distribute your weight evenly.
Final Walk-through and documentation
Before you lock up the old home do a final sweep. Go through every room, cabinet, closet, and storage space to ensure nothing important remains behind.
This could mean another trip or having it mailed, and it costs money. Expand your sweep to the basement, attic, or outdoor sheds.
Similarly, take images of the old and new home to protect yourself from any liability. Capture utility meter readings on gas, water, and electricity to get accurate bills. When renting, take images of pre-existing damage to prevent deposit deductions.
Conclusion: Finally settling in
Moving house to another location and finally settling in can be stressful. Usually, your movers will help unload but unpacking will depend on how you agreed on the contract.
For those who would rather save on cost, they should begin unpacking by starting with the items you need first.
Items like bedding, dishes, cutlery toiletries, and essentials. Most people start with kitchen stuff followed by bathroom necessities and bedroom items. Next, it would be smart to reconnect your Wi-Fi and TV and you have completed the basics.
Proceed to items like chairs, couches, tables, and bookshelves that are well set in the new home. If there are pets, have them set up in a safe space to decompress.
When you are eventually done unloading on day two, take a stroll around the neighborhood to familiarise yourself with the surroundings. Keep in mind that your neighborhood is your community and immediate support network outside of your house.
Finally, enjoy your new home and next chapter of your life!