Are you preparing for a big move? Whether you’re moving down the street, out of state, or even to a new country, there are stressful moments in every move.
Before you pack your things, follow these 5 steps to make the process easier. How you prepare for a move can determine if you’ll have a stressful or smooth move, so do yourself a favor and start your moving preparation now.
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Minimize Your Things Before You Pack
It’s tempting to wait until you’re packing to purge your belongings, but the whole process will go smoother if you start earlier. Instead of having one long and an overwhelming weekend where you go through all of your stuff and decide what to take with you, what to sell, and what to give away, take it one room at a time.
Start a few weeks before you move and commit to spending a few evenings after work going room by room and minimizing. List your things to sell immediately, or drive them to the closest donation drop-off center as soon as you can. The more things you clear out of your house before you move, the quicker packing will go.
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Change Your Address and Forward Your Mail
There are several agencies you’ll need to notify that you have a new address. It can be a tedious process, so the earlier you start, the better. First, ask the post office to forward your mail to your new address. You can do this in person or online.
Even though your mail is being forwarded, you should still change your address as soon as possible at the bank, the utility company, and the IRS. You will also need to change your voter registration and apply for a new driver’s license.
Finally, change any magazine subscriptions and other bills, and inform your doctor and pharmacy about your new address.
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Save Your Boxes
A few months before you move, start saving any boxes you get from deliveries so you can reuse them. You can also get boxes from your local grocery stores, and liquor stores have boxes with protective dividers for glassware. Finally, ask friends and family for any boxes or plastic tubs you can use. Compiling all of your moving supplies beforehand will make the moving weekend much less stressful.
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Start Packing
We all have things we don’t use all the time, so start packing those things early to get them out of the way. You probably aren’t going to host a fancy dinner party before you move, so pack up your serving sets and other kitchenware that you won’t need until you’re settled in your new home.
Other things your can pack early are holiday decorations, out of season clothes, extra linens, knick-knacks, and books.
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Hire Movers
Anyone who’s hired movers before will tell you that it was the best decision they made for their move.
Using professional movers ensures that your furniture and fragile things are protected, and you save yourself a lot of grunt work! Companies like Advanced Moving make the whole day easier and go way faster than if you were doing it yourself.
Prepare for a Move Early
Again, how you prepare for a move in the months and weeks ahead of it will determine how your moving day actually goes. Nothing is worse than a hectic last-minute move, so use these moving tips to get ahead of the curve.
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