Get a Head Start: Plan Your Move Early
Are you embarking on a substantial move in the near future? Whether you're traveling across the state or across the country, moving a long distance is never easy. While moving somewhere new is always an exciting experience, it is also one fraught with situations that have the potential to lead to a great deal of stress. Luckily, getting through a move smoothly isn't actually that difficult. The key to making your move a successful one is simply to plan ahead and then stick closely to the plan that you create.
It's Never Too Soon to Plan
Too many people wait until the weeks or even days before their move to begin making major decisions. While this can sometimes work out just fine, it all too often creates unnecessary stress and can lead to lost items or exorbitant moving costs. Even if your move is still months away, it is not too soon to begin following the advice in this article. Planning early will give you plenty of time to anticipate potential problems. Not only that, but it can also save you money by allowing you to shop around for the best moving services and supplies.
When Should You Choose a Mover?
Right away! Scheduling a mover at the last minute will generally lead to exceptionally high costs, and many moving companies simply won't book last-minute clients at all. If you know the date that you will be moving, then it's already time to start shopping around for moving companies. As you call up companies to discuss the details of your move, be sure to ask about their minimum booking. In many cases, movers will prefer you to place a definite booking 8 weeks prior to your move, though it can be as few as 2 weeks prior if you are moving only a short distance. For long-distance moves, expect most movers to require a minimum of 8 weeks' notice.
Start Making Lists
Even before packing begins, it's time to start making lists of everything that you will be bringing with you to your new home. Are you going to sell or donate items that you don't intend to keep? If so, be sure to make lists of those as well. You don't need to detail every single paperclip and pen in your home, but making reasonably complete inventory will both help you to get everything packed up and make it easier to decide what to keep and what to throw away. Once you have your list in place, use it to begin determining and purchasing the packing supplies that you will need.
Create a Plan of Attack
You've hired your mover, you've made some rough lists of everything that you will be taking with you, and you've purchased your supplies. What's next? Coming up with a plan to tackle the actual job of packing! The reality of moving is that you will often still be living in your house up until the day of the move, so that means packing strategically. This means starting with items that you can live without and working your way up to the essentials. Create a room-by-room plan so that you can have everything ready to go by moving day without your home being a desolate wasteland in the final weeks before the move.
If you are able to create your plan early, follow it, and adapt to unforeseen circumstances as they come up, you will be guaranteed to have a smooth and uneventful move. Call a long-distance moving company today for more information.