There is a reason why they say that moving to a new house is one of the most exhausting and stress-inducing things you can do in life. Yet with a few clever tricks up your sleeve, you can turn a stressful event into a seamless operation. From simple tips to genius hacks, we’ve sought out solutions to some of the common mistakes people make when moving home.
Here are some tips for packing and moving everything while not breaking the bank, your fragile lamp, or your back.
1. Make a moving checklist
A moving checklist will make sure you stay on track. Before you tackle any of your essential items & pack your 1st box, write a transparent plan of action for every room. This won’t solely help you get a thought of the packing materials you’ll need, but it shows you precisely what proportion of work is required.
This then provides you with lots of information to rope in professional declutterers so you can remove the little things out of the way and get prepared for moving day.
When you move home, you inevitably have 600 different things to do and remember. Don’t let all of these tasks and essential reminders slip by you, no matter how obvious.
Take your organization one step further and spend an evening recording everything you need to do.
Here are some things to remember before you move
- Do not take clutter with you. As Idinia Menzel from Disney’s Frozen would say “LET IT GO!”
- Make a donation pile for any clothes and items you don’t want to take with you
- In the 2-3 weeks before your move, plan your meals around frozen food, perishable items, or half-open containers you have in the kitchen and refrigerator.
- Get an oversized calendar and mark the blank white boxes with important daily tasks to prepare for your move.
2. Clear everything before packing and movers begin
Ok, maybe not everything, but the more unused and useless items you eliminate from your home, the less you will have to pack, transport through the city, unload, and organize. As certified professional movers, Star Moving Solutions recommend clearing any clutter in your home as soon as you know you will move. Be ruthless with your things. This coat you think is cute, but you haven’t worn it in six months… Donate it. The very first coffee machine you have ever bought that adds small pieces of rust to your morning brew? Trash can. Making a massive pre-purge will have the most significant impact on your entire packaging process’s efficiency and ease. Go through your things before you pack to make your mind up about the items you’ll keep and which you’ll get rid of.
Having a sale is often a terrific means of lightening the moving load, whereas creating cash flow simultaneously. If you’re not haggling with the public, simply give your quality used things to Goodwill and take the tax write-off. We offer decluttering services if this is something that would take too much of your time.
3. Find the best professional moving company near you
Research isn’t fun. Yelp and Google can overwhelm you with the sheer volume of selections for moving companies to hire; however, don’t surrender to the pressure and pick the first or cheapest company you see.
A moving company will usually build or break your entire moving experience; thus, it’s vital to do it right. The more effort you set into finding a respectable moving company with excellent client service, the less trouble you’ll have on moving day.
Star Moving Solutions recommends double-checking that the removal company you would like to rent is licensed with the state you’re in.
Thousands of people claim to be a ‘moving company’ when the truth is that it’s just some random guy with a van attempting to make additional money.
Make sure to browse the company’s list of
- Services
- fine print
- refund & injury policies too
For example, we’re members of some of the largest and trusted moving companies in the world. Such as Arpin Van lines, PAIMA, IACMA, and many more.
The amount of work professional movers can take off your plate during this stressful time could well be worth the added value cost. Hiring professional movers like us can be an excellent experience. We encourage you to ask questions before completing your contract. It’s important to us here at Star Moving Solutions that you do so. The due diligence will give you peace of mind as the moving day approaches.
4. Notify appropriate personnel that you are moving
It’s often easy to forget to inform relevant people and businesses about your next move and change of address. No need to worry; here is who to tell before you move.
- Let your friends and family know that you are moving
Be sure to share with your family and friends the great news. They’re going to be just as excited as you are, and they’re probably going to offer help in any way they can.
- Don’t forget the post office
To avoid any troubles or inconveniences along with your mail, confirm you notify the USPS Office of your new address. Visit the closest post office or fill out a change of address form online. You’ll be able even to have your mail forwarded to your new address for one year after your progress.
- Contact your utility companies
Let your utility providers know you are moving ahead of time. That will help you avoid experiencing past-due bills and service lapses. Tell your utility providers when your moving day is so that the utilities are disconnected then reconnected at your new home. You wouldn’t want to successfully move to your new residence only to have to begin stressing about your basic human needs such as water, electricity, etc.
Utilities Include:
- Cable
- Internet
- Phone Service
- Gas
- Water
- Electric
- Trash
Update your billing information on your credit cards
Before or right after you move, call your credit card companies or go online and update your address for each card. After logging in, look for the change of address section on your account page. You will be grateful later when you know the correct postcode for each credit card has been appropriately updated when buying.
5. Make your move environmentally friendly
Because you are moving someplace new does not mean you need to unleash your wrath on Mother Nature. In case you are on the lookout for eco-friendly options in contrast to non-eco-friendly materials, there is a decent possibility you may already own some of the packing essentials you need.
“We enthusiastically recommend using reusable materials such as plastic compartments, spare blankets for fragile items, etc… to move your things,” says Jimmy Re, CEO of Star.
This may seem minimal, but it does a lot to help protect our ecosystem. Some people are falsely led to believe it may cause damage, but it actually gets the job done exceptionally.
Bubble Wrap Usage
As indicated by some moving specialists, your packing materials will generally depend on the container you are using, not the things you’re packing. In any case, if you are hoping to give your delicate personal items some additional padding, bubble wrap is consistent & a predictable crowd-pleaser.
Packing Paper Tips
Minimizing the use of paper non-biodegradable packing paper matters. If possible, eliminate its use. Believe it or not, pressing paper (or unprinted newsprint) is a top pick among expert moving companies. Did you know (Packing paper is used even more than bubble wrap amongst the pros?)
Packing paper is not only shiftable to match the items being packed. Another advantage is that the paper can be layered, giving more protection to the packed items.
From the outset, filling your cardboard boxes with a lot of paper does not appear as safe as, say, bubble wrap or packing peanuts. So how would you use pressing paper? The key, as per Star moving experts, is getting the pat-down strategy accurately.
An ample amount of new print goes far, and the best tip for utilizing this paper is to wrap them in layers and guarantee your boxes/containers don’t have dead space. Ball up newsprint to occupy void spaces in your container. The fewer things can shake around, the safer they will be.
Now that you know some of the tricks to an eco-friendly move let’s get into some of the details about protecting your move.
6. Check for moving insurance and protection
All moving companies must assume responsibility for the value of the goods they carry. However, there are two different levels of responsibility. You must be aware of the applicable fees and the amount of protection provided by each level.
Full (replacement) value Protection:
This is the most complete plan available for the protection of your goods. With this plan, whenever an item is lost, destroyed, or damaged during the custody of your mover, the plan has the possibility to:
- Repair the item to the extent necessary to put it back in the same condition as when it was received by your moving company or pay you for the cost of repairs.
- Replace the item with a similar kind and quality item or pay you for the cost of replacement.
Under this option, movers are allowed to limit their liability for loss or damage to items of exceptional value unless you declare these items on shipping documents. A unique value item is any item whose value exceeds $100 per pound (for example, jewelry, silverware, china, fur, antiques, carpets, and electronics). Ask your mover for a complete explanation of this limit before moving. It is your responsibility to carefully study this provision and make the necessary statement.
Other levels of liability (Limited Liability/ $0.60/pound) :
This free option is the most economical protection available, but it provides only minimal protection. According to this option, the mover assumes responsibility for no more than 60 cents per book, per item. Loss or damage claims are settled according to the weight of the book of the item multiplied by 60 cents. For example, if a 10-pound stereo component worth $1,000 has been lost or destroyed, the carrier will only be responsible for $6 (10 pounds x 60 cents). There are no additional fees for this minimum protection, but you must sign a specific bill of lading statement that agrees to do so. If you do not select this level of replacement liability, your shipment will be transported to the full level (replacement) of the liability value and you will be assessed for the applicable assessment fees.
7. Last-minute moving tips
Having plenty of time to plan, prep, and execute your move is excellent. However, it does not always pan out like that. Follow these moving tips if you are in a hurry.
Start with logistics.
Work out how you are getting from point A to point B before doing the rest. You can wing lots of things with moving, but not this.
Pack now and sort afterward.
Now is the time to pack, not think. Pay attention to wrap valuables, breakables, and sharp things carefully, but don’t put weight on yourself to organize or name your boxes—you’ll figure it all out afterward when you’re not on a tight deadline.
Leave a few errands to the movers.
On the off chance that you’re working with a moving company, you can offload a few of the chores to them, such as wrapping up furniture and getting last-minute into boxes. Just be aware that this may add some time, and hence a bit more cash, to your last bill.
Unpacking
You’ve at long last arrived, but there’s still more to be done. Here is how to halt procrastinating and speed up the unloading process.
Begin with the kitchen. Getting the kitchen done first will provide you an enormous sense of achievement right off the bat and allow you to center on the easier-to-unpack rooms entirely.
Give yourself a due date. Plan a housewarming party or a more casual get-together for a couple of weeks after your move to provide yourself with a set completion date for having all of your unloading done.
Put on a few tunes
Music makes everything way better. Skip the TV (it’ll just be a distraction from what matters) and put on a few great tunes to engage yourself while unpacking and give a much-needed diversion from the dullness.
Do a small bit at a time
Do not stretch yourself out thin by attempting to get every single box unloaded right away. Get the major things done, and after that, focus on doing what you’ll be able to as you can. You are committing just ten or fifteen minutes at a time to unpacking, rather than feeling like you need to spend hours on it. It will all get done in the long run.
Give yourself no choice
Feeling a bit twisted? Empty out a box worth of stuff onto your bed or in your bath, so you merely have no choice but to clear it all out and put everything away in the event that you need to utilize your space.
Get freed of boxes as you empty them
As soon as a box is cleared of all its things, break it down, reuse it, or recycle it. This will deliver you a physical marker of progress and clear up much-needed space in your new modern and beautiful home.
Have a food plan
Let’s get genuine here: you’re not planning to be cooking while also settling in and unpacking. Give yourself the blessing of guilt-free takeout so you’ll be able to focus more on everything else that has to get done.
Moving tips & hacks are all about making things a fair bit simpler on yourself. Follow the ones above, and you’ll take note that, this time around, maybe, just maybe, your move isn’t quite as awful as you anticipated it to be.