Relocating to a new property requires a significant amount of work outside of packing up your personal belongings. It's important to stay organized and create a checklist of specific tasks to complete to ensure that everything goes smoothly. Before you begin to pack your boxes, there are a few important steps to take.
Choose a Moving Company
The moving company that you choose will determine when your personal belongings are transported and how much the services will cost. Hire a company in the local area that hires workers who have passed a background check and have received proper training. Ask if they'll provide any of the materials and the estimated timeframe on how long it will take to transfer the belongings. You'll also want to get an estimate in writing from different companies to compare prices. Stewart Moving and Storage recommends asking for a not-to-exceed contract from the moving company to protect you from price gouging. A not-to-exceed contract puts a limit on how much a moving company can charge you for the actual services rendered.
Forward Your Mail
Contact the post office to have all of your mail and packages forwarded to your new address until you update your address on each of your accounts. This will prevent losing any mail that is sent to you as you change residences.
Organize School Records
Many people fail to transfer their children's school records ahead of time, which can cause different complications when moving. Visit your child's current school and request for their records to be sent to your new school district as soon as possible.
Purge Your Belongings
Make it a point to purge your belongings before packing everything up to ensure that you don't take up extra space in the boxes. Go through each room of the home and discard or sell electronics, clothing, and home decor that you haven't used in the last year. Hold a garage sale or donate the items, which will allow you to transport fewer boxes during the move.
Take Measurements
Measure the dimensions of each room of your new home to ensure that your furniture items will fit well. You can also measure the doorways to ensure that your mattress, refrigerator, or dresser will fit. This will allow you to sell any items that won't work in the new home and order new furniture pieces that are more appropriate for the size of the property.
Although it can take several weeks to begin packing up your home during a move, there are still a number of steps to take before it's time to load up your items. By planning ahead of time and preparing well, you can enjoy a smooth and successful process that is more organized.