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Image: Weston Moving & Storage
Moving from one house to a new one can be so exciting. But it’s also one of the most stressful experiences. From finding a new home, uprooting your life, and saying good-bye to friends and family. There are a lot of emotions happening in a big move. That’s why we wanted to share our moving plan and how we managed to unpack all of our boxes without going crazy!
This week we unpacked our last box from our big move into our new farmhouse. It feels like we are all settled in. But the stress from moving from Seattle, Washington to Maryland was enormous! Thankfully we hired some great movers and all went well. Since we built our house, we had to move twice! We moved into a temporary rental townhouse while we waited for our home to be completed. So twice the moving and lots of wondering where exactly we left things.
Thankfully we loved our real estate agents in both states and they were fantastic for helping our moves go smoothly. So a shout out to Stacy Hecht in Seattle and Richard Waxman in Baltimore, Maryland for not only helping us sell and buy our dream houses, but they also helped make sure our big cross country move went great!
Make A Plan
Moving has a lot of working pieces that all have to come together to form a great plan. It’s hard to keep all of the notes and ideas in your head. Grab a pad of paper and make a plan for your move. Keep a list of significant phone numbers, the address of where you are going, and plan out your budget and how you are going to keep to it.
It’s also helpful to keep a folder for all of your receipts, estimates, essential documents, and an inventory of what you are moving.
A detailed plan helps you to stay clear-headed when it is time to do the hard work. Trust me, when things start moving quickly, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and even scared.
What’s your budget? How will you move your cars and pets? Are you moving into a temporary home first?
Make sure you have the moving company’s contact information with you in your moving folder.
Do you need to move your business too?
Before moving, it’s time to lighten up.
Before you pack one box, find a moving company, or tell your friends you’ll pay them in pizza for helping you move, it’s time to purge.
Go from room to room and be honest with yourself what you really need and want to take with you to your new life in your new home. This is how you will declutter your life and your new home. Think about what you really want to box, lift, and put away in your new home. This is the time to get rid of anything broken, stained, unwanted, or won’t fit into your new life.
Donate unwanted goods to charity. The Purple Heart will even come and pick them up! Gather up canned and boxed food and donate it to your local food banks.
What you need to know about getting moving quotes.
If you are hiring movers, you will need to get quotes. We suggest getting at least three different quotes from moving companies. They will need to come and do an in-home assessment of how much stuff you have, how many stairs, and the distance you are moving. This is also why we suggest purging everything you can BEFORE getting quotes. Don’t pay to move junk!
Keep in mind that certain times of the year, like June, are big moving times. You should reserve your movers with plenty of time to get you on the schedule.
Do your homework! Research which companies work with the U.S. Department of Transportation. Check with the Better Business Bureau regarding the mover. There are a lot of scams that happen with movers. Ask friends and family for recommendations. Don’t get your stuff held hostage!
You will want to pack some boxes on your own.
Even if you are hiring packers to move you, or moving everything on your own. You should pack a few things on your own. These include:
- Personal items like jewelry, keepsakes, baby books, and important files should be packed and moved with YOU. Don’t rely on the movers to take these boxes.
- Fragile items and heirlooms- you want to make sure these are packed with utmost care.
- Items you will want to unpack first- dishes, pet supplies, toys, etc.
You also want to disconnect all computers and back them up on the Cloud.
Take photos of any high-ticket items. Note any existing scratches, dings, or damage to your furniture.
Prepare yourself, your pets, and your family for the big move.
Even if you are just moving down the street, moving is stressful for everyone. There is a change in schedule, new environments, and for a while, nothing is where it belongs. Planning ahead, playing music, and planning a few fun breaks can make the day go smoother.
2 weeks before moving day, make sure the kids and pets have been checked by their doctors and have their shots current. If flying, pets need to be seen by the vet a week before the flight to make sure they are healthy enough for the flight. The vet will write a letter stating they are fit to fly.
Pets can easily get frightened during the big move. Plan to take them to a friend’s house or kennel the day of the move to ensure they don’t run away and get lost.
Note: You can not move flammable items like gas cans, fuel for the BBQ, tiki torches, ect. Ask friends if they would like them and share the love!
Pack a suitcase for everyone with the essential you will need for the first week. Don’t forget your toothbrush and favorite book!
No packing should be done on the day of the move. If you hire packers, they will come a day or two before moving day.
On moving day, you must be there to make sure it all goes well.
It might surprise you how many people think that they can hire a moving company and leave it all up to them. But there are a lot of questions that must be answered and things that must be done on-site the day of the move. If you’re looking for a quality moving company, Weston Moving & Storage is the company you want to accompany you every step of the way. This commercial moving company in Broward County, is there to help keep costly damages to a minimum and hiring a reputable local moving service for your business ensures everything is managed in an organized manner to not only help you but others as well! YOu can rely on them to help move your office from the metropolitan area and surrounding ares as well as making getting back to work quickly and efficient.
Their office mover provides fast services at affordable prices that you can feel good about. We always have donuts and coffee for early movers and order pizza for delivery for the afternoon. Don’t forget paper plates and napkins. Before the truck leaves, do a walk through to make sure nothing has been left behind. This is also when you should give them their tips.
Tips for unloading in your new home.
In your new home, tape names to doors to assist movers; map out the floor layout so movers know what’s going where; finally, prepare your new home for moving to prevent any damage.
You want to make sure you are there while they are unloading. There will be a lot of questions of where things go. You also want to make sure items are not damaged, check the inventory list, and you will need to sign any documents. Tackle some of the fun projects first, like hanging your favorite pictures, setting up the bed and exploring. Moving can stink, but when you plan ahead and have help, it sucks a little less. I hope we helped you find some tips for your big move.
