7 Local Moving Tips You Should Know
Planning a local move?
Moving is exciting but also a stressful time. The transition of a new home requires work, planning, and patience. While a local move is an easier task to tackle, you still need to get organized and do things right.
Read on for seven local moving tips to help make your move a success.
1. Declutter
Before you do anything, take stock of what you have and, more importantly, what you can get rid of.
It's essential to tackle this step before you do anything else. Why pack and unpack items you don't want to keep?
Go room by room and do a major cleanse. Separate unwanted items into categories for discarding, donating, and selling. This may seem like an extra step you don't have time to take, but the process of decluttering will make the transition much easier!
2. Prepare Your Packing Materials
Once you've removed items you no longer need or want, you can really assess what will be coming with you and what materials you'll need to make that happen.
You may be under the impression that because you're move is local, and you don't need to pack with the same care. Remember that items are still likely going in a truck and traveling, making them susceptible to damage.
Get plenty of sturdy boxes, packing paper, and bubble wrap. Wardrobe boxes will make the transition of your closets a breeze and are available from your moving company.
3. Conquer One Room at a Time
If you start in advance, you can tackle one room at a time and not feel like you need to throw everything into a box in one day.
Start with the rooms or areas of the home that have items you don't need regularly. Pack up things like holiday decorations or seasonal clothing.
Save the kitchen and bathrooms for last, packing them the day before.
4. Label Clearly
Label all boxes clearly on each side so that you and your movers can understand them.
One way to avoid this is to label the boxes with numbers and put signs up in each room with those corresponding numbers.
5. Transfer Utilities
This is sometimes overlooked in the chaos of the move itself. You can plan to transfer your utilities well in advance.
Call each company or contact them online and give them the date you want your new service to end and your new one to begin.
To be safe, have your utilities at the new place turned on a day or two before moving day to make sure you don't arrive at your new place with no electricity.
6. Pick the Best Date
Save time and money by booking your move on off days. Generally, September through April is a slower season, and movers are likely to have more availability during this window.
Also, avoiding weekends, holidays, and the 1st and 15th of the month.
These are usually the most popular days to move, and rates can be higher than usual.
7. Vet Your Moving Company
A bad company can make your moving day a real headache.
Before you hire, do your research. If you can get a direct referral from friends or family, go with that. Otherwise, go online and read reviews from other customers and make sure they check all the boxes you're looking for in the ideal mover.
Make Local Moving a Breeze
With the tips above, local moving can be smooth and easy.
Just because you aren't moving far doesn't mean you should forgo some of the key moving protocol that can guarantee a successful transition.
Give yourself time to prepare, stay organized, and keep your belongings safe.
Contact us for help with your next move, and be sure to check out the rest of our blog for more tips.
