With as much as 25% of the U.S. adult population moving or considering a move amid the current national climate, relocating is a timely topic and has taken center stage in a lot of people’s minds. Whether you’re 18 or 80, own a little or a lot, or are moving near or far, moving is known to be a stressful life event. But there are steps you can take to reduce the stress and professionals you can call to ease your load.
When things are complex, make them simpler. When something feels overwhelming, make it manageable. The following tips are exactly that—simple and manageable—so that you can start your move off on the best foot possible, with an eye toward keeping the whole process running smoothly and successfully.
Tips to Start Your Move Off Right
Tip #1: Pick an Advantageous Date. Having a set date on the calendar is the single-most important factor in launching a low-stress move. Try to find a date that’s beneficial for both you and your moving company. You want it to fit nicely into your schedule—not too soon or too late, not conflicting with any work or family commitments, and not interfering with any holiday or travel plans—but you also want to take advantage of a moving company’s slower days of the week or slower times of the year so you can get the most personalized attention and the most affordable pricing. Call around to learn about cost and availability differences at different times.
Tip #2: Schedule Backward from Your Moving Date. Once you’ve settled on a date, you can stay organized, on track, and on budget by allowing yourself enough time to proceed through all the moving tasks in orderly, efficient, and feasible time chunks. Map out your schedule ahead of time: how much time you’ll need to separate what’s coming with you from what you’ll donate or dump, what rooms/items to pack in what order, when to shop for moving supplies, what day you’ll need help to disassemble your entertainment unit, when to start in on pre-moving cleaning, when to schedule your utility shutoffs.
Tip #3: Get At Least Three Box Sizes. One size does not fit all, especially when it comes to moving boxes. Gather as large a variety as you can—from grocery stores, liquor stores, retailers, friends and family—so that heavier items (like books) can be packed in sturdy boxes no larger than one armload, so that small items (like costume jewelry and figurines) don’t get lost and squashed in huge piles in massive boxes, and so that larger items that need to be boxed (like table lamps or floor vases) can comfortably fit without parts jutting out that could get damaged during the move. Acquire what you can for free (neighborhood networking websites are a good place to look), purchase the rest.
Tip #4: Safer Material for the Safety of Your Possessions. Think outside the box—literally! Sure, standard cardboard boxes will work for the majority of your goods, but plastic, wood, and metal containers are great options when it comes to fragile items like electronics, glass, china, and heirlooms. Such materials won’t bend, pucker, or collapse under weight the way cardboard can. But there are also specially made heavy-duty boxes for things like dishes, mirrors, artwork, and clothes that you can purchase at hardware stores or through your moving company.
Tip #5: Don’t Forget Packing Material. It’s not just what goes in your boxes that matters, it’s also what goes around your items, protecting and stabilizing them. Styrofoam peanuts, shredded paper, newsprint, packing foam, rolls of plastic and tissue paper, bubble wrap, dish dividers–use ’em all so that there’s no loose space left in your packed and taped boxes.
Tip #6: Cleary Label Everything. Clearly labeling and tagging your bundles and boxes just might be the most critical step in a stress-free move. Make sure your labels are large, legible, easy to understand, and won’t peel off or wash off when wet. Not only will it help you immensely to keep track of your belongings, to know what goes into which rooms, and to be able to quickly find what you’re looking for once you’re in your new place, but labeling also helps your movers know what they’re carrying, how to stack/pack it on the truck, how much special care should be taken with fragile or unruly items. Take the time to mark up each and every box, and it’ll save you untold time in the long run.
Looking for a skilled, reliable, and trustworthy moving company to take things from here? Look no further than BB&D Moving Services to help you with all your organizing, packing, storage, and moving needs: 301-573-5447 (MD) | 571-375-2826 (VA) | 786-390-4040 (FL) | bbdmoving.com/