7 Things You Must Do for a Good Move

Moving is tough. And while we don’t always like doing it, it’s a normal life event. You accept a new job in a new city and you need to relocate. Families grow and need more space. Children grow up and the house suddenly feels too big. You decide you’re ready for retirement living.

There are hundreds of reasons that make moving a reality – so embrace it and do it right. My passion is to help people make their best move, and I’ve seen thousands of moves over the years. To help you get started on your own transition, here are 7 things you must do to make your move easier.

1. Take time to plan. Look at your calendar. Get a notebook and start writing down all the things that need to happen before the move. Work backwards from your move date. Create a system with task lists for getting things done room by room. People never give themselves the proper amount of time to plan and prepare for their move.
2. Assess your volume and density level. Yes, you read it right – volume and density level. Hard to accept that your life’s possessions are measured in the form of density, isn’t it? Sad but true. The energy, time and cost to move are all based on how much there is to move. The more you have, the longer it will take to get ready.
3. Don’t move what you don’t need or want! This is your chance for a clean start. Get through those paper piles, cull your closet, discard the excess, have your kids give up those extra toys, and so on. Your relocation costs are based on how much you move, so get rid of all the donation and disposal items before you move.
4. Decide who is doing what. Do you need help? Can you enlist family members? Or could you benefit from a Move Management Company? Who will do the packing? If you’re doing your own packing, you need to give yourself ample time to get it done right.
5. Get your moving estimates early. Talk to friends and do your research for moving company referrals. A word of caution: do not book your move on the Internet. Instead, contact a reputable moving company that has the proper operating credentials. Have them do a physical survey and provide you with a written estimate. You should get three estimates before making a final decision.
6. Know where you’re going? Work on your space and furniture plans so you know where things are to be placed at your new residence. Movers like to move things once, so take the time to think about where all your things will go and make a plan. It will save everyone time and frustration on the other end of your move if you think ahead now.
7. You can’t be too organized. Get like things together and eliminate the duplicates or triplicates. Pack and label your possessions so that they are easy to unpack. Label them for where they are going so the movers will place in the correct room.

Take the NextStep

Have you recently prepared for a big move? What lessons did you take away? Share your experience with us in the comments.