Relocating is stressful, period. You've got a ton of things to worry about: packing, labeling, cataloging, loading, moving, unloading, unpacking, and sorting – it is a rollercoaster ride. But you need to go through with it despite the challenges posed by the move. However, there are ways to cut down the stress levels and make your relocation efforts much smoother.
Whether you're moving from one apartment building to another or relocating your office, or changing houses; moving short-distance or across state lines (i.e. moving from San Francisco to Los Angeles), you can ease yourself through this challenge. All you need is a little planning, some strategizing, and that will be enough to take a massive load off your shoulders. Of course, you can make things simpler by seeking out professional packing services, but there are other considerations as well.
In this article, we’ve shared our top tips and recommendations to help you make your relocation easier:
Start With A Checklist & Budgeting The Whole Process
Checklists are a great way to get things done, especially if you add a timeline to the equation. You can prepare one for your move, break down the things to be done per day, and tick off the milestones as you achieve them. This is a perfect way to get things done fast.
Also, you need to set up a budget – not a fixed number but a range so that you can find packing and moving companies that offer their services for rates that you can afford. You need to know your spending limit before getting a quote, and based on the input you get, you’ll have to work a bit to lower the costs or not worry about it at all.
Either way, it works to your benefit.
Declutter Your House
You don’t need to move every single item in your house, there will be a ton of things you can get rid of before you relocate. The fewer items you have to move, the lower the costs and stress. Sell your unwanted effects on the internet, or in person, or just donate to a charity of your liking. This will help you lower the volume of your moveable items.
Also, most importantly, if you're yearning to buy a new table or some other furniture, put it on hold for the time being. Ideally, you should only get new stuff after you've moved. Once again, the idea is to keep your item volume to a manageable minimum.
Pack Efficiently & Organize The Packed Boxes
Get a hold onto a couple of boxes and start packing things up, but not randomly – you need to begin with the stuff you need the least, i.e. the items you use less frequently. Once you've packed these items, place the boxes in a clearing, preferably in the garage, so that you can easily transport them to the truck when it's time to move.
Also, try and load the boxes you packed first into the truck before the rest and then move on to loading the boxes you packed later. This way, when you unload the stuff, the items you need the most will be in your new house before the rest.
Use Labels & A Color Coding Scheme
You need to know what's inside every box and where it needs to go. Labeling can only help you so much, what you need is a color-coding scheme. Use specific colors for specific rooms in your new place, this way, the moving team won’t struggle with unloading the boxes.
Plus, it will also help you get things much faster than otherwise possible.
Labels are important, but for you, not the movers – you might be able to understand what you mean by "Sally's Room," but how can a mover relate to this? Use labels for your reference to double-check whether or not all the items have been relocated successfully.
You can double-check things via your packing list.
Pad Up The Fragile Items
Fragile and sensitive items are the hardest to transport. You should pad them with bubble wrap (multiple layers) or bunched-up paper, whatever works for you. Then make sure that these items don't rock inside boxes but instead stay in a fixed position, you'll have to organize your packing manner a bit for this. Lastly, label these boxes clearly as "FRAGILE."
Bottom Line
Your preparatory steps will help you make your move less messy. Usually, people prefer to swing the bat at the last hour, but that never works, at least not efficiently. Experts claim that your preparation will cut time from when you actually have to move, and it will let you get rid of the stuff you don't need, organize your moveables, and lower the costs as well. Just stay one step ahead of the whole relocation process, and the rest will be fine.
Lastly, if you want to take a load off your shoulders, get experienced professionals to do the whole thing for you.
