So, it’s time to move. You’re probably a little worked up right now, and for good reason we imagine. To help you make the move easier and less stressful, here are five tips on what you can do to prepare for your move before it happens.
1. Find a Good Moving Company
Step one is to find a good moving company. You can talk to your realtor or you can look on the Internet for reviews of local companies that have good reputations. Make sure to get references and always check for any complaints or issues with licenses locally. A good company will have long term employees who are all highly trained, offer you a binding estimate, and provide a wide array of services without being problematic with your contract.
2. Organize Your Home
Start organizing your possessions early to make the process easier. You’ll find that if you pack up each room in order, without mixing the contents, color code each box, and ensure that everything is carefully prepared for the move three or four weeks early, the week or two before a move will be far less stressful than it might be otherwise.
3. Get Rid of the Old Stuff
If you have old items you don’t need, broken junk you haven’t gotten around to throwing away, or anything you just don’t feel like paying to have moved, start paring it down. You can give away items to your family and friends if they’re still useful or to the goodwill or salvation army if they’re borderline. You can throw away or recycle anything that is beyond use and if you think it is worth money, have a garage sale or hit up eBay to see if your old items can make a profit.
4. Clean Everything
Many people, in the chaos of a move, forget to have their old home cleaned before leaving. In fact, this is a great time to not only clean the old house but to clean all your possessions. Have old clothing dry cleaned or washed, get your rugs cleaned, and dust everything as it goes into boxes. The new owners or tenants will appreciate the gesture and your possessions will come out of their boxes nice and fresh.
5. Appraisal and Insurance
Anyone moving needs to be sure they have protection for their possessions. The best way to do that is to have an appraiser come out for any antiques, fine art, or collectibles. Additionally, you will need to get a good insurance plan or rider to cover the move. Most home owner plans do not cover moving damage, and most valuation offered by moving companies is not sufficient if real damage occurs. So, you will need to do some extra research and purchase a policy that will match the full appraisal you receive from whoever you hire.
Ultimately, a move doesn’t need to be the most stressful experience in your life. It can be a smooth, relatively simple process that thrives from some careful planning and foresight on your part.
Call us at 713-839-7677 so we can help you get started on your stress-free move!