Packing: Are you on Schedule for Move Day?

You’ve conquered some very large tasks by now since your starting to pack up for move day; you’ve already picked a moving company, new home and found all your supplies for packing. Now you may be overwhelmed with the amount of packing you need to do but first take a second to appreciate all that you’ve accomplished already! Now once you’ve zoned in on a moving date it’s important to stay on schedule and get organized. At this point we know that you’ve already decided to pack yourself and that’s wonderful but you need to stay focused to get it all completed before your move. 

You may think that 2 or 3 months before your move is way to early to get started packing but time flies! Start packing rooms you do not use on a daily basis such as the attic or storage closet. First sort through the items and figure out if your going to donate, throw away or keep the item. If it goes into the “keeper pile” pack it into a box. 

Now your starting to get down to the wire once your 1 month away from moving day. Continue to pack rooms throughout your home and start focusing on having one room totally packed at a time. The focus should still be on the rooms that are less essential to your daily routine. Another good goal to get taken care of in this time frame is scheduling appointments for transferring all your utilizes, cable, internet and phone to your new home. This is another good time to notify the post office, credit card, banking, ect that you will be relocating. 

As your move date is closing in, now only 2 weeks away, you’ll want to pack up everything expect for a few essential items like some pots and pans from the kitchen, food, some dishes, bathroom products, ect. At this time you can also start moving the boxes by the front door or in the garage if wanted. This will save your moving crew time and ultimately save you money in the long hall. 

Now your dashing toward the finish line when your move is only 1 week away, didn’t that time fly? This is the time when your organization and planning skills are tested. First plan out your meals for the next week, pack an overnight bag (if needed), and what you’ll absolutely need. Go through each room that isn’t already packed, if an items is not on your essentials list pack it up. This will also be a good time to defrost any freezers and disconnect your appliances if needed. 

At this point if you are unable to get all the packing done or have questions about packing specialty items notify your moving company. This way if they need to send out a larger crew, bring packing supplies, allot more time for your move, or explain how to pack certain items they can. 

Your final packing will happen just the night before your move. Take the final essential items you needed the past few days and mark them in a box labeled “open first”. By doing this you will know which box(es) you’ll need right away in case you are unable to start unpacking immediately. 

Budgeting Your Move

Moving can be both a daunting and exciting process. One of the driving factors that can affect your move greatly is the financial budget you’ve set aside for your moving process. Depending on the individual this amount can differ greatly. One of the best starting points is researching your local moving companies. Don’t just look for the cheapest movers around but also their ratings and reviews from past customers. I’d rather spend a little extra money and know i’m getting quality movers to move my possessions. 

The next idea that comes into play when creating a budget is taking a look at what you really have to move. What types of items do you have? Is there a lot of large furniture or boxes? Do you have any specialty items like a piano or grandfathers clock? Keeping these questions in mind  will help you form a realistic idea of what it will take to move and how much you should start saving. Now if you want an accurate quote or ballpark it is most beneficial to complete an on-site estimate with the movers of your choice. This will give you a professional movers opinion of the cost of your move because there are some things individuals do not think about for example the number of stairs in your home, how sharp of corners within your home or elevator wait time in your apartment. 

If you’d like to help your budget theirs always ways to prepare for your move that save time and ultimately money, below are just a few ideas to get you started. You can cut down the amount of items to be moved by having a moving sale or posting your unwanted items on Craigslist. This will also give you some extra cash for your moving process. If you have time you can start weeks in advance packing up items yourself that way there ready for move day. When you’ve got your new home start bringing over small items or even boxes every time you visit so there is less to move on move day. You can also place boxes and small items in the garage closest to where your moving truck will be parked that way they have a shorter distance to be moved. These are just some money saving tips for your move day! 

Speciality Items - Moving Your Appliances

When moving there a few appliances that require some special attention. Certain appliances can take more than one day to prepare so planning ahead is key. By planning ahead you will decrease your stress on move day too which is another plus! We know it can be overwhelming so we’ve put together these simple moving tips to help.  

Refrigerators - Seems trivial but make a plan for your food during the move, are you going to slowly use it strategically before move day or are you planning on using coolers for transport? After taking all your items out, especially in the summer heat, your fridge may have an odor. To tackle this problem try leaving an opened box of baking soda inside to absorb the smell. Lastly but most importantly your refrigerator needs to be turned off about 48 hours prior to your move. When doing so you may want to either remove or secure any shelving or attachments that could be damaged in the move. 

Freezer - Preparing a freezer for move day can take hours or days depending on it’s condition and size. If you have frost and/or ice build up it can take time to defrost so make sure to allow for enough time for it to defrost completely. Again, like with your refrigerator, you’ll need to make a plan for your frozen goods. 

Dishwasher -  Your dishwater may require professional help to disconnect unless you have experience. If you do know how to disconnect a dishwasher here’s a final check for you. Make sure the water valve, inlet line, and hose are all disconnected. Also, the dishwasher needs time to dry out before moving it, if possible leave the dishwasher door open for a full day before your move day to allow for this.

Dryer & Washing Machine - These appliances are yet again some that you may want a professional to handle, especially if your dryer is gas. Even if you do have a professional disconnect here are some things to double check on moving day. Make sure the power cords are disconnected and taped to the appliance, check that your washing machine is water free and make sure the drum is secured. 

Oven - The amount preparation required for your oven really depends if it is electric or gas powered. If you have an electric oven make sure it is disconnected from it’s outlet and the cord is tape to the appliance. If you have a gas powered oven it may require the professional help of a third-party service. Your moving company may even be able to recommend a third party service to take care of it for you. Whichever power source your oven uses you’ll want to make sure to remove and pack any attachments such as burners or shelves inside the oven before move day.