Moving tips and advice can be very helpful, especially if you plan on doing it yourself. Moving day is never going to be referred to in joyful terms normally, even if you are looking forward to being in your new home, because of all the work and stress that can be involved. You can do some things to make your moving day go smoothly and as planned, with a minimum of stress and aggravation. Do it yourself projects are becoming more popular, and more people are moving themselves rather than hiring movers and other professionals to do the job for a number of reasons. It is less expensive to move if you and your family are willing to do all of the work, and renting a U haul or other moving van or truck may cost significantly less than hiring a professional moving company to do the job. This can be an important factor in this economy, especially if you have recently seen your income lowered due to layoffs and downsizing.
If you are a do it yourself person and you will not be using professionals to move, make sure you reserve the moving truck or van you will need well in advance. It is a common mistake to wait until moving day to try and rent a moving van, and many times you may end up having to postpone your move because there are no units for rent. Call the rental place at least a few weeks in advance to make sure they will have a vehicle available when you need it. Most places will let you come in and put down a deposit to reserve the truck size you need for the day you need it. The deposit is normally one hundred dollars or less, and many rental places will use a credit card for the deposit, making it very simple to reserve the truck for the day you want to move. This planning and thinking ahead will ensure that you have the truck ready when you are.
Start your packing as soon as you know when your moving date is. Obviously you can not pack away your dishes and silverware two weeks ahead of time, unless you are willing to eat out or go hungry, but there are many things in your home that you may be able to pack up as much as a month or two ahead of the big day. Start cleaning out drawers and closets, and make three piles. One pile is stuff that is used frequently and can not be packed away just yet. A second pile will be items that you do not use often and will probably not be needed until after you move. This pile can be packed away in boxes that are clearly labeled. The third pile is stuff that you want to throw out, give away, or donate to charity, because you no longer have any need or use for it. This third pile can help you eliminate a lot of clutter and work during your move because you do not have to expend time, energy, or use precious cargo space on items you no longer need and do not want to take to your new home. The closer you get to moving day the more things you should be able to safely pack away. This will help organize your home and move, and minimize the stress you experience on moving day. By the time moving day actually arrives, most of your packing will be done and only the bare essentials will be left.
Because moving is so stressful and tiring, be prepared to have quick and easy meals for at least the first day or two. Add paper plates and cups, and a box or two of mixed plastic silverware, to your survival bag, the one that should never leave your sight during the move. This will make it easy to find these things once you are in your new home. For moving day you will probably want to either order out or go out, because no one is going to feel like cooking and there is still a lot of work to do. If you do not have a cell phone, it may be a good idea to buy a disposable prepaid phone to keep with you, just in case you need to keep in touch with other family members and vehicles during the move, and also in case your phone is not active when you get to the new place. You may need to make phone calls, and if service will not be turned on for a day or two a prepaid cell phone can be a great way to do this as well.
home-inspection
