Moving Tips
Make your move less stressful
Moving to a new home is both exciting and stressful. The excitement is good – a new neighborhood, a new school for the children, a new place to decorate just the way you want. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could waive a magic wand and, PRESTO, all of your items have magically transported from your previous location to your exciting new home? Well, we can’t make it that easy, but with these moving tips, we can help make it a little less stressful.
The main thing is to plan ahead. Don’t wait till the last minute to start. Knowing how to get your things from where you are now to where you will be is one of the biggest stress reducers. Once you’ve decided to move, that’s when the planning should begin.
1. To hire a moving company, or not to hire a moving company? That is a good question, and one that should be answered as early into your planning process as possible. There are dozens of moving companies in any city, so you want to make sure you get the best movers for your precious items. Do some research. Is the company licensed, insured, and bonded? Do they have any references? Check their online reviews. Once you narrow it down to 3 or 4 companies, ask them for a quote. They will come to your home, assess what you will be moving, and give you a price. Make sure the quote will cover everything and that there won’t be any hidden costs.
2. Decided not to hire movers? That’s ok. Millions of moves are made without the assistance of professionals. So, how will you be transporting your things? Will you be renting a moving truck, or do you have a fleet of friends with pick-ups that can help you out on moving day? Whichever works best for you, be sure to make arrangements well in advance. You want to make that reservation for your moving truck as quickly as possible, as certain times of the year, and certain days of each month, trucks are in high demand. Calling on your friends for help? Then call them early so they can block off your moving day on their calendars.
3. You’ll need to move your utilities to your new home. Contact your existing utility companies and have them shut off the electricity, water, gas, cable, internet, and phone the day after your move. You’ll also want to have the utilities at your new location turned on a day or 2 before moving day.
4. Moving into a new house? You’ll probably want to have the locks changed. Contact a local locksmith to schedule an appointment for moving day.
5. Will the children be going to a new school? Make sure to have their records transferred so there are no problems on their 1st day.
6. Change your address! You can go to USPS.com to change your address with the post office. But don’t stop there. It is a good idea to update your information with all of your creditors and banking institutions individually. You may also want to order new checks with your new address.
7. About a day or 2 before your move, there are some items you’ll want to take care of, just to make everything goes as smooth as possible.
a. Unplug your refrigerator to give it time to defrost, and dry it out.
b. If you’re moving any gas powered equipment, empty all gas and oil.
c. Properly dispose of any flammable or hazardous items that can’t move with you.
d. Back up all computer equipment…just in case!
e. Take a family picture inside and outside the home you’re leaving.
If you are downsizing and need a place for items that don’t fit into your new home contact your neighborhood Safeguard Self Storage. Our team of storage experts will assist you with finding the correct unit size and type for your needs. You can also visit our Size Guide page to get a better idea of how much space you will need. And with all the amenities our stores provide, your excess items will also feel right at home.
