Moving is generally a stressful process, no matter who you are or where you’re moving to. So, experts highly recommend planning your move well ahead of time to minimize stress as much as possible.
In this post, we’ll share some basics on how to start with the moving process, along with some useful tips to save you time and trouble.
Set a Timeline
Before you begin the moving process, it’s essential to finalize the exact date when you’ll receive the keys to your new home or office. So, discuss the matter with the concerned party and settle for a definite date.
Once you have the date, estimate the time you have and set up a schedule. Ideally, you want to divide all the time you have into five sections:
- Decluttering
- Sorting
- Packing
- Booking full-service movers in Fort Worth
- Moving
You can also visualize these as stages of the moving process. Usually, decluttering and sorting will consume most of your time. So, if you have three months to move (ninety days), it’s a good idea to dedicate thirty days to decluttering and thirty days to sorting out your items. That’ll leave you with thirty days, which you can equally divide between packing and moving.
Now, these are some rough calculations for a five-bedroom house. We suggest acquiring a realistic estimate of the time you’d require to declutter your stuff using an online downsizing calculator. Also, if you have very short notice to move (i.e., less than thirty days), consider hiring professionals to pack and move your stuff.
Create a Checklist
You can stay organized by visiting every room of your house and creating a checklist of the large items within each room. For example, you can list the furniture and large decor items your bedroom has. Similarly, for the kitchen, you can list appliances, storage boxes in the pantry, and dinner sets.
Once you have the checklist for the entire house and the timeline in your hands, there’s a financial decision you need to make—do you want to invest in moving services? Do you need to? Weigh the situation and hop on to the next step if you plan to hire professional movers to streamline your move.
Research and Hire Professional Movers
Start searching for the best moving services in your area. You can simply Google the following search query: “Best moving services in X 2023.” Next, replace ‘X’ with your area’s name. If you live in Fort Worth, for example, the search query should be, “Best Moving Services in Fort Worth 2023.”
Also, if you’re reading this guide later in time, feel free to change the year. The point of adding the year to the search query is to find the latest results.
Now, browse the top ten pages. Shortlist at least three to five services with the best ratings and customer reviews, and browse their websites and check if their rates fit your budget. Most moving services charge an hourly rate and do not mention clear pricing on their websites. This can lead to confusion and even surprises on the final bill, which is why choosing a mover with fixed pricing is essential.
Once you’ve finalized the service you want to hire, make the payment and book the movers. Then, move on to the next step.
Sort Your Stuff and Pack
Now, you begin decluttering, room by room. You might want to donate the items you no longer use to charity. If something is not usable, you should trash it. For the remaining items, arrange color-coded boxes or bags for packing. Here are some best practices to keep in mind as you pack your items:
- Create separate boxes for each room–if you’ve created a box for fragile items in the bedroom, avoid placing stuff from your living room in the same box. Instead, dedicate a separate box for fragile things in the living room.
- Create a list of items for each box and place it within the box or attach it firmly with tape on top–this can be done before you pack the box.
- Tape all the boxes only a day before moving.
- Opt for the correct box size–do not leave empty spaces within the box, which could leave room for movement and damage during transit.
- Bubble wrap appliances, glassware, paintings, and fragile items.
Finally, tape the boxes, load them onto your moving truck, and take it to your new place. If you do not have a roomy vehicle and you haven’t hired professional movers, you might need to rent a moving truck. If you have hired movers, check out our post on what the appropriate amount to tip movers is!
