Moving can be quite daunting if you are on a tight budget and strict schedule. Without the proper planning, you might find yourself dealing with countless hidden expenses and mishaps that turn your move into a nightmare. Whether you are moving to the other side of town or across the country, these few tips will help you make sure this process goes off without a hitch.
Build a Moving Kit
As you start going through all of your possessions, you need to make a moving kit that contains all of the personal items that should not be packed. That includes an extra credit card, IDs, cash, a change of clothes, toiletries, and sensitive documents. Instead, these items should be kept either in a bag or a small bin somewhere in the car that you’ll be driving. Having to tear apart boxes or pull boxes off of your moving truck to find those items can waste hours of your time.
Avoid the Busy Months
Many people are surprised to hear that there are actually busy months and days for moving. During those times, everything from your gasoline to your hotel rooms will be more expensive. As a general rule, you want to avoid all holidays and holiday weekends. Planning your trip for the start of the week in the middle of the month could save you quite a bit on everyday expenses. Most experts agree that the late summer months are typically the best time to move as well. Along with that, you should definitely book your rooms ahead of time if you are planning on staying in hotels on the way to your new abode.
Obsessively Label and Organize
Every single person in your family must label all boxes and containers no matter how good their memory might be. As soon as a box is filled up and labeled, it should then be placed with other boxes that are going into that same room. By organizing the boxes according to their destination, you can save quite a bit of time while you are unpacking. Also, you should make sure that the truck that you’ll be using to carry all of your stuff is organized just right. You want the things that you won’t need so immediately to be packed in the back. This way, you can easily access things like beds, clothes, and kitchen stuff so as soon as you get to your new home you’ll be able to settle in, spend the night and worry about the rest of the packing the next day.
Work With a Moving Company
Depending on the size of your home and where you are moving, a professional moving company—such as Bekins Van Lines Inc—could cut down on your costs as well as the amount of time you invest in this process. Instead of spending days loading and unloading moving containers, you can focus most of your time on filling and labeling boxes. With the proper organization, your move will go much more smoothly with a team of professionals by your side.
Above all else, you should try to give yourself plenty of time to move. Families who move on a strict schedule are sure to make mistakes that will result in stressful obstacles and difficulties.
