Moving is a time in many people’s lives that brings about exciting changes and new perspectives, but it also has a tendency to cause stress. Moving is no easy feat, but helpful tips and preparation will make the process easier. Read below to learn some of the best ways to make your local move a smoother one with help from JW Cole & Sons.
1. Choose Your Moving Date Wisely
Moving, like taking a vacation, may be less expensive and easier to plan if you choose the proper season. The moving industry is at its busiest in the late spring and summer months, so you’ll have less flexibility when it comes to selecting dates and times for your relocation. If you truly want to beat the crowds, attempt to relocate in the middle of the month and on a weekday to give yourself more options.
When relocating, there is a lot to do. And that is before we even get to moving day. After you’ve decided on a moving date, make a checklist of everything you’ll need to do before, during, and after the move. This might require everything from packing to hiring additional help to clean up after your former home has been cleaned out and replacing old nail holes. Keep yourself organized, on target, and stay sane.
3. Purge Your Belongings
When relocating, there is a lot to do. And that is before we even get to moving day. After you’ve decided on a moving date, make a checklist of everything you’ll need to do before, during, and after the move. This might require everything from packing to hiring additional help to clean up after your former home has been cleaned out and replacing old nail holes. Keep yourself organized, on target, and stay sane.
To generate a little extra dollars after sorting through your stuff and selecting what to get go of, consider selling good items in person to local purchasers, hosting a moving sale, or online via sites like eBay or Facebook Marketplace. Keep in mind that one person’s garbage is another person’s treasure! If you are unable to sell an item, try donating it to a local charity or thrift store to benefit the community.
5. Ask for Help Early
If you’re relocating nearby, you shouldn’t have to seek far for assistance if you do it yourself. Reach out to friends and family members (particularly those you have previously assisted in moving) to see who is willing to assist. But don’t put off asking for help! Let your DIY team know ahead of time when they’ll be required so they can arrange their time and mark their calendars.
Begin packing as soon as you know when you’ll be relocating. If you wait until the last minute to pack, you’re likely to add unnecessary stress to your life, damage goods if you pack in a rush, and even fail to pack a closet or two. Beginning to pack goods such as home décor, kitchen items, out-of-season clothing, and more will allow you to pack your possessions gently and safely, and you’ll be ready to begin loading the truck on moving day.
Use correct packaging practices to guarantee that your products arrive safely. Don’t over- or under-pack your moving boxes when packing. Smaller boxes can hold heavy objects such as books or cast-iron cookware, while bigger boxes can hold lighter items such as linens, clothes, or lamps. Always use packing tape to attach the bottom and top of the box, then wrap and stuff the inside contents with packing paper, bubble wrap, household linens, or old clothes.
8. Label Every Box
After your boxes have been packed and secured, take out a permanent marker and carefully label each box with both its contents and the location in your new house where it will be placed upon arrival. This will not only assist your moving staff know which box goes where and how fragile the contents are, but it will also help you find your blow dryer quickly in your new house!
9. Label Large Items
When we move, we usually identify the boxes, but what about the larger things like furniture? Label desks, china cabinets, and other furniture using non-damaging tape like painter’s tape to let your movers know which room each will go into in your new house. This way, you won’t find your chest of drawers in the kid’s bedroom at the end of the day and have to relocate it yourself later.
10. Save Money on Packing Materials
If you want to save money on a local relocation, attempt to get as many free boxes as you can from friends, relatives, and local retail businesses in your region. Bars, restaurants, grocery stores, wine shops, and other businesses receive many deliveries every week and are usually eager to pass them on to neighbors who are relocating for free. This is a cost-effective and ecologically responsible alternative.
11. Call Your Utility Companies
Your utilities and other household subscription services, such as cable or internet, should be removed and reconnected at your new home as a high priority on your checklist. Call your service providers a few weeks before your move to schedule the switchover and avoid any overlap or extra fees that may be involved, but make sure not to have necessary services like electricity or water turned off on your moving day, as you will most likely require those utilities on the day of.
12. Change Your Address Before You Move
It goes without saying that you should update your address on all of your accounts when you move, but it is also a good idea to alter your postal address and forward your mail with the US Postal Service two weeks before your move. This will guarantee that all of your goods, bills, and housewarming cards arrive at your new mailbox by the time you move in.
13. Pack a First-Night Essentials Kit
Pack a box or bag with everything you’ll need for a pleasant night’s sleep after a hard day of moving for you or your family’s first night in your new home. You won’t have to go on a treasure search for your toothbrush or pajamas among the number of boxes scattered across your new home.
14. Start Moving Early If Possible
Relocating to a new house near to your present one might be beneficial when moving locally. If you have an overlap period where you have both sets of keys after a closing date or a few days left on your rental agreement, use that time to familiarize yourself with your new home, see what needs to be repaired or painted, and start bringing some smaller items or things that professional movers are not permitted to transport with you when you make those trips.
15. Keep Kids and Pets Safely Occupied
If you have small children or pets, make plans to keep them safe and out of the way on moving day. Because you’ll be relocating nearby, enlist the assistance of friends, relatives, or neighbors to look after them for the day while you and your moving company get to work. If such choices aren’t accessible, try designating a particular space in your home for your children and pets to remain in while the rest of the house is being moved.
16. Delegate Tasks on Moving Day
Assign duties and jobs to specific people to ensure a smooth moving day. Professional movers follow a well-oiled system to ensure efficiency, and if you are relocating locally yourself, your team should follow a method as well. This eliminates individuals having nothing to do, speeds up the relocation, and eventually saves you time and money.
17. Keep Important Items and Documents with You
Birth certificates, relocation contract agreements, medical data, financial paperwork, and other important documents should all be maintained in one place and carried with you at all times. Anything might happen while in transit, therefore maintain these documents in your own possession to avoid loss.
18. Wear Durable and Comfortable Clothing
The weather and temperature can change considerably depending on the day and time of year. Wear comfortable gear that will keep you as dry as possible in the rain or as warm as possible on colder days. Clothing should be comfortable but also allowing adequate room to carry and move boxes and other possessions. Durable shoes with non-slip qualities are particularly essential if you’ll be moving in rainy conditions or up and down stairs.
There is a science to loading a moving truck. Large, heavy items like furniture or appliances should always be loaded into the cargo area first and protected with blankets or bubble wrap. After you have your base, smaller items and boxes can fill out the rest of the area. As previously mentioned, assigning tasks to your crew can ensure the right items go in at the right time.
Perhaps your friends are all mysteriously busy on your moving day and are unable to assist you. Perhaps you just don’t have the time or energy to manage the massive task of relocating alone. In any event, consider hiring a professional moving company for your local relocation to ensure that everything is done correctly without you having to lift a finger. Even better, when you consider all of the costs associated with relocating alone, hiring a moving company may not be as pricey as you think.
Ready to Make Your Move?
J.W. Cole & Sons of Florida Inc. is family-owned and operated in Fort Myers with generations of experience. We have provided quality and affordability to families in Southwest Florida since 1985. We proudly serve Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples, Lehigh Acres, and Estero, Florida. Through our affiliation with Atlas Van Lines, we can professionally handle all of your local needs.
Call J.W. Cole & Sons of Florida at 239-694-3400 today or fill out our form to start your move.
