Moving is a stressful time, whether you're headed across town or across the country. The professional movers at North Dallas Moving and Storage, share 7 moving tips below to make sure your next move is as smooth and stress free as possible.
1. Give Notice & Transfer Services Early
As soon as you find out that you’re moving, begin informing your employer, children’s school, doctor, and any other organizations that may need to transfer records. Most service providers will require advanced notice to shut off or transfer service. Make a checklist so you don't forget to notify your internet, cable TV, and utility providers. Lastly, remember to inform the post office ahead of time of your change of address, so they can forward your mail.
2. Declutter Your Home
When you look at all of the stuff you’ve accumulated throughout the years, you may get a knot in your stomach, thinking of having to move all of it. However, if you declutter your home beforehand, it will make the moving process smoother and less expensive.
Begin as early as possible — a few months out if you can — and go through each room, deciding what you want to take and what you can part with. Consider donating old clothes, toys, furniture, appliances, books, and other possessions you no longer want, to charity, or have a yard sale to offset moving costs.
If you’re hiring a moving company, reducing the amount of stuff they have to move will also lower the cost.
3. Keep Track of Debt
Moving is already a stressful experience, and adding a ton of debt on top of that makes it even more stressful. Start with a budget that details everyday expenses, then factor in moving costs, including supplies, movers, fuel, etc.
It’s a good idea to use an online moving cost calculator to ballpark how much it’s going to cost for you to move. Begin budgeting for those expenses now to avoid using a credit card later.
Another thing to consider is setting aside money before moving to purchase groceries. That first grocery bill in your new location will add up quickly, and having extra cash set aside will be a huge relief.
4. Visit Your New Home
If possible, visit your new home in both the day and night to get a feel for the area at different hours. Knowing what to expect takes some of the edge off of moving to a strange place. This is especially important to consider with long-distance moves.
5. Expect a Transition Period
Disrupting your life to move to a new home creates change and breaks routines that make us feel comfortable. The key to dealing with these changes is to expect them and plan for them. Expect that things will feel weird for a few weeks or months when you’re in your new place. Sleeping may be more difficult, and you may start to experience anxiety.
Do what you can to stay healthy during this transition period, whether it’s doing yoga or going out for a run. Exercise is one of the best ways to brighten your mood, burn off stress, and make it easier to sleep.
Also, start new routines as soon as possible. Whether it’s visiting the same coffee shop every morning or stopping by a newsstand for a snack, your new space will start to feel like home before you know it.
6. Anticipate Problems
Almost every moving experience comes with issues, whether major or minor, but knowing that things will go wrong will help you prepare to deal with them when they do. Little hiccups like forgetting to pack something, or more significant problems, like damaged furniture or losing something irreplaceable are bound to arise.
While it’s good to hope that everything will go off without a hitch, just make sure you're prepared for the possibility that things may not.
7. Know Your Neighborhood
Familiarizing yourself with the neighborhood will help you begin to plan for life in a new location. So, hit up Google or take a road trip and learn the lay of the land. Where is the nearest fitness center? Where is the church you plan to attend? Where are the good restaurants located? Knowing what’s available will ease some of the anxiety of moving to an unfamiliar place.
Practice these seven tips before your next move and you'll feel more prepared than ever to tackle that new adventure!
