While finding your next home is an exciting milestone, there’s one part of the process that is inarguably the worst- the act of moving. Since the only upside of moving is after the fact when you are settled in your new home, Whose Your Landlord created a guide to make your next move a little less stressful.
DO Pack Smart
Nothing will be easier for you when you are unpacking than if you packed up all of your belongings in a smart way! Instead of cramming everything you own into a box, pack room-by-room so all of your things are organized. Make sure to label each box so you know exactly what is packed where. Remember to label if something is fragile so whoever is handling it makes sure to be careful.
DON’T wait until the last minute to pack
This takes time! Especially if you want to be organized, it is near impossible to anticipate how much time packing takes. Make sure to give yourself ample time to ensure that you aren’t rushing or in total disarray.
DON’T be a hoarder!
New place, new you. A new home is a time to start fresh, so don’t bring with you all of your clutter from your last one. Rule of thumb: if you haven’t worn/used/seen it in a year, chances are you aren’t going to need it, so toss it. On the bright side, your trash can be someone else’s treasure. Donate the things you don’t use anymore to charity, or put a sign on whatever you don’t want and designate it as free.
DO get help
Moving is a huge task- make sure to get help to make the transition as seamless as possible. What better way than getting help from professionals? Do your research on moving companies- while the help is great, some movers charge $1 per mile, which can get pricey. WYL suggests FlatRate Moving, since they offer a guaranteed, all-inclusive, one-price move.
DO know the measurements of your next home
Before move-in day, remember to know the basic measurements of your new home- how tall the doorframe is, how big your living room is, etc. There’s nothing worse than lugging a cumbersome couch cross-country only to realize the day of move-in that it doesn’t fit through your front door.
DON’T forget to tell the proper people your address is changing
Make sure other people know you are moving too! Fill out an official Change of Address form with USPS, turn off all of your utilities to your old home, your credit card companies, your car insurance, family, etc. to tie up all loose ends with your old address.
And finally…
