Get Off to a Good Start in Your New Home

The excitement of moving to a new city can mean that the practicalities of the actual move get overlooked. It’s all too easy to forget one or two important tasks when you’re eager to start life in your new home. However, adopting a thorough and methodical approach to moving will ensure that your move goes as smoothly as possible and life in your new abode gets off to a great start.

Make Lists

As soon as you know your move date, start to make lists. Don’t rely on your memory regardless of how good you think it is. Draw up a schedule of what you need to do and when you need to do it. For example, set a date by which you should have contacted certain companies, for example utility companies, to advise them of your move. As well as utility companies, you’ll also need to contact any financial institutions you hold accounts with, e.g., your bank, (at the same time, you may also want to consider moving your account to a branch closer to your new home). You’ll also need to advise federal agencies such as the IRS of your move. You can create a standard “I am moving to …” letter to send to the organizations that need to be notified of your new address. You’ll also need to change the address on your driving license and your voter registration record.

On the day you move out, take a note of the utility meter readings in case you need to provide these to the respective utility companies.

Get Lots of Boxes

When it comes to packing, take it as a dead certainty that you won’t have enough boxes! There’s always last-minute packing when moving, so keep a few boxes back to pack up items such as bedding, clothing, and cleaning supplies. You can usually get free cardboard boxes from your local grocery store. If you find that you have unused boxes once you’ve finished packing, recycle them. If you’re hiring a moving company, you should be able to return unused boxes for a refund.

Don’t overfill boxes. Heavy boxes will make the task of moving much harder. This is particularly important if you have a large number of books you need to move, especially if they’re hardbacks. Periodically check the weight of each box as you’re packing it to ensure that it can be easily managed. As well as using boxes for packing, utilize any luggage you have (suitcases, bags, and backpacks); you can also use wastebaskets to transport small items!

Be Organized

Start packing as soon as you can. Give consideration to what you may need in the time before you leave and pack those items away last (this is where a few spare boxes will come in useful).

Mark all boxes with the rooms in which they should be placed in your new home. Again, don’t rely on your memory – unless you have no more than one or two boxes! Marking up boxes is particularly important if you’re using a moving company. While you may be aware which room is which in your new home, unless it’s obvious, the movers won’t. Therefore, either color coordinate boxes with rooms, i.e., boxes with blue stickers on them to be placed in the room with a blue sticker on the wall by the light socket, or place an identifying sticker on the door of each room so the movers know where to put the boxes.

Finally, remember that moving is a great opportunity to get rid of all those unwanted items you’ve been meaning to do away with for years. Ditching them now will not only help with your move, but will also give you a sense of liberation as you start life in your new home.