Make your next house relocation a success with these 9 stress-free residential moving tips from a trusted New Jersey professional moving company.
Moving your home is a big, complex task whether you’ve got one bedroom or five. You’ve got to coordinate the packing, transport, and unpacking of your belongings. Then you must prepare your old home for closing and your new house before moving in. And at the same time, you’ve got to balance life for your family, job and, of course, yourself!
Residential moving is stressful. Period. But after many years in the moving business, Vector Moving found ways to help homeowners stay organized and dramatically reduce stress.
Stress-free Residential Moving Tips #1: Prep Early
When is the best time to plan your move? As soon as you know that you’re moving! Planning, even at a high level, right away can help stop stressful, last-minute moves before they start. Time is on your side if you act immediately.
Tip #2: Use Lists
Lists help you stay organized. And an organized move is almost always less stressful than a messy one. We suggest starting big with broad categories and working your way down. (Don’t do them all at once!)
- Tasks to do before closing your old home
- Tasks to do before moving into your new home
- A moving timeline (work backwards from moving day once you know it)
- Lists of belongings, room by room
And, as a bonus to your list making, you’ll have a thorough inventory of your home, which can be handy for insurance purposes and as you’ll see, in tip #3.
Tip #3: Declutter before you move
Go through those lists item by item. What do you absolutely need? What can you live without? What has outlived its usefulness? Moving your home is the perfect time to declutter. Be ruthless. You’ll find that the stress melts away with every item you donate, sell or toss.
Tip #4: Hire Professionals
Attempting a DIY move is a sure way to add stress to your life. On the other hand, hiring reliable professional NJ movers who live and work in your area is possibly the best way to eliminate stress during a move.
Professionals have the experience, equipment and muscles to make your move quick, easy and comfortable. Plus, they will help you coordinate everything, which means even less stress leading up to and on moving day.
Tip #5: Plan for Kids
Don’t forget to pay extra attention to your children. Moving can hard on them and they may be upset at leaving the home they love. Talk to them. Help them understand how great life will be in the new house. They may also need help packing, choosing what to keep and what to throw away, or just want a friendly parent to talk to.
Tip #6: Plan for Pets
Moving can be hard on pets because they don’t understand what is going on. The boxes, movement and new people can disturb them. Some owners prefer to send their pets to stay in a kennel or with a friend or relative during the move. If you choose to keep them with you, make sure you have the proper cages, food and toys on hand. And don’t forget to be extra patient with your pets as they get used to your new home!
Tip #7: Box Everything the Right Way
There is an art and science to packing. Professional movers can fit items into fewer boxes than most homeowners can believe. They also know how to properly wrap, pack and transport fragile or awkward belongings like glassware, art and even pianos. Plus, hiring professional packing assistance is another stress-buster – just think of all the time you’ll save!
Tip #8: Transfer Utilities
This should be on the list you made back in tip #2. Remember that you need to:
- Schedule a transfer
- Check that utilities are off in your old home
- Make sure the utilities are running properly in your new home
Staying on top of your utilities is a small but important way to reduce stress while moving.
Tip #9: Consider Short-term Storage
Sometimes there’s just too much stuff to deal with all at once. Or else you may want less hassle to deal with during your first days and weeks in your new home. The answer to both situations is short-term storage. Your professional moving company can set you up with a storage solution that fits your needs. Now you don’t have to worry about moving so much stuff on moving day and can bring it into your home gradually.
We hope these 9 stress-free residential moving tips helped you make a little more sense of your next move. Remember to take things slowly. You should have plenty of time if you start early, stay organized and remember to breathe. Good luck!
For more information about residential moving or to hire a reliable residential moving company, contact us today and get a free quote.