With the new year, many renters start thinking about the coming year and many start searching for a new apartment in anticipation. Moving to a new place is an exciting milestone — but it’s also a huge undertaking.
You need to pack, clean, load, transport, unload, and unpack. There are a lot of steps to the moving process, and it helps when you have each step thought out ahead of time. When you’re working or going to school — or both — you probably don’t have a lot of extra time to be shuffling boxes. So instead of wasting time packing without a plan, make moving day as smooth as possible by organizing, prepping, and asking for the help you need to make your move a success.
There are a few things you can do before your move to make things as easy as possible:
- Make a plan
This one seems simple, but it really is what makes or breaks a moving day. Before you even break out a moving box, write down a schedule of when and what you are going to pack leading up to moving day. It’s a good idea to start with anything you have in storage and work your way towards packing the things you use every day. You’ll probably want to make sure that your Halloween decorations are packed up before your pots and pans. When it comes down to “Moving Day Eve”, put away your morning essentials in a travel case so that you’ll have easy access to your toothbrush before and after your move!
- Prep
Packing all your belongings can seem like a daunting task, but it’s actually a great opportunity to shed the things you don’t need anything. Before you pack, think about each item that you intend on bringing with you to your new place. If you don’t use it, think about selling the item or donating it to a local charity! By going through your belongings before you start packing, you’ll make the process a lot easier when it’s time to get out the bubble wrap.
Another thing you can do to make packing less painful is to make sure that you have all the necessary equipment ahead of time. There’s nothing worse than finally starting to pack and not having enough boxes or tape.
- Ask for help
If you can hire a moving company, great! If not, it’s probably best to try to recruit a few friends to help you move. Promises of pizza and beer might be an incredible tool of persuasion. Just saying.
When it’s time for your next move, follow the above three steps and use RentSeeker’s Ultimate Moving Checklist to totally own moving day:
- Moving Supplies
o Boxes
o Bubble wrap
o Paper
o Tape
o Tape gun
o Sharpie
- Packing
o Storage
o Living room
o Dining room
o Kitchen
o Bedroom
*Keep a set of sheets for the first night in your new home.
**Keep a pair of pajamas for the first night in your new home.
o Guest room
o Bathrooms
*Create a small package of bathroom essentials that you can easily carry to your new home.
- Moving day
o Moving truck
o Extra hands (friends or professional movers)
o Food and drinks
o Disposable plates, cutlery, and cups
o Comfortable outfit
*Slip-on shoes
- Weather considerations
o Dress appropriately. Consider the weather and the amount of physical activity you will be doing.
o If you are moving during the winter and there has been a recent snowfall, make sure that pathways are clear of snow before moving day.
