Crescent Moving and Storage, Surrey’s most trusted local moving company, knows that if you are planning a move – perhaps to a new neighborhood, complex, or house, there are 17 Efficient Moving Tips to make this move a smooth one. No one (or at least no one we’ve met) really likes moving—it’s stressful, messy, and tiring. But it doesn’t have to be a horrible experience. Let’s take a look at exactly what you need to know to make this an easy transition.
How much time do you need to prep for your move?
A move—even a local one—is not something you want to try to plan overnight. As a rule of thumb, two months (or about eight weeks) are necessary to get your move planned and worked out.
The goal here is to have a game plan so that you don’t feel rushed or put out by the process. If this starts to happen, you’re going to end up making mistakes that could cost you time, money, and your sanity.
Our local moving company breaks down what you should do leading up to your moving day
Weeks 1 and 2 – Create A Game Plan
The first couple of weeks are all about creating a game plan and getting things set up for the move. During this time, you should do the following:
- Research a local moving company that has a reputation for doing quality work. You definitely want a company that is licensed and bonded and has good reviews on sites such as Yelp. Once you’ve narrowed it down, you can book your mover and talk to them about exactly what you’ll need when the big day arrives.
- Inventory your belongings. Do a room-by-room walkthrough of your house starting with the storage areas such as the garage and attic. Make a list of all the major things that will be moved such as your furniture and appliances and also get a mental idea of what smaller items need to be boxed.
- Plan your new home. Create a floor plan/lay-out of your new home and map where you want all of your major items to go. This way, you can clearly label the boxes and inform the movers where you want to set things up. It’s terrible when you get your sofa or bed set up in one spot and then decide you want it moved after the movers have gone. Now’s the time to figure out where you want things. Additionally, if you need to do any painting or repair work, now is the time to either do it yourself or hire a local contractor to do it.
- Start a paperwork packet. One key tip from our local moving company, is you want to keep all of your paperwork together for the move including this checklist, receipts, estimates, and contracts. Keep this in one location and be sure not to pack it so you don’t have to go looking for it in random boxes.
Weeks 3 and 4 – Pick Up The Pace
At this point, you should start picking things up into high gear. For these two weeks, you should:
- Choose a storage facility. Some of your belongings may not be going into your new location. If you’re a senior citizen, you might be downsizing to a smaller, more manageable home. This means you either have to clean out your belongings or put some of the things into storage. Our local moving company offers flexible short term and long term storage solutions.
- Declutter the rest of the house. Besides putting things into storage, you should also start throwing out things you no longer want or need. One of the best things you can do is to sort things into three different groups—those you want to keep, those you want to donate, and those you want to trash.
- The City of Surrey allows households who are moving or simply just decluttering 4 “Large Item Pick Ups” per year. This is a great – free resource to use when getting ready for your move.
- There are several Recycling Centres in Surrey where you can bring unwanted electronics and plastic items – check out the City of Surrey Website for more details.
- Declutter the pantry and fridge. Another area you can declutter is in the kitchen. Now is the time to start using all of the food you have purchased over the past few months. Food is something you really don’t want to pack up and try to move and it’s also not something you want to just to throw out. So, if you have lots of stuff stored away in the freezer, this would be the perfect time to use as much of it as possible.
Weeks 5 and 6- Get Ready!
Now, you really need to start picking up the pace and get things ready for moving day. Our local Moving Company suggests that now you should:
- Get your boxes, tape, and markers. Start boxing up your smaller belongings. Remember, it’s easier to carry a lot of smaller boxes than it is to carry one really heavy box. Don’t overpack items. Make sure you label each box as you go. A good format is “Kitchen Box 1 of ____.” When you get done, write in the final number of boxes on the blank part of the label. This way, you can do a quick box count and make sure you got all of your boxes delivered and moved to the right location.
- Switch over your utilities. Call your local power and water services as well as things like your cable TV, phone, and internet providers to switch these services. They should be able to cut the service off when you need it and have it set up and waiting for you when you move in.
- Have a yard sale. Before you donate those items, you might want to see if you can sell them in a yard sale. Just be sure you take anything that doesn’t sell and toss it or donate it so you don’t have to pack it all up.
Week 7 – Finishing Touches
A lot of what goes on this week while you’re preparing to move is putting together the finishing touches. This should include:
- Keep packing. You didn’t think it would all be done in two weeks did you? You can now start packing up some of the items that you’ve held off on because you thought you might need it before the move.
- Put together a travel kit. This will include those things that you absolutely don’t want to pack in boxes for the movers. It should include things you will need immediately like cups, plates, and utensils plus medicine, toiletries, and first aid items. You should also pack clothes for a few days while you unpack as well as some favorite toys for your little ones. You may want to read our post “A Parents Essential Guide to Moving Day“
- Change your address. Visit the post office and fill out a change of address form so that you don’t have any problems getting your mail.
Week 8 – Last Minute Stuff
Now we come to the week of the move. As you get closer and closer, you should:
- Make sure to pick up some cash. You’re going to need it to tip the movers plus you may need to pick up some food quick for you and your crew. (Pizza and moving go well together.)
- Have one person at each location. If you’re single, get someone you trust to stay at your old home to help direct the movers up until the last item is loaded. But you also need someone at the new house to help direct things there. The key to success is divide and conquer.
- Do one last sweep of the old house. Go through all of the nooks and crannies of your old house or apartment and make sure that you have everything moved.
- Check off your items with your inventory list. Now your inventory will come in handy. Make sure to check off items as they’re brought in so you know you have everything.
Wrapping it Up
Whether you are moving an estate, home, townhouse or condo, it is important to choose the right local moving company and plan your move accordingly. From students looking to move out on their own for the first time to seniors looking to downsize to a smaller home, Crescent Moving and Storage has been Surrey’s most trusted local moving company for over forty years and we can help you make your move a painless one.