Navigating the tumultuous terrain of the moving journey isn’t easy. But with early planning and a professional relocation crew by your side, the arduous parts of changing locations no longer feel overwhelming. Your job becomes simple — just tell the expert packers and movers what needs to be wrapped and transported, and they will do the rest.
This article explores how to plan for move day. Taking care of the things listed below in advance will give you a hassle-free moving day.
Get recommendations for moving companies
You can always use Google to find local & long-distance companies and then look up their online reviews. But, note that reviews can be easily faked.
Instead, we recommend asking your friends, relatives, or coworkers to recommend a company they might’ve used in the past. Personal recommendations from someone you trust are always more reliable than online testimonials.
Gather the names of at least three moving companies, and ask for an in-person estimate from each to find the best one.
Ask for price transparency
Always choose a company that’s upfront and transparent about the costs. Most people are working with a specific budget, and you always want a firm whose services you can afford. For this, it’s essential to make sure that the provided estimate is all-inclusive and that you wouldn’t have to pay any additional fee later on.
Unless they’re charging hourly, what they quote at the beginning of your project should be exactly what you pay at the end.
Also, ensure that your Bill of Lading includes a breakdown of the quote. This way, you will not have to worry about being hit with unforeseen costs with the company in the middle of the move.
Start packing as early
Regardless of whether or not you’re hiring expert packers, there are things you need to do to make sure everything goes smoothly on a moving day.
Start with decluttering. Each item you bring will take room in the truck and your next home. Consider discarding or donating things that are no longer useful. Separate and mark the items that will not be going in the truck. This will prevent the crew from accidentally loading those items on the day of the move.
Also, we recommend packing a special box for each of your children that contains items essential to keep them calm, happy, and occupied during the time of transition. This could include soft toys, blankets, storybooks, coloring books, games, or any knickknacks your kids need.
Pack the necessities separate
Like in other areas of life, the adage to not keep all your eggs in one basket stands accurate for moving too. If you have the moving company pack and transport your entire belongings in their moving truck, you won’t have the necessary items on hand to use on the moving day. And, if calamity strikes, causing a delay in delivery, you will be left without extra clothes and other essentials we all need to survive.
We recommend having a suitcase or bag for every person in your family and taking them with you in your vehicle. This bag should have extra clothing, shoes, socks, and everything needed to get you through a few days in case there is any delay in the delivery or if you are too tired to unpack right away. You should also keep your phone chargers, laptop, and medications in this bag.
Get a parking permit
For those living in an apartment, it is essential to ask your landlord for a parking permit for the moving day. This is to make sure that your movers have a designated space available at a specific time when they come over to get your stuff. Having the vehicle close to your apartment ensures that the crew can quickly load the items into the truck.
If you fail to get a parking permit before the moving day, the crew will have to spend time searching for parking. This can delay your move, and you will also have to pay extra for the minutes the team spends finding parking.
If you have a home with a private driveway, you won’t require a permit.
Plan out the route and assess the traffic
If you plan to travel to your next home in your vehicle, we recommend checking the traffic and having alternate routes in mind. You might find the roads in your main route jam-packed with traffic or closed due to construction or weather. In cases like these, having an alternate route ready will help prevent prolonged delays.
You always want to make sure you leave before rush hour. If moving to a far-away city or another state, consider splitting the trip into multiple days. This way, you and your family will have time to rest before moving forward.
Track the weather
Driving in inclement weather is difficult and dangerous. If you know there will be a snowstorm, heavy rain, or hurricane on your moving day, you can postpone your move or take necessary precautions to keep everyone safe.
If the weather gets bad while you’re on the road, we recommend pulling over and staying at a hotel till the situation clears up. It’s better to arrive home a little later than put your life in jeopardy.
Deep clean the house
Once all the items have been packed and moved into the truck, we recommend deep cleaning your entire house. You can either do this to yourself or hire a cleaning crew for help. Vacuum the carpets, sweep, mop the floors, wipe the windows, kitchen, and bathroom counters, and clean the sinks and bathtubs.
If you’re in an apartment, we recommend taking pictures after cleaning. This way, you’ll have proof if there’s an issue getting your security deposit back. And, if you live in your own home, the new owners will appreciate you leaving the space in good condition.
Consider parting ways with your furniture
Most moving companies charge by shipment size. Furniture weighs a lot and can be expensive to move for this reason. Unless you love your furniture and definitely want it in your next home, we recommend either donating or selling all or some of your furniture pieces.
If you choose to sell, you can use the funds to cover your moving expenses. Also, since you will have to pay less for transportation, you can use the money saved to purchase new furniture. If you plan to donate, another family will be able to use your furniture for free or at a low price.
Get sufficient insurance
If you are traveling with high-value items or sending them in a moving truck, we recommend getting those items insured.
You can either consult your home insurance provider or see whether the moving company you hire offers released or full value protection. So, if there’s any damage during transit, you can file a claim and get reimbursed.
We hope these tips on how to plan for move day make your relocation process easy and chaos-free.
