Moving day is all about finding a balance between your expectations and reality. There is no such thing as a seamless, completely stress-free move—things go wrong. And while it doesn’t have to be—and likely won’t be—a complete walk in the park, moving day doesn’t have to be totally awful either. Below, are 14 most helpful tips for moving day to help you get it done fast, seamlessly, and (hopefully) with as little stress and anxiety as possible.
Figure out your plan early on
Are you going to hire professional movers? We recommend you use a professional moving team. Decide whether you will pack your items or your moving team are doing this for you. Family movers can cover all your needs from hiring a van and driver to packing your whole house and unpacking the other end.
Make a moving day to do list
Moving day often turns in to a scramble. So that you don’t forget everything else, keep a to do list on your phone or a piece of paper that you can reference before you lock up for the last time. This usually includes things like a final vacuuming, doing one last walk through to check for forgotten items. And not forgetting leaving the keys with your landlord or taking them to the estate agent. In the lead up to moving day, add to the list anything that pops into your head that you know you’ll have to get done before you can fully be out of your old home.
Get your day going early
Here ar Family Movers we do the bulk of the packing the day before your move. In our experience it makes for a less stressful moveday. It’s important to be well rested on moving day, but you don’t want to sleep in. Give yourself as much time as you possibly can to cross your Ts and dot your Is by waking up early so that you have plenty of hours ahead of you to finish up everything on your list. If you still have some packing to do, err on the side of going to bed early and waking up early, instead of pulling an all-nighter and being totally exhausted the next day.
Make sure your phone is charged
Moving day is not the day to run out of battery on your phone. Have your charger available in your essentials bag just in case but plan to have your phone fully charged and ready to go all day. You will need it for coordinating logistics with your friends movers and estate agent, and you may need it to pick your rental truck as well.
Be ready to go before the moving truck arrives
It is essential you have all your packing done before the move date. You don’t want your movers or your friends to have to wait around for you to finish packing, nor do you want to completely derail the timing of your day. Consider the time that the moving truck is going to arrive in your driveway as your non-negotiable deadline for having your home packed up.
Get someone to watch your kids and/or pets
Little ones—both two legged and four—bring a lot of joy into our lives. But when it comes to moving day, they, and you, are often much better off if they’re not on site. For everyone’s safety, have a trusted friend or family member take over kid or pet duties for the times you’ll be loading and unloading the truck.
Have a moving essentials bag
A moving essentials bag is a bag that you keep by your side that has everything you might need for the day of your move and the day or two after. This includes: your wallet, your phone charger, important documents, medications, a couple changes of clothes, etc. If you know it’s something that you’ll need access to right away, put it in the bag.
Make sure you know the correct way to lift heavy items
If you are not using a removals company, always be sure to lift boxes correctly, since failure to do so can result in injury. If a box feels too heavy for you to lift or you’re nervous about navigating up or down stairs with it, get someone to help you. As with all other things in life, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Get Family Movers in to do that!
Supply refreshments
Whether you’re moving alone, with friends, or with the pros, it’s a good idea to supply some snacks and water. Moving is hard work that requires a break here and there for hydration and food. Good moving snacks are ones that can be eating on the go for a quick burst of energy—think protein bars, nuts, string cheese, and sandwiches.
Take a photo of your utility meters
This is among our top tips for moving day, though it’s isn’t exactly for moving day itself. Walk around your home and snap pictures of the readings on your water, electricity and gas meters. That way, when you get your final bill from the utility companies you can be positive that they got it right (or alternately, have proof that they got it wrong).
Have cash to tip your movers
Professional movers work extremely hard, and while it’s not expected that you’ll give them a tip, a bit of cash on top of their normal pay is a great way to show them that you’re grateful for all of their effort.
Always do a final walk through
Always, always go back through each room of your home for a last look before you leave it for good. Anything you leave behind could be difficult to acquire later on, especially if you are moving out of the area. Open all of your cabinets, peek inside all of the cupboards, and don’t forget to check any outdoor spaces as well. If you brought it with you when you moved in, you should be making sure that it gets on the truck with you when you move out.
Renting? Take photos during your walk through
We have all head horror stories of landlords who try to claim damages or cleaning costs after move out that end up costing renters their security deposits. To cover yourself, take photos of everything. If there are any unwarranted complaints later on, you’ll have photographic evidence you can use to back up your side.
