They say all real estate brokers should move every few years, as a reminder of what our clients are going through. This year, my husband and I moved, so I had the first hand experience of what my clients are feeling and stressing about. I compiled a list of my favorite tips and tricks that I found beneficial to help ease the transition!
How to Move Houses with Ease
1. Take inventory of what you own and what you may want to part with. This is a good time to start selling furniture or belongings you don’t want to bring to the next home or donate to friends/family/charity. Goodwill and Salvation Army are great nonprofits to donate to.
2. If you’re hiring movers, book them as soon as possible. Their schedules get booked out far in advance! You also want to make sure they are licensed. Remember to tip and offer to get them lunch if they are with you all day! Remember, they are in charge of all your most precious possessions.
3. I used a company called RediBox for all my packing supplies. They drop off your reusable boxes a week before your move and pick them up the week after! No need to assemble/break down a bunch of cardboard boxes and buy rolls of packing tape. The boxes are zip tied shut and you can purchase extra packing supplies, (i.e. bubble wrap and tissue paper) to be delivered with your shipment. The movers loved them! You can use the code RB10 for $10 off your order.
4. Start packing in advance to alleviate the last minute shuffle. Most kitchen items and large appliances (think crockpot, blender, air fryer) you can last a week or two without. Pack up your dish-ware too and eat with disposable plates/silverware for a few days.
5. Label each box with the room you want them dropped off in at the new house. I also liked to sub categorize them, to easily find the items you’re looking for. (Kitchen, plates/bowls)
6. Anything you are nervous about breaking, pack on your own in your car. I brought a box of my framed wedding photos and some fragile glass pieces that I was nervous about being shuffled around.
7. If you have pets, board them for the day or arrange for them to stay with a neighbor.
8. Notify the post office, banks, credit card companies and friends and family of your change of address. The U. S. Postal Service offers a kit (and will send you coupons) to make this process easier.
9. Contact utilities (gas, water, electricity, telephone, cable TV, internet) to schedule disconnection of services on the day following your move. You'll want to have utilities on while you're still in the house. Call the utilities in your new city to arrange for service to start the day before your move so that you have service when you arrive at your new home. You don’t want to move without power!
10. Leave your forwarding address and phone number for your home's new occupants on the kitchen counter. Even if you forward your mail, it’s inevitable that something will still get delivered by mistake.
As always, contact your Real Estate agent for any recommendations or referrals. They work in your area and know the industry best! If you don't have an agent yet and want to learn more about how we can help, reach out to me today!
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