Going through the home buying process can be a stressful time for any homeowner, be they a seasoned pro or a first-time buyer. After every stressful step of the home buying process, it all ends with what some may consider the most stressful part of all: actually moving! While moving is never going to be a relaxing experience, there are many ways you can simplify your move. Take a look at the five suggestions Landmark Home Warranty has below!
- Begin Cleaning and Decluttering Early
As you know, you should be cleaning and decluttering your home in order to stage and entice buyers. But did you know that by cleaning and decluttering your space you can also simplify your move? The less items you have to move on the big day, the better! Begin by decluttering things you never use, such as clothing, shoes, toys, games, and electronics. Either donate these items or sell them for a little extra cash.
If you can’t bear to part with some of your items but still need to declutter, consider packing them up and moving them into a storage unit. You may find that you don’t actually need them in the long run and end up donating them, too!
- Organize Your Move
Getting organized is the best way to make sure your moving day is streamlined, and you’ll be thanking yourself after when you’re unpacking. Here are a few ways you can get organized for moving day:
- Put Together an Important Documents Folder
Having a folder where all of your family member’s social security cards, birth certificates, driver’s licenses, marriage certificates, school and doctor records, etc. are in one place can save you time and energy during and after your move. As items get packed into boxes and moved around the home, it’s hard to remember what item went into what box. Save yourself a headache and make sure all the important documents stay together.
- Use a Moving Checklist
Making a game plan and then writing it down can help you ensure that nothing is forgotten in the hassle of moving. You can make your own or, if you need a little bit of help, Landmark Home Warranty has created a huge comprehensive (and printable!) moving checklist that you can follow starting from two months out.
- Label Your Boxes
Get your home items organized using a labeling system. Whether that means color coordinating tape or labeling what is in each of the boxes, make sure that you know what box goes in which room when it’s time to move into your new place. If you need some help, Landmark Home Warranty has some printable box labels and moving guides here for free!
- Pack Smart
- Pack by Rooms
When you’re actually packing up your items, make sure to pack by rooms. Throwing random items into a box just because they fit is going to cause major headaches when you’re unpacking.
Not only should you pack by rooms, you should pack by the rooms in the new home. This means you will have to figure out where each piece of furniture goes before you pack and… who knows! If you can’t find a good place for an item in the new home, it might be something that needs to be donated.
- Use Your Own Soft Items to Protect Breakables
You can pack smart by using soft items you already own around breakables. Yes, this goes against the above paragraph, but usually you already know where linens and towels should go, so it’s not going to be much of a guessing game as you unpack them. By using soft items to wrap and protect your breakable items, you can save money.
- Pack Non-Essentials First
Don’t begin packing items that you use day in and day out. You can begin packing up your home pretty early if you begin packing up your non-essential items first.
- Pack Light
Remember: moving boxes aren’t that expensive, and they’re certainly not worth more than the items that could become damaged if one breaks because you’ve packed it too full.
- Notify Others of Your Change of Address
One thing that always seems to get lost in the hustle of moving is notifying companies that you are moving! A few things to remember are to:
- Fill out a change of address form with the post office (and set up forwarding to your new address).
- Tell your utility providers when you’ll be vacating your current home, and get them to set up utilities in your new home so it’s ready on moving day.
- Get your wi-fi switched over to your new place
- Keep Your Essentials Within Reach
Finally, make sure to keep essentials within reach while moving. It’s not a bad idea to pack a small weekender bag full of a few changes of clothes, toiletries, etc. Then you don’t have to dig through the bathroom bag, clothing boxes, towel boxes, and more to just take a quick shower after moving.
Another helpful thing is to pack a welcome box full of food staples, toilet paper, and soap so you can take care of business and keep fed while unpacking in your new place.
Once you’ve moved into your home, make sure to help protect it (and your budget) with a home warranty plan from Landmark Home Warranty. Landmark helps to repair or replace a home’s system and appliance components when they fail from normal wear and tear. This can help homeowners feel more secure when purchasing a new home. If something covered goes out during the move, it just takes a quick call to Landmark to get it repaired or replaced! If you’ve owned your home for less than 30 days, order a home warranty with special real estate pricing here.