Moving Day

Whether you are moving into your first apartment or into two-storey suburban home, you will need to be organized. Many people dread moving; finding it confusing and chaotic. To move successfully you must plan ahead of time; know where you are moving to and figure out the approximate cost of the move. The peak of the moving season is in the summer beginning at the end of May. If you plan to move at this time, it is a good idea to book ahead with moving companies and storage facilities. If you’re planning on moving yourself, make sure you stock up on moving supplies and book that moving truck far in advance.

Where to Begin?
Assuming your home has already been sold and you have a move date, you should prioritize a list of things that need to be done. If you have lived in your home for a long time, you likely have accumulated piles of junk over the years. While it can seem overwhelming to go through everything, resist the urge to throw everything into moving boxes.

Begin by going through your home, deciding on what you want to keep and what definitely should be tossed. It is essential you begin this process early enough so that you will have sufficient time to host a garage sale and take items to a charity store, instead of having to pay for garbage disposal. Remember, many of your old pieces of furniture and appliances may be someone’s much-needed treasure.

Moving Company or DIY Move?
An important decision for you and your family to make is whether you will move yourself or hire a moving company to do the dirty work for you. Certain factors will play a key role in your decision, such as:

• the size of your family
• if your children are old enough to help in the moving process
• how much stuff you need to move

If you have young children, they are probably not going to be very helpful when you need to cart a fridge onto a moving van. However, if you have older teenagers and lots of strong relatives and friends to carry out the move efficiently, you may not need to look into moving services afterall.

Do Your Research!
If you are going to hire a moving service, you must be vigilant to avoid scams. Do your research on the telephone and contact your local transportation authority in the yellow pages. They may be able to recommend reputable house movers or rental agencies. Remember to ask upfront for all prices and insurance costs.

A moving company may offer a truck and movers for up to $400 dollars depending on the size of the moving trucks and the distance of the move. If moving on your own, a moving truck rental should cost about $30 dollars a day while insurance would be an additional $30 dollars a day.

How to Pack and Packing Supplies
If you have had a garage sale, hopefully you have fewer belongings to move. If you’re looking for cheap moving boxes, then pay a visit to your local grocery store or liquor store who will likely give you the boxes for free. Alternatively, you can purchase packing supplies from office supply stores or postal outlets. If you have specialty items that you are concerned about being broken, do some research online for specialty packaging supplies for glassware, artwork, cribs, lamps and musical instruments. If you think specialty packaging is completely unnecessary, make sure you obtain plenty of boxes, as you may have more belongings than you previously thought.

Don’t forget to label all boxes clearly so you are not mystified with their contents at a later time. Another must: strong packing tape to close all boxes.

Organize Your Files
To guarantee you bring all your personal documents and work supplies with you to your new home, you should invest in file boxes. File boxes are a simple organizing tool where you can keep track of all those important papers, like birth certificates, bank records, bills, job contacts, school records, and car and home insurance. You can purchase file boxes at an office supply store. However, skip loading this box onto a truck. You should travel with this box as it contains all of your family’s financial and legal information.

Keep Track of Your Documents
Organizing paperwork is effortless for some people while others struggle with it on a daily basis. For those of you on the latter end of the spectrum, this list will suffice when transporting your essential documents to a new location.

• School Records- Obtain a record of your child’s school transcripts or have your child request one. Most schools will transfer the records to the new school but it is a good idea to have a copy of it.
• Medical Records- You should obtain copies of your family’s medical records from your current dentist, doctor and optometrist. If you are moving out of state, you will need to obtain more extensive records as they cannot be shipped easily over state borders. You will also need to personally deliver these records to your new medical doctor.
• Vet Records- As with people, animals will need to have all their medical records when moving to a new location. You should ask for a check-up and vaccines for your pet from your veterinarian before you move.
• Financial Records- You will want to obtain copies of bank statements, investment records, account information and any other financial records. You will be asked for these when you register at a new bank.