What to Know When You’re Preparing to Move
Every move is different – people have different situations, circumstances and needs. But whether you’re moving across town, the province, the country or the border, all moves share a few similarities. When you’re preparing to move, you should always be able to answer the following questions – no matter where you’re headed.
Where are you going?
It’s likely you’ll know your destination city immediately if your job is transferring you to a new location. But sometimes people choose to move for a change of scenery, pace, opportunity, etc. When preparing to move, narrow your destination to a single city. Then, find a place to live. Unless you know the city well, you may want to hold off on buying and simply rent until you’ve lived there for six months to a year.
Regardless of where you live, knowing the measurements and dimensions of your home in advance will help you with packing your belongings for your move because you’ll know exactly how much will fit in your new home. Take the opportunity to sort through your belongings and divide them into items you’d like to keep, items you’d like to sell/donate and items you’d like to toss.
In addition, knowing more about your home in advance will allow you to get organized before you even arrive. According to blogger Josh Smith, as quoted on Lifehacker.com, “In the past we have had to work through fitting our furniture into a small room and having family members and friends all sharing their opinions on where the different pieces of furniture should go. This creates chaos and that is my number one enemy during a move.” Instead, you can figure out where your stuff belongs ahead of time.
How much time do you have before the move?
Do you have two weeks or two months? Knowing how long you have before moving day will affect a lot of factors surrounding your move. For example, if you have two months, you can spread out your to-do list over a longer period. In preparing to move, you can perhaps do more things on your own instead of enlisting the help of your friends and family. If you have less time, on the other hand, you may find yourself more stressed and need to focus on the big picture instead of the smaller details.
How much money do you have to spend?
No matter how big or small your move, you should always establish a moving budget before spending a cent. Get estimates from at least three moving companies so you know how much packing, loading and transporting services cost in your area. Decide where you’re willing to spend money and where you’re willing to scrimp. For example, perhaps you want to hire movers to load and transport your belongings, but will pack them yourself. And instead of purchasing moving supplies, maybe you can borrow boxes from friends. Whatever you do, don’t go over your established budget! Nothing’s more stressful than trying to find money you don’t have.