The big day is right around the corner. You have sold your house and bought a new one. You are now ready to start the process of moving! Before the moving company arrives on the big day, you need to be prepared for them. Here are our tips for preparing your home for a moving company.
Downsize
You can collect a lot of stuff over the years while living in one house. Moving is the perfect time to go through all of your belongings and see what you want to keep, what you want to donate, and what you want to throw away. Not only will it make you feel good to purge, but it will also save you money as less stuff will be packed and moved to the new house. It also makes a difference if you are going to be moving into a smaller residence or sharing space with someone.
Have a Plan of Attack
Will you or your spouse be home on the big move day? Being home is recommended in case the movers have specific questions regarding items to be moved. Are you packing boxes ahead of time or are the movers packing and loading everything? This is important because if the movers are to pack everything, let them. They have much more experience doing this than you do and there may be some rules and regulations regarding self-boxed items and whether they are insured the same as if the moving company packed them.
Know What the Moving Company Will & Will Not Pack/Transport
Moving companies by law have defined rules on what they can and cannot transport. Certain items cannot be moved for safety reasons such as flammables (paint thinner, gasoline, propane tanks) and weapons/ammunition. Other items cannot be moved due to liability. These include items such as cash, plants, sensitive documents, medicines, photographs, and food. Be sure to have checked with your moving company to see what cannot be transported and make arrangements to transport these items yourself.
Pack a Bag
Pack a small bag of necessities for each family member. A bag will be very helpful when you arrive at your new location and are looking for specific items for bedtime or keeping a sense of schedule for yourself, kids, and pets. The bag may include pajamas, a favorite toy or book, medicine, toothbrush and toothpaste, hairbrush, face wash, an outfit for the next day, snacks, or any other items you may anticipate needing.
Have Insurance
Your homeowner’s policy should cover you for the transport of your items to your new residence. If they do not, or you do not currently have insurance, buy some. It is of the utmost importance to assure your belongings are protected. The moving company has insurance as well for you to use/consider.
Declutter, Clean, & Organize
To prepare for the moving company to sort and pack your belongings, you need to give them an area to do it. Make sure countertops are open and clean and areas in each room are decluttered. Ensure that you have emptied out drawers as well as clothes from your dresser. Make sure the fridge is empty and the dishwasher has been emptied. These small things will be a great time saver for the moving company as well as yourself.
Label Everything
Be sure to confirm that the boxes that the moving company is packing, are labeled well. Make sure to put labels in large letters so you can see from far away, what is in each box. Also, make sure the boxes are labeled according to rooms. You don’t want the living room boxes sitting in the bathroom or the kitchen boxes in the bedroom. Lastly, make sure boxes with glassware and fragile items are labeled as such.
Take Photos
Taking photos on moving day is a splendid idea for a variety of reasons. Not only is this a joyous adventure and a time to make memories, but photos can also be used as innovative ways to remember things. If you have a complicated wiring set up for your television or sound system, snap a few pics to remind yourself of which cable goes where. It is also nice to have photos to look back on in case you believe any of your furniture was damaged. Can’t remember if that scratch was there before, pull out the pictures as proof.
Be Prepared to Handle Issues out of Your Control
The most important thing to be aware of on move day is that things can change. Plans unfold. You cannot control everything, so the best thing to do is go in with a positive attitude. The weather might not be ideal, something may have been left behind, or something might have gotten damaged. Keep your emotions in check and remember belongings can be replaced. So wake up on move day with a sense of humor to get you through any rough patches that may arise.
Hopefully, these tips to prepare your home for the moving company will come in handy when your big day is right around the corner.
