If you’ve moved house before, you probably know how stressful the whole experience can be. And if you haven’t, you’ll find out soon enough.
Here’s the thing:
It’s thought that moving is the most stressful experience people go through in life. There are so many moving parts that need to be taken care of, and if one of them fails, it can take the life out of you.
But today, we want to make your time moving as easy as possible, and the best way for us to do that is to lay out a moving checklist.
Let’s take a look:
Our 10 Steps Self-moving Checklist
You could definitely make a huge checklist, but I felt it would add too much pressure and feel a little overwhelming.
In my personal opinion, you can probably shorten the list down to 10 key steps for moving house.
- Create your moving plan
- Find a moving service
- Sort out your stuff
- Pack your stuff
- Prepare you and your family for moving
- Take care of your home and car
- Make all your important updates
- Make your moving day plan
- Go over the finer details of the trip
- Get your new house ready
Obviously, just listing these things without going into them further isn’t much help. And this is why I want to spend some time expanding on the checklist.
Let’s take a look:
1. Create Your Moving Plan
Your first step should always be making an appropriate and detailed moving plan. And to do this, you need to think about a few things:
- When do you plan on moving?
- How do you plan on moving (are you going to rent a van or use a moving company)?
- What is your budget?
- How do you plan to travel to your new home?
- How to move your funiture and home appliance on stairs?
All of these questions will help you create a plan that will take the stress out of moving. Try to gather as much information as possible and keep it in a folder.
You can use the folder to lock in dates, prices, receipts, and anything else you think is vital to keep you on track.
2. Find A Moving Service
The key to this step is not to put all your eggs in one basket. Many moving services other different things for varying prices.
For this reason, you need to think about how you want things dealt with and what your budget is.
Some companies will let you take complete control of the moving, from renting a van from them and packing your own stuff to working under your schedule.
Other companies prefer to take a more hands-on approach and pack all your stuff for you and take it to your new house.
Which one you choose is entirely down to you and what budget you can afford. Just make sure you shop around to work out which company suits you and your budget the best.
3. Sort Out Your Stuff
Sorting out your stuff before you start packing is essential. The key to sorting out your stuff is by asking yourself these questions:
- Is your new house bigger or smaller?
- Are you moving to a new climate?
- Is it your first house?
By asking yourself these questions, you’ll figure out how it will differ from what you already have.
For example, if you’re downsizing, there’s a good chance you’re not going to need everything your large house can hold. So, in that case, you might want to start thinking about stuff you can sell or give to charity.
And if you’re moving out of a rental into your first house, there’s a chance you’re going to need extra things like a cooker, washing machine, or other appliance that was included in your rental.
In other words, think about what you actually need for your house before you start packing.
4. Pack Your Stuff
If you’ve decided to opt for a DIY moving service, you’re going to have to pack your stuff yourself. And for many people, this can be the most stressful part of the whole experience.
Luckily if you start early and sort all of your stuff out correctly, packing doesn’t have to be as stressful as you may think.
Make sure you order plenty of boxes and start packing away things you don’t use as early as possible. And, of course, make sure you label each box to make unpacking as easy as it can be.
5. Prepare You And Your Family For Moving
Moving can create a lot of emotion and stress, so the whole family must be ready for the adjustment.
Children and pets are significantly affected by changes in the environment and can struggle with the experience. During the move, make sure you give your children and pets the attention they need to get them through this stressful experience.
6. Take Care Of Your Home And Car
When you’re moving, most people will focus solely on their new home, and they pay very little attention to the home they are currently in.
But here’s the thing:
There’s plenty of stuff you need to take care of in your current home that doesn’t involve packing boxes.
Let’s take a look at a few of them:
- Deep clean your home
- Get back your deposit (if you’re renting)
- Canceling services to your home
- Call your utility services
- And anything else you can think about
Another thing you might want to consider is your car. If you’re planning to drive your car to your new home, you should make sure it’s been serviced before you leave.
7. Make All Of Your Important Updates
One thing that many people forget about is changing your address for the services you use. And while you can forward your mail, the best way to do it is direct with the source.
Think about the services you use and work out whether you need to change the address or cancel a service.
This could be things like:
- Gyms
- Banks
- Pharmacy
- Post office
- IRS
- Social Security
- Insurance agencies
- And much more
8. Make Your Moving Day Plan
You’re finally reaching the final stages of moving house, but there are a few more things to think about. To make sure your moving day goes off without any problems; there are a few things you need to think about:
- Make sure your parking space at move ends to help you with the moving equipment.
- Make sure you let credit card companies know that you’re moving and that charges are coming.
- Work out how you’re going to move your pets and children.
- Schedule any moving equipment you might need to assist you in your moving journey.
- Make sure you stay in contact with the moving company, so you know the ins and outs of what’s going to happen.
9. Go Over The Finner Details Of The Trip
Moving to a new house is no easy task, and while many people like to get straight there, why not have some fun along the way?
Make a plan of places where you can stop and have some fun while you’re driving across the county. Not only will it make it a memorable journey and take your kid’s mind of the whole moving house thing.
If you’re not driving to the new house, you’re probably going to be flying. That means you’ll have to book all your flights and arrange transport to and from the airport.
Whatever mode of travel you’re using, you need to make sure you pack a bag with everything you’ll need for the journey.
10. Get Your New House Ready
There’s a chance you’ll arrive at your new house before your stuff does. If that’s the case, take some time out to clean the place and make any repairs that need taking care of.
Doing these things before everyone gets there will make your life a lot easier in the long run.
Our Top Tips For Last Minute Moving
Okay, unfortunately, you’ve left things late, and now you’re starting to panic. But don’t worry, we’ve got a few tips for you to help you speed up the process:
- Schedule the move ASAP – The more time you take, the more challenging things will be in the long run. As soon as you know you’re going to move, get something booked.
- Don’t worry, just pack – Matching your stuff does make life easier in the long run, but if you’re short of time, just get things in some boxes. You can sort through things later when you unpack.
- Be okay with changes – Unfortunately, when you’re moving last minute, things can happen. And the key here is to stay calm and come up with a solution.
Just these three tips will help you when you’re moving last minute.
Final Thoughts
As you probably know by now, moving is a stressful experience, but by following this guide, life will be a little bit easier.
The key to moving is to stay calm. Sometimes things will happen that are out of your control, but by taking a minute, you’ll be able to find the right solution.