Moving homes isn’t only a highly stressful ordeal, it can also be a massive time sink.
You could set aside a few minutes for completing a few moving duties only to find out you’ve spent the entire afternoon hardly making a dent in your entire moving checklist.
If that situation sounds painfully familiar to you, your frustrations are completely valid. Moving homes is one of the most frustrating things to properly execute in this day and age, especially for first-time solo-living individuals and growing families.
But just because it’s difficult, it doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Moving homes with efficiency is something that can be done with a little bit of strategy and forward-thinking.
Here are six helpful tips made to help you move faster.
Table of Contents
1) Declutter En Masse
Over the years, you’ve likely accumulated various trinkets that are just idly collecting dust.
Sure, bringing that dusty, sixth-grade accordion could seem like a good idea given its sentimental value, but if you’re eyeing cold-hearted efficiency, you’re much better off disposing of it instead.
And this philosophy doesn’t just apply to dusty belongings taking up space in the attic. Moving homes is the perfect time to transition to a more minimalist and decluttered lifestyle.
To start, you should get rid of bulky and worn-out furniture pieces. Leather sofas and chairs with visible creaks and creases don’t need to bring their antiquated feel to your brand-new home, for one.
Get rid of old books and other outdated pieces of decor too, whether you decide to sell them or donate them is ultimately up to you. While they could be used as new decor, you’re much better off restyling your home in a more novel manner.
Efficiency means you have to be extremely selective in what you decide to bring along. Approaching it as such can make the physical move infinitely smoother.
2) Prepare a Moving Checklist
Moving homes entail juggling multiple tasks, all with varying levels of commitment. Even for the most organised individual, it can be easy for one small task to be missed, leading to a branching set of new problems.
If you don’t want to be overwhelmed, you should make a moving checklist as soon as possible. Two months (eight weeks) before the final moving day is usually the best time to have one ready.
This checklist should include every primary task and its respective dates and sub-tasks. You should also include a checkbox or something similar to indicate the completion or progress of the task.
As such, this checklist isn’t a one-and-done obligation. To make the most of it, you must keep updating it regularly.
To make the moving checklist readily available, we suggest hosting it on an online cloud spreadsheet. That way, you can easily access your list from any computer or mobile device with internet access.
3) Make Advanced Arrangements With Utility Providers
One of the most time-consuming parts of moving homes is having to go through back-and-forths with utility providers to have their services in your new home.
If you don’t want to waste your time in long customer service queues, you should consider calling ahead and making advanced arrangements with the local utility providers. During these arrangements, you should detail to them when you’re arriving, as well as other relevant expectations. You should also tell them when you plan to cut off the utilities in your old home.
By doing so, you will have the assurance that your brand-new home has electricity and running water from day one. Furthermore, you can achieve peace of mind knowing that there will be no surprise billings from your previous residence too.
4) Group Items for One Room in One Box
The packing process doesn’t only entail putting your items in a single container—it also includes the process of removing them to your new home.
If you don’t want to waste time rummaging through several boxes looking for a single item, we suggest grouping items for one room in one box. That way, you can easily select the boxes for each specific room and unpack accordingly.
You should also label each box clearly and indicate its content. That way, you won’t have to unwrap the boxes just to know what room they belong in.
5) Hire Moving Services
You’ll be spending the majority of your time loading and unloading your belongings during moving day. And it doesn’t need to be explicitly mentioned that this can be both physically draining and time-consuming.
That said, you don’t have to do all the physical work of the move. Removalists like Muval’s removalists are trained and equipped with the right expertise to get your things in your new home smoothly.
By enlisting the help of professionals, you won’t risk breaking your items on your own accord nor worry about strains in your body in the upcoming days. Sweat-free moving is completely possible with these services.
6) Put All Important Documents in a Special Container
You probably have a dedicated corner or cabinet in your apartment where you put all your important documents. And one of the last things you’d want is to lose them amidst the moving process.
While we did suggest placing all single-room items into one box, the sole exception is for these important documents. They should all be accounted for and kept close to you throughout the move.
We suggest putting these important documents—insurance papers, legal contracts, bank statements, passports, and the like—in a secure, waterproof container inside your personal backpack or luggage. That way, you won’t have to look everywhere for them when you need them in your new place.
Infographic Provided By Moving Leads Company, USA Home Listings
