Moving Tips to Save Your Sanity
Follow this step-by-step guide to decide what furniture comes with you and what gets stored, sold, or donated.
It’s said that moving is the third most stressful life event a person can experience, but does it really have to be such a headache? Many aspects of buying, selling, or renting a home or apartment are out of your control, but planning what to do with your stuff can actually be a rewarding exercise in stress-reduction if handled correctly. Follow our tips below to take some of the weight off (literally) and make your move a stressless and cost-effective one.
1. Give Yourself Time
Part of the reason move outs can become so frustrating is that the process usually doesn’t start until the very last minute. Once you know that you’re moving to a different space, integrate to-dos with your daily schedule. Price moving services and storage facilities on your way to work, or clean out a few kitchen drawers while you’re fixing dinner. If you’re moving a long distance from your current residence, consider renting a storage unit close to your new location and dropping off items over time. That way you’ll have less to do closer to your move-in date.
2. Get Everything Out in the Open
Evaluating what’s in your living space without actually having it in front of your face can be extremely difficult. It’s hard to accommodate for important items when they are sitting in the back of a closet. Use the last few months in your home to pull everything out of cabinets and consolidate furniture into your most used rooms. It might get a little crowded, but your most needed items will be fresh on your mind once it’s time to load the truck.
3. Be Ready to Compromise on a Few Items
Moving with spouses or roommates often leads to disagreements about which furnishings are vital and which can sold, stored, or donated, especially if you’re moving to a smaller space. It’s better to have these conversations early so that all parties involved can be on the same page while you’re planning equipment and storage rental. The name of the game here is compromise. If you’re convinced the ottoman should be sold but your partner disagrees, offer up one of your preferred items as a bargain.
4. Donate, Sell, or Curb All Non-Essentials
For some buyers and renters, this is the hardest part. It’s natural to want to hold on to everything, but moving is a great opportunity to start with a clean slate. Try to be very thorough about what constitutes a family heirloom or precious item. Old collectibles, out-dated gadgets, or over-large pieces of furniture could find a new home with a family that needs them. Plus, listing these items on Ebay or Craiglist or selling them at a flea market could provide spending money to facilitate other moving expenditures.
5. Store Everything That Won’t Fit
After getting rid of all your unnecessary items, you might find that you still have some items that you want to keep, but won’t have room for in your new space. This is where self-storage comes in. Find the right size unit online or call locations near your new home to discuss your needs. Storage Post provides unique solutions for anything you might want to hold on to, like delicate collectibles, vintage clothing, or precious pieces of furniture that require special attention. Whether it’s a temporary or long-term fix, we have affordable and competitive rates to accommodate your needs.
6. Contact Moving Services or Friends in Advance
After following all the steps above, you’ll have a clear idea of what’s coming with you. This makes it much easier and cheaper to contact moving services, truck rental companies, and your most helpful friends accordingly. Consolidate most of your day-of items to front rooms to make moving a simple process for yourself and others, and label items and boxes according to the rooms they belong in so that it’s easier to direct your movers during the shuffle. This will make your move-in day simple, seamless, and hopefully a joyous occasion.
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