Get Organized Early for a Stress Free Move

Written By

Machaela Casey

Why is Moving So Stressful?

Studies have indicated that moving is often viewed as one of life’s most stressful events. Many factors can contribute to this anxiety. First, moving isn’t just about hiring a truck. It’s packing the entire contents of your home or office building.

It’s moving people (and pets) to a new location. It’s scheduling to shut off-and turn on-utilities. Finally, there are essentials to arrange: registering kids for school, changing doctors, and getting a new driver’s license. It can be overwhelming.

How to Reduce the Stress of Moving: Plan Early

To help make your summer move easier, you need a strategy. We’re happy to help. As experienced movers, we know that the key to any successful move is organization.

In order to keep your move stress free, you must plan ahead. Check out our moving tips for a less stressful move:

See the Big Picture

Make a timeline. As soon as you book a moving company, sit down and make a schedule. Work backwards from your moving date to determine what needs to be done and when.

Top things to include:

-Contacting utilities to connect and disconnect service

-Sourcing packing materials, including boxes of all sizes, bubble wrap, and tape

-Transferring important medical and dental records

-Registering children in new schools

-Finding new veterinary care for pets

Create a moving folder

Keep all of your important moving papers together in one place. Choose a paper folder in a bright color to hold all of your documents. Make sure that you have a copy of your:

-Moving contract

-Rental or lease agreement

-Storage or warehousing paperwork

-Insurance policies

Organize Your Goods for Transport

Have a packing plan. Make sure that you leave plenty of time to pack. First, determine what, exactly, you’ll be moving. Remember that you’re responsible for moving everything on your property. Yes, you’ll have to pack up your home. But don’t forget about other areas, like your garage, attic, basement, and patio.

Next, purchase all of the materials that you need to safely pack all of your items for transport. For example, you’ll need boxes of all sizes. In addition, you’ll also need things like bubble wrap and newspaper.

We also recommend getting one or two tape guns if you’re going to pack yourself. Tape guns are convenient and less likely to get lost among all of the boxes.

Make an inventory

Before your start filling boxes, go through each room making a list of all of the items in that room. Then, type up your list by room, using a simple spreadsheet.

This might seem like a lot of extra work. However, an inventory will help you keep track of your items during the move. That’ll make unpacking easier. Plus, it’ll be easier for you to locate certain items and to know if something is missing.

Prepare Your Boxes

Color code and number boxes. Pack boxes according to the inventory that you’ve created. Use colored electrical tape or pre-printed labels to identify where boxes will go in your new location.

Also, label all boxes on the side, rather than the top. That way, you’ll be able to easily read your markings, even if boxes are stacked on top of one another.

Get Your Car Ready

If you’ll be driving your car to your new address, make sure it’s road ready. Service your car prior to the move, and make sure you have a full tank of gas.

Also, double check that your insurance and plates are current. The last thing that you want on moving day is to get pulled over for expired tags.

Call Your Moving Partner

At Nelson Westerberg, we’re experts at eliminating moving stress. We know that one of the most important things you can do to have a successful move is to find the right movers. Our experienced staff will help you—and your belongings—arrive at your new destination quickly and efficiently.

Plus, we have all of the right trucks and equipment to make sure that your goods arrive safely. Finally, we offer a range of extra services to help make your move easier. From packing and unpacking to warehousing and storage, we have it all.

Whether you’re planning a local or a long-distance move, we’re ready to move you right. We’ll provide all of the information that you need to get started. Contact us for a free quote. Our staff is ready to get you started on your stress-free move.