Moving is an event that can cause a great deal of stress, but it doesn’t have to. Moving is definitely a challenge, and it is a lot of work. Nothing will change that, but a good moving plan can make it much easier to navigate. Here are six ways that you can simplify the process of moving out of your apartment.
1. Don’t Move It, Sell It
It makes no sense to box something up, haul it to your new place, and unpack it if you don’t even want it anymore! Moving sales are a time-honored tradition for people who realize what a waste of effort that is, and social media makes them easier than ever to pull off. A quick post of a photo and a price will move more things than you might expect.
2. Measure Your Treasure
When you found your new place, you began developing a vision of how you wanted to place all your furniture and other fixtures. Then you arrived and found that nothing fits. Problems like this are easy to avoid. Measure all your large belongings before you start moving so that you can get the apartment floor plan figured out before you start lugging heavy furniture. That brings us to our next point.
3. Move in a Sequence
Moving day is often hurried. You’re trying to minimize the time that you pay movers or impose on friends. You can do a much better job of this if you think about where things go first. Make your first load the one that goes furthest through the new place. Get this big stuff in place at the dead end, then work your way back so that you don’t have furniture in the entry or hallway in the way.
4. Know When You Need Help
Anybody can pack up boxes of kitchen utensils and haul them across town, but other belongings will call for better help or better transportation. For the heaviest and most fragile items, hire moving services or rent a vehicle so that you can get everything moved with the least risk of damage to the items and injuries to the workers. Local moving companies will often offer hourly rates on in-town moves.
5. Plan for the Weather
The most common problem encountered on moving day is bad weather. Have a backup date if possible, but otherwise, make provisions for it. Buy cheap plastic drop cloths to cover sensitive items, and have dry clothes inside the new place ready to remove water immediately. Set aside high-profile items like mirrors until winds subside. Ice down plenty of drinks for hot moving days, and prepare hot drinks for winter moves.
6. Plan Routes
Traffic can ruin the entire day’s schedule. Research traffic patterns to know what areas you should avoid, and make sure all drivers have route information and navigation systems to find alternate routes when traffic issues develop unexpectedly. Be sure that you have cell contact with everyone involved in the move in case of breakdowns or accidents.