How far in advance should I schedule a move?

There are so many details surrounding a move from one house to another. One detail you may be focused on right now is trying to decide how far out you’ll need to actually schedule your move. This answer is going to be different for everybody because if you are moving locally, it’s much simpler than if you are moving from out of town.

If you are moving during a comfortable weather season, it will be much simpler than if you were moving during inclement weather. Some days of the month are busier than others, while certain days of the year should be avoided altogether. Take a look at this guide for determining when to schedule your residential move.

Days to avoid

There are a few days in the year to simply avoid scheduling your move whatsoever. You’ll want to avoid booking a move over any national holidays, including times like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Independence Day.  You’ll also want to try to avoid booking it over the weekends since those are also the busiest time of the week to relocate.

If possible, avoid booking your move at the beginning of the month or at the end of the month since this is when most people would finish and start a lease and also be trying to move.

Local moves

If you are going to be moving locally, from one house to another in the same city, you are going to have more leeway with booking the movers out. If you choose to do this off-season, you can even book it just a couple of weeks out and you shouldn’t have an issue.

It’s best to give more notice since movers will try to book up, but typically during the off-season, it will be much easier.  If you are moving locally during the busy time of year, typically summer, you’ll have to give a couple of months’ notice to movers. If you have no choice but to book with less notice, you’ll have fewer movers to choose from.

Out of state moves

If you are moving from one city to another, you are going to have a different set of circumstances as you would if you were a local move. Moving to another city during the busy season, typically summer, means that you are going to need at least 10-12 weeks booked out with your movers. Fewer movers are willing to move you out of the area, which means you’ll be more limited in who you can work with.

If you are moving out of the city during the off-season, you can probably book 1-2 months out, but lean towards the 2-month mark to be safe. For moves that are going over state lines, you will be extremely limited on choices and thus you’ll need to book at least 12 weeks out.

Scheduling out is important

Now that you know when to avoid booking your move, you’ll want to focus on the best times to move and understand why plenty of notice is key. Having your move booked well in advance gives you a confirmed and reserved date that will allow the rest of your move to be able to be scheduled around this date, such as the packing process and the first day at your new job.

Your moving crew will have plenty of notice to properly prepare for the day and will be able to work with you in advance on any questions or concerns that will avoid any surprises on moving day. If you book early, you can sometimes get a discounted rate and you’ll find that you have the best movers in town available to book with.

Try to book your move on a weekday other than Friday, sometime in the middle of the month, and especially during the off-season. If your area is busiest in the summer, avoid booking from May until September, and try to book it for one of the other months of the year. The longer the distance you are moving, the earlier you’ll need to book.

Consider if you are moving into a complex that will need advanced notice or a property on a street that will need to be reserved. Talk to your movers about elevator access, unusual items, and long carries. By booking well in advance, you can work out all of these details and you won’t have the stress of a last-minute move that could cause you to work with poor movers.

Use these tips to schedule your upcoming move with plenty of notice to your moving crew.   

5 life hacks for a successful & stress free move

Moving, by nature, is a stressful process, but fortunately, you can make it more manageable with some simple life hacks. Rather than getting overwhelmed from the start and allowing it to take over your move, you can choose to look at your move as accomplishing one thing at a time until the whole process is complete.

Once your move is done, you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor with a fantastic new space and new neighborhood for your family to become part of. Take a look at some tricks that will make your move simpler and much less stressful!

Take photos of everything

One of the best tips for a stress-free move is to take photos during the process. That means to first take a photo of your house setup now so that you can remember how you like the TV placed, what the bookcase was arranged like, and where all of your favorite knick-knacks were placed.

Then, you’ll want to take pictures as you pack so that you have a way to reference the items during the unpacking process. In the event that something was lost, you’ll be able to verify what box it was put in.

You’ll love having photos to reference at the new house because you may want to set up your home just like it was before or you may be looking for some specific items to use right away and your photos will help you determine which box they were packed in. Before you leave, take photos of your previous home in the event that you need to show someone like a landlord what state you left it in.

Pack a box for the first week

Speaking of items you may need right away, you should definitely pack yourself a separate box that can be used during your first week at the new home. While you can take your time unpacking your beautiful vases, the things you keep in the guest room, and the things you’ll want in your garage, you will need to be able to do things right away like cooking in the kitchen and taking a shower.

Pack the first-week box with things like shower curtains, towels, pots and pans, glasses, and the pet food bowls. Obviously, your family will need their bedding and clothing, but keep items handy like a first aid kit, trash bags, and cleaning supplies.

Keep hardware handy

In addition to these items that you’ll need right away, you’ll also want to keep your tools and hardware handy. It would be a pain to have packed away things like brackets, screws, and mounting pieces to furniture in a box somewhere when you want to reassemble your couch or table. Be sure to keep the hardware labeled and in your first-week box, along with tools to use.

Take care of your movers

One life hack you may not have thought about would be to take great care of your moving crew. While they are in your home to serve you today, make sure you to offer a beverage or some help throughout the process. Your small effort to keep them more comfortable will likely result in the crew taking extra good care of your belongings. Offering these things can avoid someone hurting themselves or getting dehydrated.

Use your own containers too

Lastly, remember that some of the things you will need to pack can actually work as a container too. You’ll have so many cardboard boxes or plastic containers being moved that it may be comforting to see your suitcases of clothing stand out when you are trying to find things. You can also save money by utilizing these containers you already have, such as decorative baskets and hampers. Just avoid using trash bags in case someone mistakes it for trash.

Use these simple life hacks to make your residential move even easier and stress-free this year!

How to Keep Your Kids Busy During a Move

One of the concerns you may have with your upcoming residential move is how you are going to move all of your things, your family, your pets, and your plants safely and efficiently while also keeping your kids content during the process. It’s such a stressful time but kids will always be kids and they will not be able to flip a switch on moving day to stay out of the way and take care of themselves.

That means you need to prepare for keeping the kids busy during the move so that you can get the job done. This is why it’s more important than ever to hire a great moving company to help you along the way. In addition, you can use these tricks to keep the kids busy during the big move.

Pack when they are not home

Before you move, you’ll want to make sure you work on the packing when they are not home. That might mean the kids are with the grandparents or at a class or activity that you’ve enrolled them which will give you the perfect time to get some packing done. Peace and quiet in the home will allow you to think and get the work done without distractions.

Give them a small job

You can bring the kids into some of the activity to make them feel more a part of things. Give them a small job to do, such as a pile of things to sort through before packing and labeling. Make sure it’s something that won’t break easily that they love, such as some stuffed animals or blocks.

Your children will be able to feel a part of the moving process and take pride in having helped mom and dad with the packing of their things. While they pack some easier items, you’ll have a moment to focus on delicate items.

Bring in some help on moving day

One of the best plans of attack for moving day is to have someone come to the home and watch the kids for you. This could be a friend, neighbor, or babysitter. Have someone to keep the kids busy during the move that will allow your children to have some fun, stay out of the way, and avoid feeling emotional about everything being moved out of their home. This is an important time to keep the kids happy and help burn off some energy so that the commute to the new home will allow for some quiet rest time.

Have some entertainment ready

If kids are wired and ready to play, make sure you have some entertainment to keep them busy. While it’s great to have something to do and play with, sometimes a movie or video game works as a great distraction on this day. Keep the devices nearby and some entertainment at your fingertips.

Activities that the kids can do

You can also plan ahead for some fun activities for the kids. Whether you’ve packed a special bag for moving day with crayons or playing cards, have some activities ready to go to pass the time. Keeping your kids special stuff with them will help with the transition too, such as a favorite blanket, stuffed animal, or toy.

Exercise

Lastly, don’t forget the benefit of incorporating some exercise that day. If your friend or nanny is available, have them take the kids outside to get some exercise. Taking a walk, doing sidewalk chalk, doing cartwheels, playing kickball, or going to the local park to hit the monkey bars are all great ways to release some tension for the kids and burn some energy. The long commute in the car or on a plane won’t be so bad after a morning in the sun.

Make sure to keep kids busy during the moving process so that you can work with your moving company to get everything moved properly. Use these tips to make moving day just as fun as a normal day for your children.

5 Tips for Moving with a Dog

Moving homes with a dog can be stressful when you’re already considering how to function as a family during the move and get all of your stuff there safely. When it comes to pets and even plants that you take care of daily, you have to take some additional steps to make sure everything goes smoothly and safely.

Fortunately, dogs are resilient and will go with the flow as long as you take care of their basic needs during the move. Use these 5 tips for moving with your dog and then when you arrive, you’ll get to enjoy a brand new backyard and neighborhood park for your furry little one to enjoy!

Exercise

The first tip is to make sure Fido is getting plenty of exercise. When your dog has pent-up energy, he or she is just going to get angrier about the move. It’s important to make sure your dog is able to burn off some energy so that he or she can relax a bit during the move.

The more energy in their system, the more anxious and misbehaving you’ll likely notice. Make sure the week before the move incorporates more exercise and the day of the move allows you to find pockets of time for a brisk walk and sometime moving around. If you have a backyard, allow your dog plenty of time to move around, but a walk to the park will really make a difference. Take turns as a family to do dog walks during the week of the move.

Keep them happy

You’ll also want to keep your dog happy during this time with some entertainment. Try some doggy brain games, such as playing hide-and-seek with treats and favorite toys, or buying a toy where the treat is in the middle and it takes a while to get it loose.

Bake some new treats that you can put in a baggy and serve occasionally as something special during moving week. Find ways to keep your dog entertained and busy while you’re taking care of the move.

Relocate them during the move

An easy way to handle the situation is to simply take your dog somewhere else while you’re moving. You might have a friend or neighbor that can keep your dog for the day so that you can get through the process, but there are always options like a kennel or doggy daycare that he or she can go for a few hours.

Your dog is likely going to get anxious from all of the boxes moving and want to stand by your feet all day making it a hazard as you’re dealing with heavy objects. Talk to friends or family about dropping off your dog for the day or send your dog off for the morning at a care facility.

Anxiety aids

Since this is a stressful time, you may find that your dog isn’t handling the emotions well. It’s a more stressful situation than normal, like a thunderstorm or fireworks on the 4th of July, which justifies a little extra help right now.

This is a great time to get some anxiety aids to help through the time being that will help with the stress. Talk to your vet about options or try some retail options like calming collars and Thundershirt. There are even treats available at your local pet store that are made for anxious dogs.

Routine and quiet

Lastly, try to make the week before your move a calm one in which you stick to a routine. Your dog might be noticing changes and feeling the tension. Now is the time to stick to a routine, practice patience, and give your dog plenty of peacefulness and compassion.

If there is much activity going on throughout the week, find a quiet place that your dog can go to relax with familiar blankets and toys so that you can feel free to pack, run errands, or move boxes without stressing out Fluffy.

Use these 5 pro tips to make sure your dog is happy during your upcoming move.

What to Move First When Moving

With so much to pack in your home, where do you even begin? There’s actually a good answer to this question because there is a part of the home that is the perfect place to start packing and moving first. It’s definitely not the kitchen or the bedrooms, but it may be items found stored in these areas of the home. The answer is also not to just start somewhere.

There is a way to pack the home that is going to make the most sense for the least disruption to your regular routine and the most efficient for moving everything from one home to another. Take a look at where to begin your residential move first and how it will make the process smoother.

Before Packing

The first thing to do before even packing or moving anything is to get a moving checklist, take an inventory, purge some things, and hire your moving crew. Your moving checklist will tell you how to get all of your tasks done and in what order, such as when to change your utilities over and what to pack first and last.

When you take inventory of what you do have, it will easily spell out for you what you need to be packing first, which will be the things you rarely use that you do want to keep.  That is because there will be some items you rarely use, and even some you use often, that you’ll decide you’d rather part with going into the new home.

Purging your belongings after taking your inventory will help you to see how much stuff you really have and help you downsize some of your things before moving them into another home. Less stuff will give you less to move and allow you to even make some money selling them in a yard sale. Lastly, hire your moving company now that you have an inventory of what’s going and they can help you get an estimate of what your move will cost and require.

Begin packing these things first

Now it’s time to start the moving process by packing things that have the lowest impact on daily life first. This will include stored items, books, extra linens, artwork, china, knick-knacks, and out-of-season clothing. If you have items in storage, such as your Christmas decoration in the garage, these types of things will be packed first.

Then your clothes that are out-of-season right now are perfect to pack and you could even use some to wrap up your delicate knick-knacks. Your china, artwork, picture frames, and souvenirs should go next. Then you can start packing extra linens or towels and just live with less for now, and apply the same to your book collection since you are likely only reading one or two books at the moment.

On moving day, it will be easy to see what items should go first because it will be these boxes you’ve worked on first. Your Christmas decorations, wall hangings, and extra linens and clothes are the perfect place to start because you aren’t using them for several months so they are already sitting in a spot unused at the moment.

The things that need to be packed last are those kitchen supplies, everyday clothes, bathroom accessories, and your home office. These things being packed up first will make it too hard to keep living in your home, while your china and souvenirs will be fine being packed away for moving day.

Make sure to prepare for your move by packing and moving these things first so that you can pack the things you need right now last.