So, when are you relocating to another house? Statistics have revealed that the average American relocates to another residence every seven years. The relocation industry seems to have a seven-year itch going on right now! Even with this high statistic, homeowners have described moving as one of the most stressful events in their life. Surveys show that people find moving more stress-inducing than divorces/breakups in the 21st century.
What makes moving so problematic for an average homeowner? It appears that people don’t follow certain instructions before relocating that can make moving more comfortable for them. A pre-move checklist can help your moving plans become less troublesome for the whole family.
What to do before relocating?
People relocate for several reasons, including family issues, money matters, and better employment opportunities. However, a poorly-planned move may lead to stress, causing your family some discomfort. We suggest you follow our pre-move checklist to make your move a convenient experience for the household. Create a helpful timeline using our below-mentioned tips to help your family relocate contentedly. Let’s describe these tactics here to relocate to your new home without any worries. Here’s the pre-move checklist you must closely follow before moving:
- Declutter the house:-
Before moving, the first thing you need to do is declutter the house. You can recycle the stuff you can and throw away the rest to reduce the amount of belongings movers shall transport. What about the things with sentimental attachment? Find a self storage facility where you can keep your belongings in clean, well-secure, and climate-controlled units. These units come in different sizes to always scale as per your needs. Rent these storage facilities before moving to a new home.
- Pre-plan your move:-
Don’t rush your move and take a few months planning it properly. Instead, we suggest you schedule it weeks in advance if months-long planning isn’t possible. This effective schedule can help you properly create plans for the relocation and avoid mishaps while your family switches homes. So, identify how much time you need to spend planning the relocation. Bigger families need more time to prepare for the move than just a couple living alone. That’s how you make this event stress-free.
- Catalog your belongings:-
Have you counted your stuff before moving? It’s important to catalog your valuables to ascertain you haven’t left anything behind. Also, these list-making efforts allow homeowners to decide how many boxes are needed to carry the stuff. Considering that movers are careful and break something, these catalogs help you claim for insurance in the future. Since you’ve already decluttered the house, your belongings won’t be challenging to count. So, make sure that you’ve created a catalog properly now.
- Pack your essentials:-
Relocating households must always pack a package of essentials when they’re moving into a new home. Don’t send away everything with movers. Keep your essentials with you. They can include your phone, medicine, important documents, and other valuables you can’t dare to lose. So, these essentials allow your family to spend the first night in your new home comfortably. Keep some clothes, toiletries, and toilet paper with you as well. Now, you’re ready to spend the first night!
- Find reliable movers:-
Heavy lifting doesn’t seem like something you should do! It’s smarter to recruit reliable movers who can transport your belongings to another location. In 2018, not even 20% of Americans hired a professional moving company to get the job done. You shouldn’t make the same mistake and recruit the right folks for moving services. Ask your friends/family for recommendations. Remember to hire only licensed and insured moving companies. It’s helpful to read some online reviews about them.
- Change your address:-
Change your address before moving to your new home. Some homeowners delay informing relevant authorities about the address change until they switch homes. This delay may cause you problems in the future. You can forward your mail online by going to the USPS website. Also, people should change the mailing address for other services (such as banks, newspapers, and magazines) digitally. Be quick about the address change before it leads to documents getting lost in transition.
- Inform utility providers:-
You don’t wish to move into a house with no gas, water, or electricity. Also, nobody wants to pay for these utilities when they are just about to leave the house. We suggest you inform utility providers about your relocation plans two/three weeks before the move. Then, you can avoid getting charged for these utilities provided to an empty house. Changing your utilities lets your folks move into a house with water for showering and electricity for charging their phones.
- Get some help:-
You can’t relocate without asking for help. Your transition strategy cannot involve just you planning to move on your own; you can also ask friends/family to lend a hand. They can look after the dog as you relocate or keep some of your stuff in their attics. Trying to handle everything on your own isn’t recommended. Unless you learn to accept help, moving may be a stressful experience for you.
- Clean your house:-
It’s not your job, but courtesy dictates that you clean the house before leaving. It makes sure that another family moves into a clean house after you go. Also, it would be best if you cleaned the home where you’ve relocated with your family. Don’t settle in before cleaners have swept every nook and cranny of that place. Finally, change the locks since you don’t know who else has the keys to this house.
Conclusion
It’s estimated that some 13% of Americans – 40 million people – relocate to another residence each year. Since moving can be stressful, we’ve presented a checklist to ensure that your family can relocate this summer comfortably. So, make sure you have decluttered the house and cataloged your belongings before moving. Also, change your address, inform utility providers, and find reliable movers to transport your stuff. Ensure that you have packed your essentials to stay the night at your new home. Finally, clean the old place before leaving and forward your mail to the new house. That’s how you can avoid mishaps when relocating to another dwelling and keep your family happy.
