Moving is stressful, but there are things you can do to make the process easier. Here are five time-consuming moving tasks and how to efficiently tackle them.
1. Loading a moving truck without professional help
Loading a moving truck without a professional moving company requires a lot of bending and lifting, which will probably result in a lot of grunting and groaning. Make sure you have a group of friends or coworkers who can help you get the job done. Rent or buy a dolly and moving straps to make lifting a bit easier. Lastly, be mindful of how you pack the truck. Make sure you ritems are snug and comfortable so there’s less room for them to shift while you’re driving.
2. Putting together a home inventory
Go through each room in your home and document all your important possessions. Jot down notes about electronics, jewelry, art, and more. This checklist will help you keep track of everything you own, especially if professional movers are helping you. After your move, file your home inventory for insurance purposes. If you don’t have time to create a spreadsheet, walk through your home with your cell phone and record a video of everything. Talk about important items and include significant details, such as how much they cost and where you bought them.
3. Deep cleaning your old home
Cleaning is never fun, but you have to do it before you vacate your old home. Make sure to reach into the depths of every dark corner, including closets, cupboards, deep drawers, and pantries. Before you move, start cleaning out these spaces. Donate old items you no longer need, use up all the canned goods in your pantry, and throw away all the junk in your junk drawer.
4. Deep cleaning your new home
More cleaning?! Unfortunately, yes. This time, however, hire a professional cleaner to come in and deep clean anything unsightly that was left behind by previous tenants. If you don’t have the budget for that, try to get the keys to your place before you move in so you can clean thoroughly before you transport your belongings over. Wipe down cupboards, walls, railings, light switches, door knobs, baseboards, shelves, floors, and other dusty surfaces.
5. Organizing important papers
If you want to avoid a paper disaster, go paperless. If that’s not possible, make sure all your documents are sorted and organized about three weeks before the move. Get a filing folder and sort by topic. Don’t shove everything together without rhyme or reason, or it will be impossible for you to find anything when you need it.
