Moving ranks close to root canals on the list of items people would rather avoid. Here’s six questions everyone should ask themselves to help make moving less financially stressful.
1. How Much Are You Moving?
Whether you have the contents of a dorm room or a three-bedroom house can make a large impact on the cost of your move. Each box and each piece of furniture will carry its cost in time, sweat, and cash. Pare down as much as you can. Donate and trash anything that you haven’t used in the last a year to free up moving space.
2. How Will You Store Your Stuff?
If you are moving to a smaller place or have a temporary lull until the final location is available, using storage units might be necessary. Again, rent the smallest unit available that will hold your items and be sure to use sturdy stackable containers that are moisture-resistant. Look at the design of the new home and plan ways to store and organize your belongings before moving in.
3. Will You Need Outside Help?
If you have furniture or major appliances, you should request help from friends and family. Use their help to navigate large items with a dolly into the moving van. If friends or family have trucks or trailers, use those before resorting to renting a moving truck. Unless you are moving extremely large amounts, you likely won’t need to hire a moving company.
4. How Much Do You Need for Utilities?
Make sure to reserve some money in the budget for new setup of utilities. Many require a deposit, installation fee, or other initial costs. This includes electric, water, gas, cable, phone and internet, and garbage removal. Also, if you are the owner of the property, you’ll want to change the locks.
5. Where Can You Find Packing Supplies?
Buy your materials in bulk from a warehouse club or shipping outlet rather than the moving company. Or better yet, ask local retailers if they have boxes that they can give you for free. Make sure to clearly mark each box for the room it belongs to. Keep one “open first” box that includes toilet paper, cleaning wipes, trash bags, and whatever you need to sleep the first night. In all the chaos, it will be nice not to have to hunt for those items.
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