1. Use a Moving Checklist to Assist Your Planning.
The biggest stressor during a move is not having enough time to get everything done. The problem is that most people start planning their move far later than they should. Ideally, you should begin planning your move about 8 weeks out from your planned move-out date. By doing so, you’ll be able to keep your mind and space organized and focused on one task at a time and you’ll find this will make the entire process seem like a piece of cake.
2. Determine Your Moving Budget.
Like with any big life event, if you don’t determine a budget in advance, you’ll definitely experience “sticker shock” when it’s all over. If your employer is offering a relocation package, ensure you read through the details on what is covered and how the funds will be disbursed. If you are funding your own move, then start with a moving cost calculator to estimate the cost of your move. There are MANY factors that can influence a moving budget so use a moving calculator just to get a ballpark estimate of what you’re looking at, and then try to find ways to cut costs down.
3. Now is the Best Time to Re-assess at Your Insurance Needs.
Moving to a new residence is a major movement…of ALL your belongings. Waiting until after you move is NOT the right time to be putting an insurance policy in place. If you’re a homeowner, you likely shopped around already for homeowner’s insurance. If you’re a renter, you should absolutely get a renter’s insurance policy in place. Renter’s insurance is extremely affordable and covers a whole host of things that you wouldn’t think are covered under insurance. You won’t have to ask around very far to hear nightmare stories of people who didn’t sign up for a renter’s insurance policy. And if you are moving to a new state, in addition to changing your license plates at the DMV, you will need to change your auto insurance policy. This is why this is a good time to re-look all of your insurance policies. There are huge incentives when you bundle policies together with the same insurance provider.
[TOP PICK: Liberty Mutual – Offers great service and coverage, especially for younger renters…plus they offer special discounts for new moves and bundles.]
4. Find a Mover.
Even if you’ve decided that you are the mover, this is still a significant chunk of cost for your overall move. Ask yourself: Am I renting a truck or UHaul or using my own personal vehicle? If you’re using your own vehicle, there are fuel costs as well as the cost of wear and tear on your vehicle – this starts adding up if you’re making several trips. If you’re keeping the move light, also keep in mind that you will likely be purchasing furniture and other items for your new residence once you get there. The point is: in one way or another, it adds up. If you are using a moving service, you can have the movers pack and move everything for you, or you can manage costs by packing and boxing your own things and having the movers only move the boxed items. Regardless of what option you choose for your situation and budget, you’ll want to compare moving companies. To help you with this, we put together a moving company contact sheet with a list of questions to ask each moving company that you interview (this contact sheet is also included in our free moving guide).
5. Have a Garage Sale or Sell Your Stuff Online.
By now, your head might be swirling with the costs adding up, but you can also find opportunities to make some extra cash by selling items you know you won’t need or take with you when you move. Pre-move is the perfect time to de-clutter! The majority of people who wait until during or after a move to de-clutter are too busy to spend any time selling their unwanted items and end up throwing most of it away – that’s money in the trash! Instead, let your trash be someone else’s treasure. You can have a good old-fashioned garage sale or sell your stuff online – we recommend selling your stuff online. That’s because people make 5-10 times more money on average when an item is sold online versus at a garage sale. And if you’ve never sold anything online, it has never been easier with the aid of apps like LetGo, OfferUp, or even Facebook to help you connect the right buyer to the right item.