A move to a new place brings up excitement, but truth be told, nobody enjoys the process of relocating itself. It can be lengthy and stressful, especially if it’s your first move. To help out, we’ve come up with a guide of the things to do before moving. We’ll tell you exactly what you need to do as the day of the move approaches. Follow our tips to make sure you wake up on relocation day as ready as ever.
When Should You Start With All the Things to Do Before Moving?
There is so much to do before one relocates – from researching all Bay Area towns to find the best place to live in the area to scouting Bay Area moving companies that are to help you relocate. However, when it comes to things to do before you move to a new home if you wish to have a successful relocation, it’s not so much of a question of what you should do but rather when you should do it.
The thing is – the most successful relocations, and the ones that are void of any relocation stress, are those that are not done in a hurry. So, we propose you slowly start planning for an efficient move around two months in advance. However, expect that your obligations will only start getting heated up around a month after.
What Do I Need to Do Before I Move? Thinking Two Months in Advance
We know two months seems like too many months to spend on a move, but we promise you – the sooner you start, the easier it will be to finish the move. You just have to be sure you won’t end up in the situation where you have to be running around a few days before the actual move begins, packing to relocate in a hurry.
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You’ll surely want to have the best movers in San Francisco and the Bay Area helping you out, especially when relocating large items. However, finding the right one out of so many companies might take you some time. First of all, be sure you’ll avoid all those ”companies” that employ relocation scams.
Next, you have to find a company that will provide all the services you need and that fit into your budget. A great company will assist you with jobs like packing dishes as well as with relocating a piano and similar seemingly impossible furniture. However, before you find the right company, you’ll have to know how much you can spend on it, which takes us to our next point.
Get a Binder Which Will Host All Your Important Lists
Let us fill you in on a little relocation hack and an expert secret: organization is half the move. And to organize it properly, you’ll have to make a few lists. We recommend you visit one of the many independent bookstores in the Bay Area and pick out a binder you will adore – because you will be looking at it quite a bit in the following months. It will serve you for organizing documents at home, creating your lists, and collecting bills and recipes.
Create a Detailed Budget as Soon as Possible
As already mentioned, you have to know how much money you can spend on a move so, trust us – do an estimate of your relocation expenses as soon as possible. In the context of scouting relocation companies, you’ll have to get a few quotes first to figure out how much the relocation of your specific home would cost, but simultaneously, you’ll have to intersect this price with your general budget. This is just one of many reasons why you’ll have to create your relocation expenses checklist as soon as possible.
Another Checklist You’ll Want Is a to-Do List
Two months before a move is when you do all the preparatory work. That means getting your binder ready once more. It is time to create another checklist, one that will host all your tasks and obligations – a relocation to-do list. It’s a tried and true way to be on top of the whole move and not forget about any important stuff while you move.
Start Creating a Boxing Up List
The list of most commonly forgotten things to pack is so long that we even have a whole article about it. To avoid forgetting anything important, allow yourself to organically figure out what you wish to relocate to your new place and what you can sell, donate or give away. While a declutter awaits you later on in the process, we recommend thinking early on about which clothes to pack and which to give up. Leaving this task for later on might get you overwhelmed and confused, which you want to avoid.
What Should I Do 30 Days Before Moving to a New Home?
A month before the relocation is when the real work starts – this is when most preparations for boxing up will take place. If you did the organizational part well early on, we are sure that one month in, you’ll feel prepared and calm. So, let’s see what tasks you should be working on a month before relocation.
A Declutter Is in Order at the Beginning of the Final Month
As already mentioned, a declutter is due before you relocate. Hopefully, by now, you already know which electronics to pack and which to give away. If not, we recommend throwing a going-away party with a declutter theme. From our experience, the person decluttering can often get overwhelmed, as the whole process requires them to create decisions each step of the way. This is why we recommend getting people to assist you.
We strongly encourage you to declutter early on because the stuff you no longer wish to keep can become a monetary resource. You can resell stuff you no longer require online or via a garage sale. By California rules, during a yard sale, you can only sell objects that are personal property. That means that no objects which were acquired or consigned can be sold. So, keep this in mind when reselling your stuff. In case you wish to donate your stuff, take a look at this list of places you can donate stuff in the Bay Area.
Obtain Your Packaging Essentials
Once you know how much stuff you are taking with you, you should collect packaging essentials. Get some boxes, tape, and wrapping materials as soon as possible. While you’re picking out a binder in a bookstore, you can see if they can supply you with some packaging materials there. In a bookstore, you’ll be able to get materials and supplies for way more stuff than just for packing books.
Bookstores might also be able to provide you with some free boxes, as they don’t actually need all the cardboard boxes they receive their books in. Consider using alternative materials. Stuff like newspaper pages, towels, and kitchen cloths could save you both money and space and are great substitutes for professional equipment.
What Should I Do 3 Weeks Before Moving?
As the move approaches, you’ll probably notice that you are left with smaller and more direct tasks. That’s good news! That means you are approaching the end of the relocation process and beginning the next chapter of your life.
Learn Pro Tips and Tricks to Make the Relocation as Easy as Possible
Right now, you are in this phase where walking through your old neighborhood in San Francisco is a staycation. Something exciting is coming your way, and you are not burned out from figuring out dull obligations like getting familiar with tenants’ rights and the like. This is the ideal moment to fill your brain with tips and tricks on boxing up and relocating. You don’t have to make notes if you don’t feel like it, but be sure you spend a few hours on the Internet. Make a bookmark folder where you’ll save up anything you think might be useful later on. You’ll thank yourself later on, trust us.
Slowly Start Boxing Up Items You Plan to Take With You
As already mentioned, a month before the move is the time to box up your stuff. This is when the packing checklist and obtained materials will be put into good use, as well as all the tips and tricks you learned about, like boxing up glasses and other tricky possessions. Keep in mind that hiring professional packing services will lessen the difficulty of your move. Experts who’ve done this a thousand times know well how to pack fragile items without any breaking.
So in case, you’re trying to save money while you move, know that professionals will probably save you some cash in the long run, as your stuff is bound to be much safer while being transported to your future home by their truck. Moreover, keep in mind that there are items movers won’t move, like dangerous materials, perishable stuff like food, and living beings such as plants and pets. Consider gifting these to your friends and family and, if you are one of those people who prefer to get around San Francisco without a car, call up your loved ones with vehicles to transport stuff movers can’t take.
What Should I Do 2 Weeks Before Moving?
Final relocation touches are in order. Just a bit more bureaucracy and organizing are due. Soon enough, you are going to be all set in your future home. But first, you’ll have to change your address.
Now Is the Time to Change Your Address
When relocating, people will often get in a hurry just before the move. It’s no wonder since many don’t follow the required steps promptly. And bureaucracy, a dreaded activity as it is, is the first one they start avoiding. This is why tenants who move into a home someone has just moved out of will often have to figure out how to stop getting mail for previous residents. Why does this happen? Well, most often, people forget to change their address promptly, leading them to have their mail misaddressed. For this reason, contact your local USPS postal office two weeks before relocation to have your address changed properly.
If You Have Kids or Pets Organize Their Day of the Move
When relocating as a part of a household, that is, if you are to move with pets or children, you’ll have to figure out their days around the move. Packing and carrying heavy boxes will be done more efficiently without the little ones around, and not to mention that you will avoid any potential danger that can be inflicted on them by chance. So have one of your family members who don’t live with you, or one of your friends look after your children or pets. It’ll make your move less stressful and allow you to focus your energy entirely on the move in the final days.
What Are the Things to Do Before Relocation When There’s Only a Week Left?
Congratulations, you are almost there! Soon before long, your life will be back to normal, or even better, a new normal. Before you move, take some time for yourself. After all, you’ll still need some energy for all the stuff you’ll have to do after relocating. And we have some good news too – we have just one, and dare we say, ultimate relocation hack to propose. And it’s to not move before you pack an essentials bag for the trip.
Pack an Essential Bag
An essential bag should be a collection of all the stuff you will require on the day before the move and the first few days in your new place. It should hold all your essentials – medication, clean clothes, toiletries, and the like. If you have a pet, place their food in the bag as well, depending on how you choose to relocate them. And that’s it. You are all set and prepared for the relocation.
Think about this phase as preparing for a short holiday. It might turn the experience less burdensome too. Take your carry-on and fill it up with things that you would take on a trip. For some minimalist ideas (that you might also use for your next travel) on what an essentials bag could look like, check out this video:
One of the Essential Things to Do Is to Hire Reputable Local Movers in Bay Area and Have the Best Relocation Ever
Whether you are in requirement of San Francisco moving services or are relocating to different parts of the Bay Area, we are the people you should contact for assistance. Our Bay Area movers are the best ones in the Bay Area, which is something you’ll be able to tell through our stellar reviews. Suppose you require residential relocation assistance, or you want to move your Cali office with our commercial relocation services. We can do both in the blink of an eye and with practically no danger to your possessions.
We also offer labor-only assistance too if you lack the manpower to move your boxes and furniture. Whichever of our services you might require, you shouldn’t hesitate to contact us any longer. Call us today to get your free relocation quote. You should be in no doubt that we’ll give you the most affordable price you could find on the market. Our friendly customer service is available to you via phone or email, so call us to hire the best professional packers and movers in the area.