| 1, 2013
1. Keep the Furnishings Simple – When moving into your first apartment, that heady rush of independence can cause you to want to go all out with the furnishings. However, consider first how long you’re planning to stay in the space: if your lease is short, you may be out quickly. Keep your furnishings simple and adaptable to a number of different spaces. Also check out boston piano movers for all your piano moving needs!
2. Move In on a Quiet Day – If possible, schedule your move for a quiet day, such as a weekend. Move-ins are stressful all by themselves, but can become well nigh intolerable if you’re competing with heavy traffic. If you expect the move to be quick, avoid rush hour and do it in the middle of the day.
3. Get Your Papers in Order. Make a smoother transition to your new home by sending important information ahead of time. Transfer medical, dental and school records. Be sure you take copies of important financial and legal documents with you.
4. Contact Insurance Providers. Most moves will affect your insurance coverage. Check with your provider to see if you’re covered under your current policy. A move could also shift your current rates, or necessitate new coverage.
5. Announce Your Move. Give your family and friends early notice, so you won’t miss important events. Alert colleagues as well, so your professional network stays intact when the rest of your stuff is disassembled.
6. You’ll be looking back at that house you spent so many years in, and find it really hard to part with it. It’s not a house anymore, it’s a home full of memories, but before you know it, it’s moving day. For times like those, create an emotional emergency kit. Now it sounds a bit silly, but take set some time aside before your moving day to create your own emotional emergency kit. An emotional emergency kit will calm your emotions when you’re suddenly missing your old home. Fill it with things that remind you of home and comfort you.
Keep an object that really reminds you of home in the kit, and fill the box with scents, sights, sounds, feels, and tastes that comfort you. Pick out scented candles that smell like home and chocolate is a must!
7. Pack Like You’re Going on Vacation – We’ll get into the big stuff next, but first things first: set aside the essentials. You’re going to need mainly clothing and toiletries which should fit pretty easily into any standard carry-on suitcase. While you may want to wait until the week before you move to do this, put everything you need in that suitcase and live out of it. This isn’t as comforting as having everything in its usual place, but you’ll know where your necessities are and you won’t accidentally pack any of them. When all your other packing is complete, you can just zip up your suitcase and drive it over to your new home.
8. Places for Extra Storage in Your House – Rather than packing up and moving, most people find it easier to go through your house and find places for extra storage. Before you even get started finding more space for things. Think! Do you really need all of this stuff? Go through your house and get rid of the clutter, then see if you need extra storage. If you do, here’s some tips:
Get creative with your space, and set it up for what you really need. Make rooms with double uses. Using a dish cabinet with extra drawers for your office supplies, your kitchen can be an office.
Make use of your walls. Hooks can be just right for hanging up coats and purses taking up space. Another idea is to hang tote bags on the wall to organize your loose papers.
Utilize the space you have. Dressers can be for more than clothes, and use the age old college dorm trick and raise up your bed and slide storage boxes under it.
Shelves can be your best friend. Install shelving units high above entry ways for a great way to display your books or trophies while keeping them out of the way.
Opt for furniture with storage space. An ottoman or a coffee table that opens up for storage.
9. Be sure to pack one box labeled “first night” and fill it with everything you need to spend that first evening in your new home. Load it up with bed and bath linens, toiletries, pajamas and a set of clothes to wear the next day when you start the job of unpacking.
10. Make their goodbyes great – No matter how prepared you are for a big move, you still have to say goodbye to your home, your friends and your favorite places. Instead of downplaying your goodbyes, make them a big deal. Host a going-away party for your kids and let them help with the guest list. Create a special memory book where friends can write a goodbye note and their address, so it’s easy to keep in touch. In addition to a big party, you could also hold a cozy family dinner where you do a tour of your old house and talk about the great memories you had while you lived there. Commemorating your past experiences will help make moving easier on your kids because they will have time to process the change and say farewell in a fun way.
