Moving is stressful. The time limits and ongoing pressure creates anxiety and makes it difficult to think straight. Some people are blessed with organization skills and are able to move efficiently over the course of a month or so, but others are strapped for time and need to expedite the moving process. Regardless of your situation, there is a way to get things done quickly and efficiently. Using the fast track guide to packing and moving, you’ll be able to move in two weeks or less. To help you, make sure you go through the ultimate moving checklist so you never miss a step.
Allow Yourself Time to Prepare
While you might think that you need to immediately start doing something physical, the preparation process is an important part of getting things ready so you can have a stress-free moving experience. You’ll want to spend about one to two days getting prepared so that when it’s time to start packing and moving, you’ll have all of the administrative things taken care of and you can focus on the task at hand. If you’re on a serious time crunch, spend a few hours in the morning before you move on to other steps and keep notes of what you have and haven’t finished. The preparation process includes getting all of your necessary moving supplies, making travel arrangements for your move, calling utility companies, and asking for help.
- Get Your Supplies Ready – make sure you buy any necessary supplies including moving boxes, bubble wrap and packing paper, trash bags, permanent markers, packing tape, moving blankets, plastic wrap, and furniture pads.
- Make Any Travel Arrangements – if your new home isn’t move-in ready, make sure that you know where you’re going to stay during the transition.
- Call Ahead – if you’re going to use a moving company, call them ahead to schedule your moving date. You’ll also want to call your utilities companies so that you can transfer your services over the phone before you get to your new place.
- Recruit Help – ask your friends and family if they’re available to help you on the big day. If they’re available, supply some food and cold drinks to thank them and let them know your gratitude.
Get Organized
Now the fun begins. Getting organized so that you have an idea for how you’re going to pack is a good way to create a strategic plan. In a majority of cases, people try to take it slow and move over long periods of time. However, sometimes that’s either not possible or just not your thing. If you’re the type of person who works best at the last minute, you need to prioritize your organization. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself stressed out and feeling rushed, which can lead to improper packing and a lot of preventable headaches.
Go on a home walkthrough so you can evaluate each room and its contents. What will you need to pack? Is there anything that you’re going to leave behind? Do you want to start fresh with décor or will things transfer to your new home? You’ll also want to look at your items in each room and try to create categories. Write things down and give yourself the time to think about the details of your move. Not only will it make things easier when you start to pack, it’ll make unpacking a breeze.
During your organization time, you can also start to pack a few things that you rarely use and know you won’t need until your move. It’s also a good idea to start creating piles of things that you’ll want to get rid of before the transition. You can take them to a donation center or try selling them for a few extra dollars. If you don’t think you’re going to use it in your new home, or if you plan to redecorate, don’t bother moving it, it just creates more work.
In each room, make a note if there is anything essential that you’ll need right up until the day you leave. It’s never fun to pack early and realize that you don’t have any utensils or toiletries handy.
Finally, if you have a room that doesn’t get used as often, dedicate it as your moving room. You can put all of your boxes in here as you start to pack so that things are out of the way and in one spot. This will make moving day much easier as you won’t have to run around the house making sure you have everything. Another great option is using short term self storage for moving. If you’re going to be moving across town or nearby your previous home, you can start taking boxes of things you rarely use directly to your self storage unit. This way, you’ll have less work on moving day and you’ll be able to keep things out of the way during the process.
Start Packing
After you’ve put aside all of your essentials and figured out a plan for how you’re going to pack each room, it’s time to get started. Go through your house one room at a time and jump right in. This is a great time to utilize help if you’ve got it. The more people working towards packing up a room, the faster it will go.
Make sure that you use the proper packing equipment to protect your things and always label your boxes. Having things break during a move is never fun, especially when they’re sentimental items or valuable. We recommend using an assortment of bubble wrap and packing paper for boxed goods and always protecting your furniture with covers and bags. When labeling the boxes, you should include the contents and if there is anything breakable write “Fragile” in large letters. This will let the movers, or your friends and family, know they need to handle the box with care. If you’re going to use a long-term self storage unit, pack those boxes accordingly and take them to your facility before moving day. If you need to take anything apart, always make sure you put the smaller pieces in a bag and label it, so you know what it’s for. You can tape the bag to the actual item for increased convenience, just make sure that it’s secure.
Moving Day
When moving day comes, it’s important you know what you’re doing. If you’ve hired professional movers, they will take care of most of the work. However, if you’re moving on your own, it’s a good idea to understand how to pack a moving truck in the most efficient way possible. Packing a moving truck is an art and, when done properly, can save you time and money. For more information on how to maximize the efficiency of your moving truck, check out this article.
Make sure that you have an overnight bag packed for the duration of your move. While you might think that you’ll be able to start unpacking as soon as you get to your new place, moving is exhausting. Chances are you’ll want to sit down and relax for a while and start the unpacking process on a new day. Give yourself the opportunity to do this by packing a small bag of all of the essentials that you’ll need for a day or two. This way, you won’t feel pressured into unpacking just to brush your teeth. Instead, relax and talk to your partner about how you’ll want to organize your new home.
Moving is a process, but sometimes it needs to be done as fast as possible. Luckily, it is possible to pack and move in two weeks or less. If you’re looking to utilize short term self-storage for your move or are interested in renting a long term self-storage unit, contact the professionals at The Lock Up Self Storage today. If you’re coming from out of state and are planning on renting a home before buying a permanent residence, The Lock Up Self Storage will help you store anything you don’t need so you can focus on finding the perfect new home. We offer both short term and long term self-storage options. All of our self storage units are safe, secure, and are climate controlled so you don’t have to worry about the safety of your things. Call us today at (866) 327-LOCK to learn more about our storage locations and inquire about our flexible leasing options.
