Don’t Assume - Plan Ahead!

A client of mine purchased a new home less than 2 miles from the old one. On the surface, the move looked pretty straightforward and easy – but!

Both houses needed cleaning, paint touching up, and everything—EVERYTHING—needed to be picked up, transported, carried into the new house, and set back up. While they saved a bundle on rental truck mileage, their move was in most ways as strenuous as a Seattle-to-New York move.

No matter how far you’re moving, it’s a big project. Don’t assume you can pull it off at the last minute. Leave plenty of time for planning. At least 8 weeks before the move: contact moving companies, get estimates, collect boxes, and notify magazines/catalog companies of your address changes.

You have a lot of flexibility when it comes to moving. You can utilize professionals for all or just a portion of the move. For example:

• You pack and they move.
• You pack easy items, such as books, CDs, household records, toys, and clothes. They pack odd-sized or fragile items, such as artwork, china, collectibles, and electronic equipment.
• You pack everything and they move it. (Their truck or yours.)
• Hire professional movers to help pack, load, and unload your rented truck. Call local moving companies. They might have a list of employees willing to work directly for you on weekends.

Discuss your options with a moving company representative. They know that every household move is unique and can help you develop the scenario and estimate that fits your effort level, your schedule and your budget.

Whether you choose to move yourself, hire professionals or combine the two, the more planning and research you do ahead of time, the smoother and more cost-effective your move will be.