Tips for Planning Your Next Move

Moving is an extremely stressful task if you are not properly organized and prepared. For many, moving to a new location and life is already cause enough for anxiety, so why stress yourself out further dealing with all the logistics of the process?

One thing you should always do when moving is to give yourself adequate time to prepare. Depending upon the amount of things that you are moving and the distance, you may want to start planning over a month in advance.

Begin by making a list of everything that will be involved in the move. Try to be as detailed as possible, as this will save you worry in the long run. Include everything from beginning to pack to how you will unpack and settle into your new residence. Make a separate list of all the supplies that you anticipate needing during the move and a reference of numbers to call for movers and friends that you will ask to help you.

Another important step that you should take is to shop around in advance for moving trucks. Having good movers to help you is absolutely essential, and you should always call around town to obtain free moving quotes from different companies or ask friends if they have any helpful suggestions.

Another good resource to utilize when shopping around for movers is YELP.com, which reviews such business and provides personalized details. Make sure you establish what the market rate is for your town so that you know that you are not being overcharged.

When packaging up your belongings, make sure to buy appropriate materials to keep items secure, such as foam bubbles and protective packaging. If there are items you do not need to take with you, make sure that you hold a garage sale or donate them in advance to avoid having a large amount of rubbish to dispose of at the last moment.

Ask friends to help you pack, as this can be a physically and emotionally overwhelming task to undertake on your own. Make sure that you properly label all boxes as to their contents and mark which boxes contain fragile materials so that the movers are aware.

Last but not least, make sure that you save all receipts associated with your move. This includes the price of purchasing boxes, tape, renting a moving truck or hiring movers. If you are moving for a job, these costs may be tax deductible. At the very least, a possible tax rebate may help lower the stressful costs that can easily add up during a big move.

TLC. Moving Tips. Accessed October 21st, 2012.