Tips for Preparing for a Move

Properly preparing for any move — no matter if it is big or small — is essential for a successful, low(er) stress moving experience. Figuring out everything in and outside your home that you want to bring along — and assessing exactly how you’ll actually get everything on your list into your new space — is crucial when preparing to move. Here are a few helpful tips for preparing for a move.

Take Inventory

While making a list of all your belongings may be daunting, it is necessary for a flawless moving experience. You should take comfort in knowing that once you commit, the benefits of a home inventory don’t end on moving day.

Not only does a thorough home inventory help you determine all of your belongings, but it can also help reduce the stress of boxing it all up and moving your items into your new home. It can even help in assessing your homeowners insurance needs.

Find a home inventory checklist and customize it. If you are looking for checklists online, many of them will include an exhaustive list of categories, so look through a few examples and create your own to best suit the needs of your home and your family. You may even consider a home inventory app, depending on your preferences.

Organize your list by rooms, and don’t forget to include hallways. For belongings of particular value, take photos of or describe the items. Make sure to add items to your inventory list that are not physical items, such as copies of all your important documents.

Keep your checklist even after you pack up. Save and make copies of it for after the move to remind you which items you packed where, as well as to assist with determining the right coverage for your new homeowners insurance.

Box it Up

Once you’ve taken stock of what you need to move, the next thing to do is to figure out exactly how many boxes you need to pack up you home. There are online packing calculators available which can help estimate how many boxes you need. Generally, these tools ask you the number of rooms in your home, along with the number of people living in it. Some even get more detailed by asking if you consider yourself to be a minimalist or a pack rat.

If you try out a few of these packing calculators, you should get a pretty accurate idea of how many boxes of various sizes you will need to move. Generally, an individual in a small studio may not need more than 20 boxes, whereas someone in a 3-bedroom may need as many as 80 to 100. Typically, the longer you live in a place, the more items you accumulate, so you will need more boxes.

Rent a Truck

There are a variety of useful calculators available that suggest the moving truck size that best fits your needs. A good rule of thumb is to multiply the number of furnished rooms in your home by 150 to receive an estimate of the cubic feet of space needed in a moving truck.

For a small studio a cargo van may work, but for apartments and small homes a 12-foot truck generally works. For those moving into a three- to five-room home, you may consider a 22-foot truck. The majority of moving experts suggest paying a few extra dollars for a slightly larger truck to be safe, especially if you are packing the truck yourself.

It is important to to focus solely on the interior of your home when assessing your moving truck size. Keep in mind the outdoor belongings like bikes, sports equipment and patio furniture, too.

 

While it is no secret that planning your move in advance is wise, even those under a tight moving deadline can save time and money — and improve an already stressful situation — by taking a home inventory and researching how many boxes you will need, along with the proper moving truck size. If you take care of these three moving musts, you will be sure to have an organized and efficient move.

If you are looking to buy or sell your home and have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us here at DBL Real Estate with the link below today!