National Moving Month Moving Tips

Moving into your first (or twelfth) home can be a stressful and exhausting process. As National Moving Month comes to a close, we've compiled a list of helpful tips and tricks you can use to make the next time YOU change homes, a little less like herding cats.

Check out these National Moving Month Moving Tips:

1. Research your movers:

A pair of brawny college guys might be cheap, but they might also break every dish you own, or crack your flat screen; do a little internet research before you hire movers. You may have to pay a little more upfront to get someone who is qualified and well-reviewed, but you'll pay less for broken furniture items in the long run.

2. Get a bigger vehicle:

One way people try to save money is by not renting a truck or U-Haul and just make more trips back and forth between homes. The time and energy a dozen trips will take should be measured against the cost of renting a vehicle. If your budget is tight, perhaps borrow a larger vehicle from a friend and spare yourself hours in the car.

3. Give yourself lots of time:

Moving can make the smallest task feel like it takes a few hundred years. To avoid a last minute crunch, if possible, give yourself more time than you think you will need.

4. Take care of yourself:

Days of heavy lifting, packing, and rushing back and forth between houses can take a mental and physical toll. Take time to make sure you're eating and sleeping enough. Stretch your sore muscles, snack, and drink plenty of water. Moving may not be fun, but it doesn't need to come at the cost of your health, either!

5. Check the weather:

Wrestling a couch up the stairs in hundred degree weather is the official sport of Hades. On hot days, plan to move heavy items early in the morning, or late at night. If you're moving items via pick-up truck on a wet day, make sure you have a tarp on hand to keep things dry!

6. Recruit help:

Two people can't (or at least, shouldn't) squat a solid oak dresser into a truck alone. Even if you are a densely muscled gym rat, it's better to not risk injuring or exhausting yourself by going solo. Now is the time to call in favors! Bribe friends with food, guilt your family into helping you - whatever you need to do to get more hands on deck.

7. Pack smart:

Pack away things you use least, first, and the things you use the most, last. No one wants to have to eat dinner out of a Frisbee because you packed all the bowls away and now they are buried in the back of your moving van.

8. Purge:

If you don't own it anymore, you don't need to pack it! Donate items to your local charities and throw away broken junk.

9. Schedule smart:

This means cancel cable and entertainment services first and things like electricity last. Consider leaving your internet on until the day you're done, so you still have access to check the weather, prices for any critical moving services or items you need, etc., and don't get stuck without a resource for information.

10. Stay in touch with me:

If you need to move earlier, or even later than hoped, stay in touch with your mortgage banker. There may be some flexibility in your close date, so if you need access to your new home sooner, we can explore options which will satisfy everyone involved and make your moving experience less stressful! The earlier I know what you need, the earlier I can help make your goals a reality.

As always, if you have any questions about the mortgage process or recommendations on moving professionals you can trust, let us know. We look forward to serving you!