What To Do Before the Move
What To Do During the Move
1- Using a moving company: If you’re considering hiring a moving company, don’t just call anyone. You want to hire someone who has been around for a while, especially if you’re going cross-country or internationally—lesser companies may not have experience in moving valuable goods across state lines or country borders. Since you likely don’t want your stuff sitting in storage while they figure out whether they want to pay movers, be sure that any reputable company has their trucks and employees before hiring them.
2- Don’t use lockboxes: Lockboxes should only be used if you think it makes sense for your move; otherwise, leaving a key hidden somewhere might be considered an accident waiting to happen by prospective buyers or tenants. Leave a door unlocked instead; it’ll allow buyers/tenants access to see what’s inside without costing you thousands of dollars on top of moving costs when something goes missing.
3- Make plans with friends/family beforehand: Moving is stressful enough without having to deal with locksmiths on top of everything else that comes with moving. Make sure you’ve arranged for someone to be able to get into your old place if necessary or make sure you can get into your new one before starting packing. If things go awry and you end up being locked out, a trusted friend or family member should know where you stashed an extra key (or other means of access).
4- Don’t forget about moving day: It might sound like common sense, but many moving accidents occur due simply to inattention and forgetting what’s going on. If you have any major moving plans for a specific date—moving into a new place or starting a cross-country move—don’t leave it up to chance. Keep your calendar free of appointments and plan around moving days instead.
5- Be patient: The best way to ensure that your possessions arrive at their destination safely is by staying calm, cool, and collected during your move. If you feel yourself becoming stressed out at any point along the way (and especially while moving), take some time off from packing or unpacking and do something else instead; after all, saving money through DIY moving services is just as much about managing your time as it is managing your budget.
