First step: Plan Ahead
A very common mistake many people make is to start moving out too late. If you are moving from an apartment (or any other place where you pay rent), things can get quite difficult if you are not ready by the time your contract runs out. To avoid this, you must plan at least a month ahead. A few things to keep in mind are the amount of belongings you will need to transport, how you will transport them, how many days will the move take, and how many people you will need. Most importantly, you need to establish if the new home has living necessities. This includes running water, electricity, heating, and lighting. Once the planning is developed (writing it down helps as well) you are ready to start moving!
Organizing a Move Group
Many people attempt to move their whole household alone. This is possible, but unnecessarily overwhelming. Try to stay away from taking on all tasks by yourself, and ask some friends or family for help. Moving generally involves heavy lifting, and numerous trips back and forth between your old and new homes. These physical tasks need a lot of manpower. If you attempt to do this alone, not only can it be excruciatingly hard, but it can also cause damage to you and your property. Around 6 strong men should be able to accomplish the task with ease. Remember that your friends are doing you a huge favor. Call them ahead of time, be respectful, and most of all - be ready to help them in their time of need.
Separating Belongings Into Two
As a person who has recently moved, I advise you wholeheartedly to combine the moving process with a cleaning out process. It is literally the same road, so you do not waste any time or much extra effort. The easiest way to do this is to physically create two piles in the room you are preparing (which will most likely be your own, assuming you are living with a family). As you are going through your belongings, think about the last time you used or thought about the object, and any possible future scenarios where you might need it. If you find yourself thinking "I don't even remember owning this", toss it in the trash pile. After you have finished preparing the room, you will have two organized piles. The point of this is to make the moving of physical objects easier, reduce the number of trips it will take, and of course to avoid hoarding your new house with useless junk.
Transporting Your Belongings
By far the easiest way to accomplish this task is to rent a moving truck. U-Haul is the best example of a movers company in America. If you rent the truck and return it the same day, it should not cost you above $75. Compare this price with the cost of making countless trips with your car, and you will see that it is the right choice. With your moving group, carry everything out of the old house, and into the truck. A good idea is to have one person in the truck arranging the objects, in order to achieve maximum truck capacity. After everything has been loaded, drive the truck to your new home. Upon arrival, prepare two work teams. One will unload from the truck and carry to the house, while the other waits at the door and brings objects inside (to their corresponding rooms). The purpose of doing this is to avoid bringing dirt from outside everywhere in your new home. If there is a garage, try to store most of the smaller furniture there for the time being, as it is something that can be done after moving in.
The Final Steps
After you return the truck and say goodbye to your moving group, arrange the items necessary for living (most importantly, a bed). Remember that decorations and small repairs can come later - the rush is over. After having a few weeks to settle in, invite the people who helped you move for food and drinks.
As you can see, moving is a tedious task which involves stress and physical toil. However, by following the above steps you can eliminate many of the hardships of moving, and make the process much more efficient. As one mover to another, enjoy your new home!
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