Here at iStorage, we can tell you from experience that the more prepared you are when you move, the better. You’ll have less stress, all the little things will get done, and you’ll arrive ready to enjoy your new life. That advice holds true when moving anywhere in America, including historic Birmingham, AL.
If you’re moving to this charming city in America’s southeast, good preparation will be a godsend. That’s especially true if you’re moving from a location where winter is more prolonged and harsher. To help you prepare, we’ve put together the following advice, tips, and suggestions. If having a stress-free and successful move to Birmingham, AL is your goal today, read on!
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
When Should You Start Preparing for Moving to Birmingham, AL?
Moving experts agree that you should start planning any move about 3 months ahead, minimum. That gives you 12 weeks to get everything done that needs to be done before you leave. (Hint: It’s a LOT of stuff!)
Sure, you can get ready to move in a week or two if you have the time, energy, and help. Most people, however, don’t, due to work, kids, and other pressing responsibilities. That’s why starting early is critical. You can get a lot done ahead of time and not stress about it on moving day.
What Needs to be Done Before You Leave Your Old Home?
The reason to start planning your move to Birmingham early will become apparent in just a moment. Below, you’ll see our list of the things you need to do before you leave your current home on your way to moving to Birmingham, AL. They include:
- Calling several moving companies to get moving estimates. This is especially important if you plan to move and summer because it’s a busier time of year.
- Packing all of your things. (If you plan to pack them yourself, of course.)
- Selling, donating, or trashing everything you don’t want to bring with you to Birmingham. We suggest using Facebook Marketplace to sell things and Goodwill to donate items that have been lightly used. Of course, you can also have a good old-fashioned yard sale if you like.
- Gathering up all vital paperwork and documents. Marriage certificates, automobile titles, your children’s school records, retirement plan documents, etc.
- Shutting off disconnecting all of your utilities. They include electric, gas, Internet, cable TV, garbage collection, etc. Also, remember to cancel any membership you have with local gyms, yoga Studios, etc.
- Finding a new home or apartment in Birmingham, AL. If possible, traveling to Birmingham ahead of time and finding a place is extremely helpful. If not, you can always store your things in a Birmingham storage unit until you find your new home. That way, you can affordably store everything while you take time and find a great place to live.
As you can see, there are many things you need to do before you move to Birmingham, AL. You may have other tasks that need to be also accomplished, which makes starting early even more important.
What To Do If you Pack Your Things Yourself
Many families today are looking for methods of saving money as they try to stay on budget. One of the best ways to save money when moving is to pack your things yourself. The fact is, most household goods are relatively easy to pack with just a little bit of experience.
Books, clothing, shoes, kitchenware, pillows, small pictures, and many other items are easy to pack. You can also look at YouTube tutorials on how to pack more fragile items like glassware, plates, and so forth. (Again, it’s relatively easy after you’ve done it a couple of times.) Here are a few more tips, though, to help get you started.
TIP- Check Craigslist. Often you can find free moving boxes people are giving away or selling extremely cheaply.
TIP- Don’t use a bunch of different boxes not made for moving things. Standard moving boxes, even new, are relatively cheap. They also protect your items much better than used boxes you’ll get at, for example, the grocery store. Also, many iStorage locations sell moving boxes and the other materials you’ll need. (Tape, packing paper, bubble-wrap, etc.)
TIP- If you’re hiring a moving company, you might consider having them pack the fragile items for you. China, stemware, large paintings, and pictures, etc. That way, you can still save money but ensure your fragile things make it in one piece.
Final Thoughts on Moving to Birmingham, AL
Can you see now why we stress preparing early for your move to Birmingham? There are so many things you need to do it can easily be overwhelming. But, if you start early, you can do them slowly but surely. That way, when moving day arrives, you can relax knowing you’ve dotted all your i’s and crossed all your t’s.
Here at iStorage, we’ve helped many folks like yourself plan for their move. We have clean, secure, and safe storage units all over the southeast. Three of them are in or near Birmingham, ready to store your worldly possessions. Many people store their things with us while they search for a new neighborhood. It’s an affordable way to have extra time to find the perfect new home.
Find Storage in Birmingham, Alabama
If you have questions about storage units in Birmingham, AL, you can chat with us online anytime. You can also come and visit us at our three Birmingham locations if you like. The onsite manager would be more than happy to show you around and get the process started.
If you’re not in Birmingham yet, you can also easily rent or reserve a storage unit in Birmingham. (The process is online and takes less than 10 minutes.) Until then, we hope the moving tips we’ve given you today have been genuinely helpful. Best of luck with your move!
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