Moving to a new place is a chore no matter how many ways you look at it. Whether it’s down the street, across the country or around the world, the whole process is a considerable and sometimes overwhelming experience. There are a few things that can be done to alleviate some of these strains, things like set up storage, organizing, donating, etc. Read on for our best tips on how to plan a big move.
How to Plan for a Big Move Part One: PLAN
Without a plan, your furniture transport and your move will be exactly the nightmare you’re imagining them to be. The more organized the plan the easier the move. Know what items will go where and how you’re going to organize your boxes. Get in touch with a furniture removal company. Whatever your furniture removal service or furniture transport arrangement, be sure to contact them well in advance so that you have travel arranged and a deadline to look towards. Speaking of plans the next step in any “how to plan a big move” is…
Organization
If your packing isn’t organized, your unpacking won’t be wither. Knowing how to pack is as important as knowing how to organize when you arrive at your new home. So how do you pack and plan for a big move? Pack by room (and by item). That’s how you’ll have complete control over what goes where and when it goes there. Before you get there, however, it’s generally a good practice to clean the space you’re in and have it organized. This streamlines the packing and eases the organization of your boxes.
Trying to decide how to organize your boxes can be an added frustration to any move. Don’t worry, here’s what you do: In each room organize your items by type, shirts together, pants together, hanging shirts together, pots and pans in one box and utensils (eating, serving and cooking) in another. Having the least number of boxes isn’t the name of this game. Having boxes whose contents make sense will help you immensely. Also, consider what size and shape the boxes you’ll need are.
If you’re someone who panics at the idea of folding your suits… consider getting a hanger box. Hanger boxes tend to be taller and thinner than your average box and therefore take less of a surface area footprint. They are, however, much less stack-able. As you pack make sure you have two key details written on the top and sides of the boxes: Room and Contents. This is the most obvious thing everyone knows how to do when working on a big move plan, but following through…. that’s another thing. Knowing what boxes go where will help immensely once you’ve arrived at your destination. Plus you’ll be able to give your furniture removal company explicit instructions that will help them work more efficiently. Packing and organization are only half the equation, however, the other half is…
Deciding What Comes and What Goes
How to plan a big move and make it fun? Consider everything before you pack it — can you upgrade it? find something better? You’re worth it. Do you take the couch that you’ve had since your university days or is it time to move up? What about that kitchen table you got for a bargain second-hand? Some of these decisions are more easily made than others, namely the pieces with sentimental attachment. Whatever the case may be decisions need to be made, but consider this: moving to a new place is the perfect opportunity for some new stuff so don’t be afraid to use this opportunity to upgrade! Check out these tips on how to remove clutter from your home as well.
Moving is no small undertaking and you’ll need all the help you can get. Steps 1 through 3 are all going to stay the same, plan your move, organize your stuff, and decide what you’re taking with you. Where things change a bit is what comes next; if you’re not using a furniture removal company, then you’ll need to know how much space your boxes and furniture will collectively take up and how many trips you’re interested in, willing, or able to do.
As furniture transports and trailers tend to be priced out based on size, distance, and demand you want to think about what is going to be most economical for you; do your own cost-benefit analysis, by asking if the cost of multiple trips is going to out-price the cost of a larger transport and similar such questions. Doing your own moving also means being entirely responsible for anything that goes wrong.
Knowing how you’re packing will fit in the trailer is important. Don’t put your breakables at the bottom and don’t waste space by packing without purpose. Think Tetris. The goal is to mix and match your arrangement to find the most occupied areas of space and the least amount of empty or lost space. Once you’ve figured out where you’re going, what you’re bringing, and how you’re getting there it’s time to pull the metaphorical trigger on your big move plan.
Load it Up
Easier said than done, but the truth is, having things figured out before you start moving will save you a great deal of pain. Here’s the “how to plan a big move” breakdown you need to remember:
Step 1, PLAN:
Without a plan, you’re more likely to end up draped in your shower curtain eating a pint of ice cream than to have your move anything less than traumatizing. Contact a furniture removal company well in advance. Set a date for the move or arrange a furniture transport for an experience you’ll never forget.
Step 2, Organize:
Straighten up the whole space then go room by room and organize by item type and location.
Step 3, Pack it Up:
Figure out how many boxes you need so you can get to it without any interruptions. Be sure to label the top and sides with the contents and room. It will help everyone out.
Step 4, Load it Up:
If you’ve hired a furniture removal service, let them know the plan and leave it to the pros. But if not it’s time to figure out how it’s all going to fit. Do a quick inventory of your stuff, your needs and your expectations. Take it one step at a time. You’ll be finished before you know it with fewer nightmares and likely a few less hand-me-down tables. We hope you enjoyed these how to plan for a big move tips and tricks!
Original content posts 1/31/2019. iStorage provided updates to this content 1/29/2021.