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You bought a new house, or you’re relocating to a new area. It’s time to move!
As nice as it would be to have movers put everything you own into a moving a truck and leave without another thought, there are certain things you should do when moving out of a house.
It’s worth it to take the time to prepare a checklist, so you leave the home in good condition without leaving anything behind.
If you aren’t sure what to do when moving, here are our Top Ten Things to do before moving.
1. Find a New Home
When leaving one place, be sure you have a new place to go!
In some cases, people have to move without much time to prepare. A new job opportunity, an emergency situation, or a problem with your current home can make a quick escape necessary.
Ideally, we hope you have time to find a new home before you have to leave your current home. Whether it’s a temporary apartment, a rental house, or your dream home, moving from one house should take you to your next place to call “home.”
2. Set Your Budget
Moving is expensive. If your company covers the cost of relocation, work within that budget. If you’re moving on your own dime, set a budget for yourself and stick to it.
Can you afford a moving company? Do you need to rent a truck and do it yourself and some friends? How much packing paper can you buy or do you need to start saving newspapers to use when packing your stuff?
It’s easy to overspend when moving, but there are plenty of ways to save money.
3. Make a Calendar
When your move-out day becomes a reality, make a list of everything to do ahead of time and when it should take place on a timeline.
You don’t want to miss a step or let everything pile up to a few days before you move.
Don’t forget to include:
- Deciding what to take and what to sell or giveaway
- Scheduling your movers or a company that handles house removals
- Transferring utilities
A timeline on a calendar helps you stay organized leading up to your move.
4. Keep, Sell, or Trash
You probably don’t want (or need) to move everything in your home.
The longer we stay in one place, the more things we tend to accumulate. Take the time to go through the items in your home. Decide:
- What to keep (only if you need it)
- What to sell (if it’s in good condition and worth something)
- What to trash or give away (if you don’t need it, don’t move it to your new home)
You’ll save money when you move fewer items. If you haven’t used it in a while, have a “moving out sale” or give things away.
5. Empty the Pantry
You don’t want to move food from one house to another. Moving companies won’t often move food products. Plus, you don’t need to take up space in your car or a rented truck with boxes of food.
As it gets closer to your moving day, stop dining out until you’ve worked through everything in your pantry. Get creative with meals using only what you have.
If you have anything leftover, take non-perishable items to your local food bank as a donation.
6. Bring Home the Boxes
Even if you’re using a moving company, packing some things ahead of time saves time and money. You also might feel better about packing fragile or sentimental things yourself.
You can find moving boxes by crowdsourcing your neighborhood website. Ask a neighbor who recently moved in if you can help them by taking some of their empty boxes.
Also visit your local retailers, either in the morning or in the evening. Local businesses often put their boxes out after they’ve unloaded stock for the day.
7. Clean as You Go
As you work through the packing and removing unwanted items in each room, clean it as the last step.
It’s always nice to leave your home clean for the next people who live there. If you’re leaving a rental home, you’re probably required to clean it to get your security deposit back.
Cleaning as you go helps it seem like a less daunting task. When it’s moving day, and your furniture is gone, do one last wipe down and floor sweep to catch anything that you see now that there’s no furniture in the way.
8. Make an Inventory
You want everything you need from your current home to make it to your new home. Whether you’re moving everything yourself or hiring a mover, make your own inventory list of every item, it’s condition pre-move, and the room where it belongs.
Professional movers will make an inventory list, too. It’s a good idea to create your own list to make sure you have a record of your items to compare to the mover’s list.
9. Update Everyone
In addition to switching your utilities to your new place, you need to let everyone know you have a new address.
Tell the post office, friends, family, your office, neighbors, that you’re moving. Be sure to also update your mailing address for bills and other accounts.
10. Take a Deep Breath
Moving out of home is stressful! When you’re making your lists, purging your house, and packing your belongings, be sure to take a deep breath as you go.
Whether you stay on track with your timeline or not, your move will happen. No one has a perfect moving experience.
Do everything you can to help it go smoothly. When you’re in your new place surrounded by boxes, pat yourself on the back and take a break. You moved!
There are Many Things to Do Before Moving
Take it slow when tackling the many things to do before moving. If you allow plenty of time and keep yourself organized, you’ll have a better moving experience getting into your new home.
If you found this article helpful, be sure you check out some of our other home tips!
