You did it! You finally found the perfect property to call home. But, your moving responsibilities are far from over. Now that you’ve officially signed the paperwork and the deal is done, it’s time to start planning the move, which can be very time-consuming and stressful. It’s a good idea to consider using a moving company or enlisting the help of friends and family because packing can be much more tedious than some people assume.
Aside from figuring out how to clean out excess junk and pack all of your belongings, you also need to consider what the area of your new home is like. If you’re moving to a busy city like Chicago or New York City, you may have to overcome additional obstacles, such as where to park a moving truck on a busy, crowded street.
Of course, if you’re moving in a more suburban part of the area, you should have plenty of space for the movers and the truck. Factors like this, though, can impact your moving plan. Here are some other important things to consider prior to your move.
Make a List of Necessary Improvements
Before you can leave your home and move into your new, beautiful property, there are always some improvements that can be made, whether there are issues with your current home you’re required to fix before you vacate or a few minor problems with the new house. Some home improvement projects may be easier to complete prior to lugging all of your boxes in or out and figuring out a new place for your possessions.
If it’s possible, we recommend making these minor changes ahead of time. This way, once you move into the house, you can feel totally settled with a brand new living space. Depending on your agreement with your landlord or the buyer of your current home, you may also need to fix a few things around your own home. Don’t put this off until the last minute. As soon as you know an improvement project is part of the deal, hire a professional or fix the issue yourself if you consider yourself to be handy.
Determine the Property’s Purpose
People can have many reasons for investing in a new piece of property. Maybe you’re ditching the apartment life to buy your first home, you’re looking to upgrade, or you’re interested in turning your property into a Charleston rental for vacationers. You need to have this decided before you can plan your next move.
If you are interested in turning your new home into a rental property, there may be even more work to do, as you want the new place to be in the best condition possible before you can start advertising the rental.
Although you won’t have to worry about packing up your stuff to move in, you will need to consider home improvements that could impact the guests’ experience, and you’ll want to put a lot of thought into the decor of the home. People on vacation are looking to treat themselves and may expect a certain level of luxury. Get professional photos taken to improve your rental rate and stay on top of maintenance issues.
Give Yourself Plenty of Time to Pack
Packing up your previous home is often one of the most difficult parts of moving. Many people feel overwhelmed and don’t even know where to start. Don’t stress yourself out. Packing your home is a big project, but it can be done.
The best way to start is by decluttering your house. Go through each room and ditch any items you no longer want or need. If you want to make a little cash off your discarded items, you can find a place to stow the things you are getting rid of and make a plan to have a garage sale before the house is empty. Purchase cardboard boxes in a variety of sizes and begin packing away items that are not used on a regular basis, such as books on your shelves and decorative items.
Pro tip: Ask your local liquor stores for extra boxes; they are usually small but sturdy enough for hauling books or for packing fragile items and kitchen gadgets.
Set Up a Garage Sale
Throughout the packing process, you’ll come across different items you’re ready to part with. As you do, put them to the side until you feel as though you’ve done a pretty good job decluttering the house. Then you can plan a garage sale. Post about it on Facebook, let your neighborhood friends know, and do some old-fashioned advertising with paper signs hung up around your town.
This is a great way to get rid of old items, make a bit of money, and reduce the number of belongings you have to pack. Of course, not everything is going to sell at your sale, so, instead of throwing away usable items, you can use services to locate charities in your area that will pick up your donations for free.
Switch Over Your Utilities and Update Your Address
With so many different things on your To-Do list, it’s easy to forget even some of the more important tasks like switching over your services and information. If you have a move-in date already, you should just go ahead and immediately schedule your electric, water, cable, and internet to be switched to your new address on that day. This prevents any delays in service that could prevent you from staying at your brand new house or make the first few days difficult.
As your move-in day approaches, you should go through all of your important accounts (credit/debit cards, Amazon, Paypal) and enter your new address. This will prevent mix-ups from happening, but you don’t want to change this address too soon or you’ll end up receiving mail at a house that you haven’t even moved into yet.
Keep Your Move Organized
Moving can be both exciting and stressful, and a lot of people worry that they’re going to forget one of the many, many things that you have to do. If you plan your move the right way, it should be smooth sailing.
If you’re planning to turn your new historic Charleston, SC, property into a vacation rental, you’ll need to consider how you’re going to decorate and advertise, but, if you’re moving into your new home, it’s important to get all of your services transferred and begin packing your belongings well in advance. Make a physical list of things to do to keep yourself organized and on track.
