Make it Simple: Tips for Planning Your Next Move

No matter how carefully you plan it out, moving is always a grind; a miserable time marked by sore backs, smashed fingers, and bad moods. Not even the prospect of moving into a shiny new home can alleviate the mind-numbing hard labor of it, and the endless stream of details that need attention. The only good thing about moving is getting it over with as quickly and as efficiently as possible so you can get on with the fun part - making your new home your own. Try thinking of it as a process in which you’re concentrating on one step at a time so you don’t focus on how long it’s going to take or how many heavy boxes and pieces of furniture you’ll have to lift and carry. Remember, you don’t have to do it all yourself. If it’s in your budget, you can hire movers, or there are always friends and family members who can be bribed with a free meal and vague promises of returning the favor one day.

Preparation is the key. That can mean many things depending on your situation, but if you can reduce your possessions to items you’ll use and still want; gather all of the packing supplies you’ll need; set up utilities in your new home; and pack a few essentials to see you through until it’s all unpacked, you can go a long way toward making it a smooth move.

Lay the groundwork

Take some time to think through the process and what needs to be done beforehand to make it all work. In other words, details that make you want to kick yourself, like neglecting to make sure the electricity’s on in the new house on moving day. Start by setting up mail forwarding and filling out a change of address form, which you can do online. Obviously, you’ll need packing supplies, so begin accumulating packing tape, tape guns, packing paper, bubble wrap and boxes, preferably new ones made of corrugated cardboard that’ll stand up to some wear and tear, not the used ones your local liquor store throws out the back door. If you need oversize boxes, try a nearby retailer or furniture store. And don’t forget scissors, razor blades, string, sticky pads and any other odds and ends that always seem to be necessary when you’re in a hurry. If you’re moving yourself (and even if you aren’t), get yourself a good furniture dolly (your back will thank you), which can be rented from a moving company.

Old stuff, new house

You probably have a rough idea of how you’ll arrange furniture and other large objects in the new house. But there may be a surprise or two in store if you don’t measure the space and carefully consider what will fit where. Take pictures throughout the interior and have them handy on move-in day. It might be possible to arrange couches, dressers and large tables like they were in your old house, if that’s what you want. Whatever you choose to do, always have a well-thought-out plan as to where furniture will go. Boxes are a little easier; all you really have to do is write “bedroom,” or “kitchen” on them. If you know what you’re doing before you get there, you’ll save a lot of time and aggravation.

Extra hands

If you’re not hiring a professional moving company, you’ll still need extra hands and strong backs on the big day (select a good day and time to move; the busiest moving days of the week are Friday and Saturday in Chicago). You can engage a self-service moving company, which will have a truck and driver at your house and get everything to your new destination safely after it’s all loaded. If you know some college students who are hard up for a few bucks, or a young relative who’s saving for a new car, make them an offer. The more, the merrier.

A fresh start

Think of your impending move as an opportunity to streamline your belongings and simplify your life. It’s a chance to make a fresh start in a new place, with just the right amount of stuff in the right amount of square footage. And it’ll help ease the load on moving day..