Tag: moving

So, for those of you who don’t know, I am moving from a small apartment into a house. I am more than excited to move in, but of course, things happen. Nothing can go smoothly, can it? Here are some tips from what I’ve learnt of this move to hopefully help yours go more smoothly than mine.

1. If you can, move a little bit at a time.
   1. Luckily, we decided to keep our apartment for an extra month past our move-in date. This helped greatly because of issues with the house. We are able to move in some boxes, which helped because we did not have enough room in the apartment to have all of the boxes. So we moved in little by little, and it has alleviated some stress.
2. Don’t settle with problems.
   1. If there is something wrong with the house/apartment you are moving in to, you don’t have to settle. Every place you rent from will have a primary walk-through. Take pictures and make sure that they have any and all issues documented. This way, when you move out, you can prove that any damages were not done by you.
3. Don’t buy boxes!
   1. It’s never fun to have to buy moving boxes. Instead, look on Facebook Marketplace! We have managed to find a great amount of moving boxes that people were giving away for free. There were tons of people trying to get rid of the boxes. Also, you could return the favor and offer yours up for free when you’re finished with them. Win-win!
4. Change all the locks and garage door codes.
   1. Obviously, you’ll want to give a copy of the key and codes to your landlord, but one of the first things you’ll want to do is change all of the locks. You don’t know what the previous tenant/owner went through, and they may have retained a key. If you aren’t comfortable with a stranger possibly having access to your house, change everything.
5. Mark all boxes.
   1. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s easily something you might forget to do. We started marking boxes, but then we were packing boxes so quickly that we forgot to mark them. This led to us wondering which boxes could be stacked on top of which boxes. We had no idea because some of the boxes weren’t marked. Learn from our mistakes!
6. Keep an eye on Facebook Marketplace.
   1. There are so many reasons, besides boxes, to browse the Marketplace. You can get furniture, appliances, and more for much cheaper than they would be brand new. Obviously, you would want to be wary and make sure everything is cleaned and in good condition before purchasing. You can also use it to sell items you no longer need, which means less to move and more money in your pocket!
7. Don’t forget to bring toilet paper and drinks!
   1. You could even add snacks to the list. There are things you cannot control, like thirst and bathroom breaks, while you are moving. Keep some drinks in the fridge and some toilet paper in the bathrooms. It would be horrible to go to the bathroom with no toilet paper.
8. Anticipate your needs.
   1. Don’t leave everything to the last minute. You want to be sure you have everything you need for the move. You’ll probably need a dolly, a knife, and rachet straps (better than rope, albiet a little bit more expensive). If you have someone who can let you borrow their pickup truck, take them up on the offer! It’ll save you from having to spend money on a rental truck.

Hopefully, all of these tips will help make your move as painless as possible. Please, learn from our mistakes so that you don’t want to pull your hair out. Also, have fun! You’re embarking on a new experience, so make it fun!