Moving Day
By Ale Zamora
Congratulations! You’ve just closed on that dream house that took you ages to find and save up for. You’re now officially a homeowner- the only thing left to do now is move in. This daunting task is one that is often lost in all the excitement of the house hunting process, and when it comes around, you may even find yourself asking, “What have I done!?”. Virtually your whole life has to now be packed up in boxes to then be unpacked again and organized into your new place. If this sounds like you, fear not! That’s why we here at Collins & Company have put this blog together, so you can tackle ‘Moving Day’ head on and start your new life as a happy homeowner.
Costs
Just as you set up a budget for how much home you could afford, you should do the same before officially moving in. If you’re doing the moving yourself, you’ll want to make sure you can rent a truck large enough for all your belongings, a plethora of boxes and packing materials, and some extra cash on hand for those unexpected costs that come up. Set your budget using this nifty moving cost calculator, and check out the video below for all the basics you’ll need to properly move.
Organization
Now that you’ve figured out the money situation, it’s time to get organized (personally, I think this is the most important step). Before you pack up, be sure to label your boxes by either numbering each one in the order you want to unpack, or grabbing some colorful labels like these to know where everything is going. Use this week to week checklist to maintain order on moving day.
The Day After
Ah, your finally all moved in. Don’t get too comfortable yet, though- there are still some steps you need to follow to complete the process. Here’s a list of all you still need to do, from forwarding your mail to finding new utility providers.
BONUS: How to make moving fun
Now that we’ve covered all the technical aspects of moving, it’s important to learn how to have some fun during the process to reduce stress and make some memories, for after all, this is a HUGE stepping stone in any new homeowner’s life.
Celebrate! - Gather up your closest friends and family to help you move (you’ll need all the hands you can get) and throw a pre-moving celebration potluck style, as a tribute to your old place and as a thank you for all those who have agreed to help you.
Make a moving playlist- Create a music playlist that’s hours long and jam-packed with tunes that’ll keep you moving, from golden oldies to modern pop.
Create incentives- This will keep you and your helpers motivated, and will speed up the process. For example, grab a whiteboard and write things like ‘Slowest one to unpack their boxes buys drinks for everyone tonight’ and ‘The most organized gets a free massage coupon’.
We hope these tips help make this new chapter in your life as easy as pie. Happy Moving!