This post has been sponsored by College Dudes Help U Move. All opinions are mine alone.
This month marks 9 years since we put our first house on the market and prepared to move to our current one. Time flies seems both cliche and so accurate. It doesn’t feel like that long ago we were packing up boxes in one house and unpacking them in the next. As I think back, I can’t help but remember a few things we did well during the process and our biggest mistake. If you’re preparing to move, take note of these moving tips so your experience might be a bit smoother!
Smart Moves
We had a few smaller past moves under our belt and had watched way too many hours of House Hunters when we went to sell our first house. It did help us move in the right direction as we prepared (pun intended). Here are things we did right and moving tips we recommend from experience:
- Start early with clearing out items that you no longer want to keep. Box or bag up whatever you can and drop off at donation centers.
- Pack up anything that you don’t need at the moment as well as any personalized items. Be sure to label everything so you can find your belongings when it’s time to unpack later.
- Move out a few pieces of furniture and, if keeping, put in storage until after the move. This will free up space for staging. You’ll also get a jump start on getting moved out of your current home.
- Schedule an inspection of the new house. In some cases, you may be able to negotiate with the seller to correct a few problems. Our current home was sold “as is” due to being a foreclosure. The only fix we were able to get the bank to do was replace the water heater because the existing one was against code as installed. Everything else was on us. Having the inspection report gave us a good starting point for what to focus on first.
- Make a note of the number of exterior doors on your new home so you can change or replace the locks immediately. Even if you think the seller gave you all of the keys, it’s still a smart safety move to be sure that only you now have keys to your home.
- Prepare your kids. Depending on their age talk with them about the move, involve them wherever it makes sense (packing, house hunting), read books about moving, and plan for where your kids will be during the actual move. Our son was young at the time (3-1/2) so we sent him to stay with grandparents while we handled the move. He left one house and returned to the new one.
- Make a plan for your pets. We had one cat at the time and secured her in one master bathroom, then the next. We put food, water, and her litter box in the room with her along with a couple of toys. This gave her a safe place to move around while we loaded and unloaded the truck; and helped keep her stress level down. Moving is a big change for pets too.
Our Mistake
We had moved several times from apartment to apartment before moving into our first house. Each time we packed our belongings, rented a truck, and had a few friends assist. Pretty simple.
By the time we were packing up to sell our first house, we had been there almost 9-1/2 years. What didn’t cross our minds was how much more stuff we had gained in those years compared to our apartment days. And we were moving during the week making it hard to find help. So, aside from one friend coming in late in the day to help us move our sofas, the two of us did it all. Literally everything. Plus cleaning details at both houses.
Never again. Next time I’ll be scheduling a moving company to do the heavy lifting. Did you know that College Dudes Help U Move can not only move your belongings, but can provide packing materials and they are Charlotte NC hot tub movers? No reason to leave that investment behind – instead bring it to your new home with ease.
If you remember just one of our moving tips for your next move, be sure it’s this last one. Your back and knees will thank you for hiring a moving company to help!
