Moving is one of those things that can really be a hassle if it’s not carefully orchestrated! Between coordinating the end of your current lease if you’re renting or the sale of your home if you’re a homeowner, and finding your new nest, there’s already a lot to do and think about. Toss in figuring out the logistics of how to get all your stuff, family members, and pets from A to B safely and you’ve got one big dilemma.

If you’re finding that you’re a little (or a lot) stuck, don’t feel like you’re alone! Between moving every year for five years in college and then moving from California to Colorado and back again within two years, I’ve had my fair share of home-changing woes. (Including moving during the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic with a four month old puppy!) Because no one should ever endure their struggles alone, I wanted to pass on a few of my moving tips and tricks to help make this exciting new transition hopefully a lot easier on you and your family! Read on…

First Things First – Figure Out Logistics

Okay, so you’ve found out where you wanna go, now the first step is coordinating your departure from your now-residence. If you’re renting, make sure all end-of-lease paperwork and inspections are in order and scheduled. If you’re breaking your lease, what are the penalties, if any? Do you need to let your landlord know within a certain timeframe of your intent to move? Having this all settled as early as possible will make the process smoother for all parties and help you potentially reduce the amount of fees you may have (ie if you move out last-minute your landlord could potentially fine you for the inconvenience of them having no advance notice).

If you’re a homeowner, there’s selling your home and paying any realtor fees, inspection fees, or loans. Plus, if your place needs fixing up, you may need to do repairs before the new owner will move in, or negotiate a lower selling price depending on how big the repairs are. I’m not 100% an expert on how this all works for homeowners since the hubby and I aren’t in that place yet, but these are just some of the things I’ve heard friends and relatives discuss when they have sold their home. The best course of action is to consult with a licensed realtor or other expert in your area to make sure all your ducks are in a row!

Pack Wisely & Pack Well

Once you’ve figured out where you’re going to reside and when you’re going to leave your current place, packing is something you’ll want to tackle as much in advance as you can so you have plenty of time and minimal stress.

For us, when we did our big 1,000 mile move back to California a few years ago, I started packing as soon as I had a job lined up in our new area. I spent about a month doing a little each day, moving packed boxes down to our empty garage to free up space in our apartment. Plus, if you can pack in advance, you limit the possibility of forgetting something or having things break due to lack of care. In the end, though, you can only do what you can and sometimes a rush can’t be avoided! Which brings me to….

Pack well! Packing materials can be expensive, so there are lots of online estimators that can help you calculate how many boxes you might need etc. My little secret for reducing the amount of packing materials you need? Use clothes, sheets, towels, socks, and rugs (if foldable) to pad breakable items like plates, dishes, mirrors, and other delicates. You’ll reduce the amount of boxes and bubble wrap or paper you’ll need, all while ensuring your stuff is safe!

If you’re like me and have a ton of clothing and shoes and bags, Home Depot has some great clothing-specific boxes designed to let you hang your goods neatly so they’re ready to settle into your new closet! In a pinch, keep your hanging items on their hangers and take a large trash bag, cut a small slot in the bottom, and thread it over a bunch of your hanging clothes so the hangers are sticking out of the top. Less folding, and things won’t get as wrinkled or damaged!

Hire Some Help

There’s just some things that go better with the help of an experienced professional! If you’re short on time, are moving long-distance, or have children, you may want to consider a moving service to help you out. A lot of them even pack for you, so all you have to do is give them a call, decide on what plan works best for your needs, and let them work their magic! Then you can focus on getting to your new home in peace while your items are safely transported (PS- when we moved, we had a service deliver our things and they even put all the items in each room for us!).

If you’re looking for some great moving services, I’d highly recommend Best West Moving and these Los Angeles safe movers are there to help every step of the way with services including long distance, piano moving, pool table moving and more! They provide excellent service at a great price!

Drop any moving questions you have below and I’d love to answer them!

Hope you’re happy in your new home!

Xx Tabi