Regardless of how often you have moved in your life, a few friendly reminders about preparing for the big moving day never hurt. The things you need to do rarely change, yet every move may seem overwhelming. The stress experienced prior to, and even during the move may cause some things to fall through the cracks. Now is the time to take a step back, refresh your memory and prepare for moving day with these friendly reminders from Shyft.
When it comes to the moving process, having a helping hand goes a long, long way. You have to be realistic about what you can do on your own and when you need moving help. Reaching out to friends is important and can make the moving process easier, and even more enjoyable.
One of the best ways to get a helping hand is by asking family and friends. Another way is to reach out to a verified, licensed, and experienced moving company whose goal is to move you and your items from your current home to the new home safely. You might think that hiring a U-Haul and doing the move yourself is a good idea. It is always better to hire professionals who can take care of the move and do the heavy lifting. A moving company provides different types of packing materials and even packs up your items for you. They can also disassemble your current furniture to pack it up.
What’s more, a professional mover not only moves your items, as their name implies, but they can also help store your items and throw out the trash while packing up. They can also unpack and reassemble your items.
Moving can be a bit overwhelming at times. This is why it is important to make a moving timeline. Keep in mind that this can be subject to change. The idea is to keep you on track with your moving to-do list. The best way to make a moving timeline is by starting from the moving day and working backward.
Whether you’re moving into a retirement home or village, or you’re moving to a new city or neighborhood, the moving timeline will keep you focused. Here is some more advice on creating one:
Create a moving checklist. This can be virtual, on your computer or mobile, or you can make a good old-fashioned hard copy on paper. What needs to be on your checklist is all the paperwork you need to do. This includes medical records. Another item on the checklist should be how you downsize your items, if at all. You have to decide what to donate, sell, and take with you. You can also give your items away to family and friends as gifts. Planning a yard sale can also help to downsize before the moving day.
Another thing you should do is to research which moving company you want to work with. You should do this as soon as possible since movers can get very busy when it is peak season (summer). Moving tends to be more expensive during peak season, and over the holidays, so finding your moving company is a priority.
If you plan to pack items with the help of your friends and family, then you should find the packing material that you will need to use. There are different sizes of boxes, as well as different types. There are also packing peanuts, and bubble wrap/ padding to protect delicate and breakable items. You should also get masking tape and permanent markers to label your boxes so you know where goes what in your new home. You can also use your suitcases and bags to decrease the number of boxes needed for the trip.
When you have found the moving company you wish to work with you should book them. You can also begin the process of holding your yard sales to help downsize your items. Remember, that downsizing can be a difficult process, certainly when the day of the sale arrives, so be mentally and emotionally prepared for that.
You should also organize with your family members and friends when they can come to help you with packing, lifting, moving, etc. They will need time beforehand to know when they will be needed so that they can organize their schedule. They would be doing you a favor so it is best to keep that in mind.
Another thing that you should do is to notify the utility companies that you use, as well as your landlord if you have one. Cancel any subscriptions that you have, including newspapers, gym, and any classes or hobbies. You can also begin scheduling your move-out inspectors. This is also the time that you can slowly start packing the non-essential items.
Now is the time for you to figure out how you will move your pets, and plants if you have any. You can also use the time to change the address of your regular deliveries or services that you use. Let your bank, insurance companies, credit card provider, etc. know that there will be an address change in the near future. You can also start the process of arranging your home insurance transfer if need be. You should also find out when your utilities will be turned on in your new home.
Start eating your perishable food, and keep in the process of packing.
As the time draws closer you have to progress in your moving process. This means that you should start packing up the more valuable items and decide how you would like them to be handled. This can include heirlooms, etc. Use this time to dispose of more harmful items such as paint, hazardous materials, and even industrial cleaners. If you are traveling with your car, take it into service to ensure that it can handle the trip ahead.
These two weeks are the busiest. You’re almost done with your packing and the biggest challenge is leaving the things you need to use out. These are items such as forks and knives, plates and other useful everyday items that you’ll need - well - every day.
You can also begin making a travel bag that has all you need for your trip including toiletries, toilet paper, a first aid kit, a few changes of clothes, a towel, paper tissues, wet wipes, tools, important paperwork, your laptop, medicines, a phone charger, and anything else you will need for the trip. Make sure that you stock up on your chronic medication until you can find a doctor to fill your prescriptions. Speak to your doctor for more information before you leave.
On moving day you will be meeting your movers, and making sure that they do what they are hired to do. You should also make sure that you did not leave anything behind. Also, make sure that your current home is clean, and that you have everything you need in your travel bag. Say goodbye to your current home, making sure that the home keys go where they are meant to go.
Hiring a moving company is your best bet. Finding the right one, however, can be a bit of a challenge. That is where AARP® Moving Services powered by Shyft comes in. Shyft is a company that organizes the entire moving process for you. Shyft has a huge network of moving companies that are vetted and independently verified by Shyft. This means that they can help you find the right mover to meet your needs. Shyft will also organize your timeline, and make sure that you and your items get to your new home safely. You can reach out to Shyft at 1-888-838-5981 or visit the Shyft website to learn more.
You will be asked to schedule a video call with a Shyft Move Coach at a time that suits you. This call will take place using the free-to-download, easy-to-use, mobile app known as ShyftNext. It is available on iOS and Android. The call is made on the app for two reasons, to ensure that all of your details are protected and to ensure that your moving inventory is accurate.
During this call, you will meet your Shyft Move Coach who will organize your whole move. First, you’ll show the Move Coach all the items that need to be moved, and they will create an inventory of items with 95% accuracy. Half an hour after the call, you’ll receive this inventory. Please approve it as soon as possible, so that Shyft may start sourcing your movers. You can also make amendments to the inventory.
Your inventory list is used to calculate shipment weight and volume. Shyft will place this information on its secure bidding platform for movers, and the best prices will make it onto your quote. Please remember that Shyft never shares information such as your name, phone number, or contact details with anyone.
It is through this bidding process that verified, licensed, and experienced moving companies bid on moving projects. This includes yours too. The purpose of this is to find the right mover for your needs. Shyft collects multiple moving quotes and each one is from a different company. You can then compare these moving quotes and add and remove ancillary services before booking. Remember that AARP members have an exclusive discount of up to $250 off any move booked with Shyft.
Your Move Coach is there at every step, and they’re available 7 days a week should you need clarifications or to follow up on the progress of your move.
