Moving has been a part of our lives since ever. No wonder that the local movers are always busy when the average US citizen moves over 10 times during a lifetime. However, moving is not as simple as pack up your bags and leaving. You will have to plan your move in detail, prepare for it, find the best movers Chicago has to offer, and do all of that in a limited period.
It doesn’t matter if you are moving for the first time or you have already moved dozens of times – you should know that moving isn’t easy on anyone. But, there are some tips for packing and moving that will help you discover creative ways to improve your move and make it stress-free. There are a lot of things that you can do before the move to make it easier, and here are the top 15 tips that we have selected.
Set the moving budget
The best moving starts way earlier than the day when your professional movers should arrive. It starts as soon as you know that you are moving. That is the right moment to start planning your move in detail. And when you are planning tasks and similar, you should plan a moving budget too. There are numerous local movers out there, so there is no doubt you will find someone who can fit your moving budget.
But the devil is in the details, so don’t forget other things that will affect the budget, such as packing materials, hiring a babysitter, preparing your move for moving in, etc. Try to remember everything that might affect your moving budget.
Do a research of local movers in your area
There are many movers Chicago has to offer, and you will have to do a detailed research before making a big decision.
Different local movers can offer you different services, and you should look for a company that can meet all of your needs. It is easy for us to get lost when we see a neverending list full of local movers.
You don’t even know where to start. You should always pick a few local moving companies from Google and Yelp that are the best rated, and call at least 3 places to get quotes.
Find local movers and schedule them fast
One of the biggest mistakes that people are making is that they expect to find same day movers. Not only this is nearly impossible, but it will be stressful for everyone involved in your move, it will lead to many expenses, and so on.
Since we are assuming that you did your research early and that you have found many local movers that might seem suitable for you, make sure to call them to get quotes from them. Once you do, write everything down, and think about it for a while. But don’t hesitate with hiring local movers, call them as soon as you make the decision. Good professional movers get booked up pretty fast, so the more you hesitate the lower your chances will be.
Declutter
The main task you will have even before you start with packing is decluttering. Don’t skip this step, you will be grateful to yourself that you don’t have a bunch of unwanted things in your new home. Start with the clothes – do a closet purge. If it doesn’t fit, is out of style, and/or you haven’t worn it in a year, get rid of it. Get rid of items you wouldn’t buy again (because you probably won’t even keep them).
When deciding whether an item serves a purpose in your life ask yourself whether you would go out and spend money on it if you didn’t already have it. If you wouldn’t, you likely don’t need it. Make donation pick-up arrangements or take the items in one of the Goodwills on your own. If you know you’ll be donating big items like furniture and rugs, schedule a pick-up ahead of time so you can be sure you have an organization that can come get them or ask your local movers if you can drop them by on a moving day. Check out this list of charities that pick up your donations so that you don’t have to worry about how you’re going to transport everything. Don’t be sorry to throw away some items if you don’t want them at your home.
Get packing supplies
Before you start packing, you should see if you can get some free packing supplies from the liquor store in your neighborhood. If you are working in the office, that might be a goldmine for packing supplies too. However, for more fragile belongings, you should always get high-quality packing boxes so you can keep them safe and sound throughout the process. If you are hiring local movers for packing, they can sell you quality boxes at a pretty affordable price.
Pack early
And when we say early, we mean weeks before the moving day. Packing is a time-consuming task, and if you don’t have enough free time, you should hire local movers to help you with this. It will be a bit more expensive, but it will be worth it. If you prefer packing on your own, make a plan and start early to ensure that you are ready to go before your local movers are at your address. The goal you should have is to pack at least a few boxes every day.
Pack in stages
You should also pack in stages. The first stage should be the items that you are not using that often, and you should continue towards those you are using daily. Packing at the first stage shouldn’t disrupt your day-to-day life. Otherwise, you will find yourself packing and unpacking the same items over and over again because you will be needing them along the way.
Label the boxes
Find the strategy for labeling the boxes that is the most suitable for you and make sure not to skip this step. Not only that labeling the boxes will help you when unpacking, but it will help your local movers understand how to handle which box if there are clear instructions. Also, it will be useful when you have to check if your professional movers have unloaded all of your boxes – just count them.
There are a few tips for labeling the boxes: color-coding, labeling by numbers, or writing the description on each box. Whatever you find to be the easiest for you – should be your style. Your local movers won’t mind it, for sure.
Set the utilities
Call the utility companies as soon as you know you’re moving. You’ll not only get it out of the way early on, but you’ll also ensure you don’t forget to do it later. Besides that, you should check your new home to see if there are some last-minute repairs or painting that should be done before your local movers bring in the furniture. Your home should be ready for moving and you should be able to feel at home as soon as your local movers bring in the furniture.
Eat up the food that you have at home already
Local movers are not allowed to move any food or any liquids. Why would you waste all of that food that you already have in your fridge and freezer? Get creative, come up with some inspirational recipes for dishes that you will love. Also, you should know that all of your appliances should be unplugged before your local movers arrive. They won’t be able to plug them back either, so make a plan for that as well.
Pack the essential bag
Many people forget that they will need some items a day before the move, a day after, and on a moving day. That is why you need an essential bag where you will pack everything that you can’t live without. This bag should contain everything that you are using on daily basis, such as coffee cups, some plates, and some basic dishes. Not just that, but some basic items that will help you settle down at least during the first night – beddings, pillows, etc. You should make sure to have enough water on a moving day, for you and for your local movers as well.
Take pictures of your electronics before unplugging
To make your life easier, you should take pictures of all of your electronics before you unplug them. This will help you plug them back easily. You will plug them back anyways, but there is a significant time difference. And before you even think about it, you should know that local movers cannot help you with this.
Have a plan for little kids and pets
A moving site is not a place for little kids and pets, that is guaranteed. Your kids won’t be amused with a group of local movers carrying heavy furniture, and they might get some ideas of having fun that is not safe. So make sure to find a babysitter to take care of them and to take them to your new home once you are there. When it comes to pets, they might be stressed out with the fact that local movers are taking out the items from a place they consider home, which will also be unsafe.
On the other hand, your professional movers will need to keep the door opened to handle the items safely and easily, and your pets might use this opportunity to go out unsupervised. Keep everyone safe and make sure your moving is stress-free by having someone to take care of your loved ones.
Be packed a day before the move
Imagine having your professional movers over, so they realize that you are not packed. It will be stressful for you because you might start rushing the process so you can pack as much as you can in a short period – and that will probably result in many damages and how knows what.
On the other hand, your local movers won’t have the equipment and supplies for packing, so they will be stressed out too. If you see that you can’t manage to be packed before your local movers arrive, make sure to call them and ask for help. The last deadline you should set for yourself to be packed is a day before the local movers arrive.
Set the deadline for unpacking
Once you are at your new home, it can be easy to procrastinate. If you do so, you will end up with your items in boxes for months. Make sure to set yourself a deadline for unpacking and do at least something every day. Moving to your new home should be a happy event, so settle down as soon as possible.
Hire one of the leading movers Chicago has to offer – Chicago Best Movers. Our name is saying it all – we are the best local movers you can find! We are in the moving business for a long time now, and we can assure you that your belongings will be in safe hands. All of our local movers are carefully selected, hired, and trained by our moving experts to offer you the best possible service you will have.
Our goal: maintaining the level of quality no matter the type of move you are planning. We are at your service every day of the week, and we are more than happy to answer any question or concern you might have along the way. Our customer support department has all the answers, but besides that, they are reliable moving experts who know how to recognize your needs and to come up with a moving plan that is unique and individually created just for you.
Getting a quote from us is free and without any obligations. If you want to have licensed and insured local movers, you should hire us! Give us a call and get your free moving quote today. Let us guide you through the whole moving and booking process, it is pretty simple with us!