Moving Day

Download our Moving Day Checklist to help
you organize your move.

Is it any wonder that many people find the whole homebuying process stressful?  Not only are you spending all that money, you have to pack and move too!  As exciting as the prospect of a new home may be, getting to your new home is frequently a daunting prospect.

There are some simple things that can be done very early in your homebuying that will make the actual move easier.  Getting rid of as much clutter as possible is the absolute first place to start.  This is the time to go through your house room by room, inch by inch, and begin throwing out what you can, packing what you can,  and donating as much as possible to Goodwill or some organization that can recycle it.  This step can often be taken in many small stages during the time that you’re looking for a home and can really help when you do move.  If you will be selling your current home, this step will go a long way toward “staging” it in order to get the best price for it.

Most professionals recommend clearing clutter and getting organized as essential steps to having a successful move.  At the end of this section, there is a checklist to help with your move.  The beauty of moving to a new home is that it is a good opportunity to get rid of all the things you’ve been meaning to get rid of.  When faced with packing and moving it as opposed to getting rid of it, you may find many former treasures losing their value.  Unpacking at your new home will also be easier if you’ve been able to get somewhat organized before the move.

If children of any age are involved in the move, it’s essential to keep them involved as much as possible and to keep a positive face on the move, even if you’re not wildly excited about it.  Use the school profile link on our website to give children more information about their new school. Sometimes just seeing a picture of the new school can help a relocating child. The book Let’s Make a Move by Beverly D. Roman has a wealth of information and games for young children that can take some of the sting out of leaving one home for another.

Pets are a large part of a move and may well be more traumatized by the move than any other family members.  One of the most important things to remember is to keep your pets safely restrained during the move.  Dogs and cats that never run out the front door, never bite, never scratch, never hide, never run away, may be so stressed themselves, or may pick up on your stress that they do any or all of these things.  Consider boarding your pet during the packing/moving stage if possible, or sending it to stay with a friend your pet knows, and then moving the pet once things are unpacked at the new house and they have a familiar environment to come to.

Download our Moving Day Checklist to help you organize your move.