Although everyone says that moving is stressful, maybe you’re shrugging off their concerns. However, once it’s crunch time, you’ll likely find out that moving day can be as brutal as they say. You can manage all the stress through proper planning and execution. Here are five tips for making the perfect transition to your new apartment.
1. Release your attachments
Make sure you can immediately discern an item’s purpose. If you can’t, now may be the best time to part ways with it. Maybe you’ve been holding onto this item for sentimental reasons or it’s a specific item with a peculiar, uncommon use. Use this moment as a chance to thin your inventory of belongings and make room for new things. Don’t try to move into a smaller space without downsizing. The less you hold onto, the less work during your move.
2. Label your boxes
Catalog your belongings mentally before you begin to separate them into categories. Labeling a few boxes right at the beginning can save time in several different ways. For starters, you won’t waste time trying to remember what’s in each box. You’ll know exactly where to store your belongings after you’ve decided how to divide them. You’ll be sure to pick up the pace once you get a rhythm going.
3. Create an essentials package
Start setting aside things you know you’re going to need throughout and at the end of your move. Anything that you’d have to dig back out after putting away should be set aside in this box. Checks, debit cards, and other necessary money-related items belong in your move-in day essentials. So too do toiletries, water, soap, snacks, and documents you’d normally safeguard.
4. Keep a lamp accessible
Believe it or not, just one lamp can save the day if you’re choosing to move in the evening. You should arrive prepared with light sources, as the previous tenants might have taken your apartment’s light bulbs with them on their way out. Battery-powered or rechargeable flashlights and camping lamps can be a lifesaver here. Be sure to bring along spare batteries and charging cables too.
5. Make a checklist
Plan way ahead for move-in day. This way, you can take your sweet time. When you’re making a big move, start your checklist months in advance and revise it constantly. Write out your possessions and decide whether you’re ready to sell or trash them. With ample time, you maximize profit when you sell your lightly used clothing, books, and other belongings you no longer need.
Use a checklist if you’re planning to spread your move across a few days rather than doing it all at once. A written plan or schedule will help you bring your things along in order of importance or necessity. And then, after several days of effort, you can finally relax in your new apartment and feel good about the decision you’ve made.
How are you planning your move? Did these tips help? Share your thoughts in the comments!
