Here’s What the First Day of Your Move Will Look Like

As the relocation date approaches, the anxiety about moving to another state will be more present. Mixed emotions will play with your head – fear of the move combined with the excitement about it can cause chaos in your mind. And while encouraging yourself with quotes about relocation may work, know that the best way to calm the nerves, in this case, is planning. Find out what to expect when the relocation date comes, what to do and how to behave, and ensure to organize accordingly.

Moving Day Preparations in the Weeks Before Are Necessary for a Successful First Day of Your Move

Behind every flawlessly performed task lies some (shorter or longer) time spent on its preparation. Plenty of things need to be done when getting ready for moving day so it can run smoothly and precisely the way you planned it.

Firstly, make sure that everyone is safe when the long-awaited date arrives, from children, if you are moving with kids, to you and your partner and the relocation crew. If you are relocating with pets, remember that they must be taken care of, too. Hire a babysitter and pet sitter or ask friends to watch them while the professionals do their job. Keep in mind that they will be carrying a lot of heavy and bulky things and won’t be able to look around themselves carefully. Also, when relocating during coronavirus, ensure that the health of everyone involved in the process is not in any way endangered. When preparing for movers, remember to get enough soap, clean towels, disinfecting wipes, masks, and the like.

There is work to be done when it comes to the protection of your soon-to-be-old home, too, especially if you’re planning on selling (or have already finished that part). Large items can easily damage the walls and floors, so make sure to protect them with furniture pads, blankets, rugs, and cardboard to keep them safe. If you’re relocating in the rain or organizing a move in the winter, prepare old rugs and towels for cleaning shoes before entering the house.

If you want the movers to finish up sooner, consider helping them to some extent. For example, you can remove belongings from cabinets, closets, and dressers and group them so that they can be packed quickly. At the same time, know that there are things that professionals won’t do, like unplugging and disconnecting cords and cables. Objects filled with gas, oil, or water must be emptied or they can’t be put in the back of the relocation truck.

Decide Which Long-Distance Moving Services You Need Long Before the First Day of the Move

The last few hours in your old home can look vastly different depending on whether you will hire a cross-country moving company or not, and for what. Many reliable companies will consider disassembling and loading stuff in the truck as part of basic cross-country moving services, while the packing is a service of itself. So if you’re wondering Which long-distance movers near me should I pick, explore what kind of services they can offer.

If you opt for getting packing services, almost all the work revolving around your belongings will be covered on the date of the relocation. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with preparing and wrapping all of the belongings in the weeks before the move. Of course, there is always the possibility of a complete DIY relocation if you have a low relocation budget and want to find the cheapest way to move out of state. However, hiring professionals is always a better option if you’re aiming for an easier and stress-free relocation (and, thus, easier and stress-free last hours in the old place).

Don’t Turn Into Sleeping Beauty When the Relocation Date Comes

It’s important to give yourself time to wake up properly, consume the necessary amount of coffee, and have breakfast. With all the chaos the following few hours will bring, you need all the energy to fight it. It doesn’t really matter how many things you’ve managed to do in the days before; there will always be something else needing your attention. Needless to say, try to go to sleep early the night before. You won’t achieve anything if you wake up early with barely a few hours of sleep.

Consult a Relocation Day Checklist Before Going Further With the Work

When organizing your move, it’s necessary to create a checklist for a move to a new state that will help you oversee all of the tasks needed to be done and set up an appropriate timetable for them. However, the same can be done for individual tasks. A few days before the move, create a relocation to-do list for this date. It should help you see more clearly what’s left to do before the movers come. Consider:

• Cleaning the passageways – ensure that nothing stands in the way workers will use to carry items to the vehicle. Don’t look just down, but think about the walls and ceilings as well. Maybe some of the paintings or chandeliers can cause problems when relocating furniture and other bulky objects.
• Taking doors off the hinges – if you see that some objects can’t pass through the doors, even when disassembled, consider providing a few more inches of room. In some cases, it will be enough.
• Getting cash for tipping workers – if you opt for getting cross-country moving services, keep in mind that it’s still a service industry. If you practice rewarding service workers for the job well done, there’s no reason to stop now – if you’re satisfied with the work of the crew, of course.
• Packing a car – if you decide to use your vehicle to travel to the new destination, pack moving essentials, as well as all the items movers won’t move, in it. Remember that boxes with plants, important documents, and valuables, for example, should go with you even when you hire a long-distance moving company. If you can use some tips on smart car packing, watch the following video:

Set Aside Boxes With Relocation Essentials

We mentioned these necessities before, but do you know what they are and why they have to be packed separately from everything else? First of all, many of them are items you’ll wait to pack until the last minute simply because you’ll use them up until the morning of the move or even during the trip and in the first few days at the new place. Consider them a survival kit during the move and the first few days after it. Set aside:

• Changes of clothes,
• Basic toiletries,
• Medications,
• Electronics (and their chargers),
• Snacks and beverages,
• Important documents,
• Your kids’ (and pets’) favorite toys,
• Essential utensils for each family member (a glass, a plate, and cutlery),
• Bedding.

Even if you have to develop your own packing strategies and find out boxing up tips, don’t forget to separate these items from non-essentials. You do not want to arrive at your new home only to realize that you have to go through many boxes to find something you need.

Be a Good Host

After greeting the workers, give them a tour of the place and walk them through everything you think they should know before starting. If you decide to pack the items yourself, let them know which boxes are filled with fragile objects and must be treated more carefully. Show them which furniture pieces have to be disassembled and which ones can go through the door without it. The better communication you have with workers, the more successful they will be. At the same time, be sure to get out of their way once they start working, but be there if some issues or dilemmas occur.

Relocation to a new city in a different state can’t be completed without a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. Well, not literally, but you get the point. So to ensure that workers have enough energy to finish it successfully, prepare refreshments and food for all. You do not have to show off all of your cooking skills, of course (after all, most of your kitchen utensils will be packed). Ask the crew what type of food they prefer and order take-out for both them and your family. It will help you gather your strength and continue with work.

Read the Bill of Lading Carefully Before Parting Ways With the Crew

The Bill of Lading is a form of a legal contract between a relocation company and customers that states the type and size of the cargo as well as the destination where it needs to be shipped and the cost of services. For it to be valid, it must be signed by both parties. Read this document carefully to ensure there are no hidden costs and that it contains everything you previously agreed on. Only after a detailed review should you place the signature – not doing so is considered one of the worst relocation mistakes you can make. The same goes for the car bill of lading if you want to get all the benefits of car shipping and book auto transport services.

Ensure That the Cleaning Process Is Completed

Even if you’ve deep cleaned your home before the crew has come, some additional cleaning will be necessary after they pack and load the boxes. So, pick up your broom and gloves once more and get rid of the remaining debris and take out the garbage. If you see it fitting, hire a cleaning crew to help you clean everything efficiently.

Check Everything Once More Before You Leave for Good

Look into all the rooms and corners during the final cleaning, but ensure to go through the place once again before locking it and starting the journey. It’s one of the things people forget to do, leading to them leaving some of their essentials behind. If you want to travel with full batteries on your phone and laptop, for example, ensure not to forget their chargers. Look through all areas where you used to keep valuables and take one last look at (and into) the remaining furniture. After you make sure that everything is packed, it’s time to go.

Head Towards Your New Home

That is it! No matter what you’ve chosen, road trip or flight, you’ll reach your future home soon enough. Instead of going crazy wondering if there is something you forgot to do or bring, try to focus on what’s ahead. Think (and talk with your family) about the many benefits of relocation you will soon get to enjoy, regardless of your reasons to move. There is more work to be done after you settle in, but for now, let yourself imagine how marvelous the new life is going to be.