DIY Moving Guide

The Moving Guide – 11 Steps to a Smooth Move

Moving to a new home can be an exciting, but overwhelming process. However, with a little organization and planning moving can be a smooth and seamless event. In fact, many people even opt to complete the moving process on their own. This decision can save a ton of money if you’re diligent and willing to do the research. Although this do-it-yourself approach is cost effective you want won’t to skimp on the planning details.

If you have a move in your near future, you might consider the benefits of a do-it-yourself process. Here is a step by step guide for planning your next big move on your own:

Step 1-Do the Math

The first thing you’ll want to do is crunch a moving budget and make sure your DIY ambitions make sense financially. There are lots of things to consider when contemplating a DIY move. Most of the time, you’ll come out ahead if you move yourself, but there are times when hiring help can be more convenient for the price. Here is a short list of often overlooked expenses you’ll want to incorporate into your moving budget:

Step 2-Evaluate Your Schedule

• Packing Supplies (boxes, tape, bubble wrap)
• Moving Truck Rental Fees
• Storage Fees
• Gifts or Compensation for Moving Help

Once you’ve determined that you want to move yourself, you’ll want to take a look at your calendar. Moving is a big process, and there are a ton of details, dates, and timelines you’ll want to consider as you begin the planning process. You’ll need to commit a ton of time to packing and organizing so it would be beneficial to review your schedule and coordinate your move with your other life happenings. Ask yourself the following questions:

Step 3-Research Truck Options

• What is the drop date I must be out of my current home?
• How soon can I move into my new home?
• What other life events or occasions are happening during this time frame?
• Who will be helping me, and what do their schedules look like during this time?

Obtaining a truck for the moving process is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle. You can’t quite make the move without the ability to haul your belongings. Moving trucks come in a wide range of shapes and sizes and pricing differs based on a variety of factors. You’ll want to consider the amount of stuff you’ll be transporting before selecting a truck option. Small vans and trailers are usually sufficient for a one to two room move. You’ll want to enlist a larger truck for moves any bigger than this.

In addition, moving dates can impact pricing. If your dates are flexible, you’ll want to play around with rental dates to secure the best and most affordable option.

Step 4-Identify Your Moving Team

The moving process requires a strong team of willing helpers. Once you’ve carefully evaluated your schedule, secured a moving truck, and ironed out a rough timeline for the move, you’ll want to engage the help of a few close family members, neighbors, and friends. It can be pretty poor taste to expect help with no reward, so you’ll want to share up-front what you’re expectations are and how they will be reimbursed for their time and effort. You might offer to make a meal at the end of moving day, or create a feasible bartering arrangement. Either way, you’ll want to be cost-conscious while still expressing gratitude. You can visit Gifts Australia for authentic Australian gift ideas.

Step 5-Do an Inventory Check

Moving is a big process, but it is also a great time to review everything you’ve collected over the years. Making an inventory checklist is really important for the moving process. You should carefully go through all of your belongings and make an itemized list of everything you’ll be taking with you. This list can be referenced after the move is complete, and will ensure everything you packed arrives at the final destination. It will also be a great way to follow-up on any missing items. Lastly, the inventory check will allow you to purge any unwanted items and lighten your moving load. Although it takes a little bit of time, you’ll be glad you made the effort to complete this process.

Step 6-Sell or Donate

More than likely, your inventory check will create a pile of unwanted items. If you have time, you should consider a garage sale. This is a simple way to earn some money to help offset some of your moving expenses. Click here for a few helpful hints on hosting a successful garage sale.

If time is limited and you can’t host a yard sale, you can always donate to a local thrift store or charity. Charitable donations are often considered a write off come tax season. Either way, you’ll be glad you were able to lighten your load and reduce the amount of junk you haul across the country.

Step 7-Invest in Padding Materials

As you begin packing, you’ll want to invest in some padding materials for your most fragile items. Many office supply or moving stores will sell bubble wrap or rolls of foam that should protect your delicate and breakable pieces. This wrap can be somewhat expensive, so you might also consider using old blankets, sweaters, or other household items. These soft fabric items are things you’ll have to pack anyways, so multi-purpose them for the move. If you don’t take the time to pad your breakables, you could incur the cost of replacing most of them once your trip is complete.

Step 8-Box & Label

Now that you’ve done all the planning and prep work, it’s time to begin the actual packing process! You’ll want to purchase a variety of moving boxes and rubber bins. You’ll want to be extremely crafty with how you package your items and you’ll want to clearly label all your boxes. This simple step ensures you can quickly and easily navigate the boxes and find what you need when you move into your new place. You should plan on packaging your boxes tightly. Items tend to shift during the moving process, so you’ll want to make sure everything feels secure. At the same time, you’ll want to manage the weight of each box and make sure they don’t get too heavy. Be smart and tactical about this, and you should be able to minimize the number of boxes you pack!

Step 9-Create A Travel File

You may or may not be aware that there are tax breaks associated with moving. You can write off your moving expenses if you keep itemized receipts for everything. There are some stipulations surrounding this tax break, but it’s worth the time to track your expenses. To do this, you’ll want to create a small portable travel file where you can store all your purchase receipts from the big move. This can include moving supplies, travel expenses,storage fees and any other related costs. You’ll want your file to be small and portable so you can keep it with you at all times throughout the move. Click here to learn more about the moving tax break and whether or not you’ll be able to take advantage of it.

Step 10-Keep a Box with Essentials

As you begin the moving process, you’ll want to hold back a few items that are absolutely essential for your travels. Things like a pair of clean clothes, a toothbrush, your wallet, and any other necessary hygiene products. It’s easy to forget these important items when you get in “packing mode”, so do yourself a favor and make special note to place these items aside.

Step 11-Redirect Your Mail

After you’ve compiled everything you might want to redirect your mail to your new home or to a temporary location. This step ensures you don’t miss any important information via mail. The Australian Post will redirect your mail for a specified period of time, and will even notify your providers or member organizations of your address change.

As you can see, the do-it-yourself moving process has a lot of moving parts, but if you spend the time and energy up front the process can be fun and even enjoyable. Next time you’re planning a big move, consider the do-it-yourself strategy and follow these ten tips!

Article Published by Peter Howie from Pro Removalists Brisbane. If you liked this article please follow us on Google+.