Helpful Moving Tips
Moving sucks. There's really no way around that, but it can be a lot more tolerable and a lot less stressful. Here's a look at our best recommendations for an easier and more efficient move.A lot of moving generally takes place over the next few months, and while everyone's experience and needs vary a little, a lot of the work involved in moving is the same no matter who you are. There's a lot to go over, so feel free to skip around:
Preparation
There is so much to do in preparation for your move: set up mail forwarding, change over your utilities, acquire packing supplies, and so on. The move, itself, is really the easy part as you'll spend most of your time packing and unpacking. If you want everything else to go as smoothly as possible, you'll need to prepare well. It's a time-consuming and detailed process, but it'll ultimately make your move significantly more simple and less stressful.
Transferring Your InformationBefore you move, be sure you know all the utilities you're responsible for and make the transfers. The further in advance you can make the call the better, as sometimes certain utility companies will not be able to come out the next day to make the switch. Another switch you can make in advance is filling out a change of address form, which you can do online. If you change your address online, be sure you have a credit card that uses your current address as the billing address, since that's how the postal service verifies the request.
Finding Packing Supplies On the CheapThere are a lot of places to buy packing supplies, but boxes and tape can add up to quite a bit of money. You can avoid this additional cost by hitting up one of quite a few places handing out free boxes. Most retailers receive a lot of shipments, but your best bet is to contact furniture stores. While your average retailer may be able to provide you with some used boxes, you'll be able to find a greater range of sizes from furniture stores. Be sure to call them up at least a week in advance of when you want to start packing, however, as box disposal isn't necessarily a daily task. If your friends are moving before you, another way to get used boxes is to ask them to give them to you when they're finished. You may also be able to find boxes in the office you work in, or ask a friend to bring home any boxes they can find at the office. For more ideas, check out these tips on scoring free moving boxes.
The downside to reusing boxes is that they're not always in the best condition. If you want brand new boxes (and other packing supplies), you can get a pretty good deal through Safeway moving and storage. We offer moving kits and will deliver to your door.
Taking Measurements
Everything you own may fit wonderfully in your current home, but it may not in your new one. It can be easy to make assumptions and forget to measure, so be sure to set aside some time to do it. Make an appointment at the new place, if necessary, to be absolutely certain your furniture will fit the way you want it. All you need to bring is a tape measure and the measurements of your furniture. If you really want to prepare, consider templating your furniture.
Also, if you're planning on applying wallpaper (or hiring someone to do it), you're going to need to know the measurements of your walls. The same goes for hanging various items on the walls. What looks nice in one space may look awkward in another. You'll never be completely sure until you've moved and tried it out, but you can measure and estimate in advance to get a pretty clear picture.
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