It’s been a hectic few weeks, but I finally settled into my new home in Denver. I moved from Miami and can’t say enough positive things about the “Mile High City.” The moving process was a learning opportunity. Here, I’ll outline a few things I took away from that experience.
1. Organization is key.
Moving all of your belongings from one place to another doesn’t sound like a complicated job. It seems exhausting and time-consuming but not too complicated. Unfortunately, I didn’t do too much pre-planning. It made some parts of the move a nightmare. I now realize that organizing all aspects of the relocation beforehand is a crucial step in making the transition as smooth as possible.
2. Don’t be afraid to ask your friends and family for help.
We’ve all seen those TV shows or movies that make it seem like asking someone to help you move is a social death sentence. I had reservations about asking some of my friends to help with packing, but I ended up being very happy with the decision. All of them were very understanding and perfectly willing to help. I recommend other people do the same. Just be sure to ask for help well in advance to give people plenty of notice.
3. Label your boxes.
This one seems obvious, but it’s something I didn’t think about beforehand. I figured that I’d unpack all of my stuff after the move anyway. So why did it matter if boxes were labeled or not? Well, I can safely assure you that it does matter. When you’ve got limited time to unpack, you’ll want to access the essentials first. Knowing exactly where your things are in will make it easier to find what you need. Plus, it makes it easier for the movers to know where to put everything in your new place. The moving crew can unload the truck and put boxes in their designated rooms, so you don’t have to haul them to their appropriate places later.
4. Pack early.
I made the mistake of waiting until the last minute to throw all of my belongings into boxes. I greatly underestimated how long the process would take. I can honestly say the entire process was more stressful when I had to rush around and toss things into my car, into boxes, and in the moving truck. I’d recommend starting a few weeks before the move. Start by packing items you rarely use and gradually move towards things you use every day.
5. Schedule your utilities before moving.
There’s nothing worse than arriving at your new house or apartment feeling exhausted only to realize you can’t cook, shower, or turn on the AC because the utilities are not accessible. It was one thing I did right during my move. I called ahead of time and told the relevant companies when I needed my utilities turned on. That way, everything was ready on the day I arrived.
6. Hire movers.
I can’t stress this point enough. My move took me on a drive that was over 2000 miles! That’s 30 hours of driving WITHOUT stops. It was rough enough driving my car there, but I can’t imagine spending all those miles cooped up in an uncomfortable rented moving truck. If you’re moving cross-country, I recommend springing for a professional moving company. I hired movers through Cheap Movers Miami and could not have been happier about my decision. I had all my boxes and furniture ready to go, they loaded the truck within a few hours and were on the way to Denver, arriving about a week and a half later with all my things. This gave me time to enjoy the road trip and get things situated at my new apartment before all my stuff arrived.
7. Make sure to get your deposit back.
Moving isn’t cheap. You have to pay for the boxes, the movers, and the downpayment for your new place. One of the best pieces of budgeting advice I can give is getting your initial deposit back from your older apartment or house.