How To Relocate: 20 Hassle Free Relocation Tips

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Whether you are moving to a new city, moving away from family, or simply moving to a house in the same area, moving can be a tough and overwhelming process. The whole process of shifting your possessions and getting comfortable in a new place can be quite stressful.

If you are wondering how to relocate to another city and want a less stressful moving experience, the following list of relocation tips will hopefully make the process easier. But let us tell you one thing: the basic ideas are all the same even if you are wondering how to relocate to another state. So let’s dive into what should you do to make relocation easier for everyone involved.

1. Don’t Shy Away From Hiring Help 

Shifting is not a simple procedure, and it is definitely not easy for one person. Don’t hesitate to ask for help from friends and family when you feel overwhelmed or tired. If needed, you can even get professional help.

Separate a portion of your budget to hire some help for yourself. Not only will this take a lot of burden off of your shoulders, but professional movers do a lot better job at packing and shifting your stuff. Expert packaging with extra care will ensure less stress during the move. Moving insurance will also be of great help if any damage happens while moving to a new city. 

2. Donate Or Get Rid Of Items You No Longer Need 

Moving is an excellent opportunity to start your life over in every sense of the word. Take this time to de-clutter your house and your wardrobe. Separate the things that you don’t want or need anymore. Now divide this cluster into two categories: things that you want to throw away and things that you wish to donate. Set them aside and get rid of them as decided. This hack will give you less stress moving your stuff because the overall quantity of things you own will decrease as well as reducing the number of things you need to pack.  The best option is to dump your clothes in a sturdy cardboard box that can accommodate a lot of clothes and junk. 

3. Schedule Your Move On Your Calendar 

It is a good relocation tip to schedule your entire moving timeline on a calendar. This habit tracking wall calendar includes the utility installation days, the payment days, and the day you are going to move. Mark all of these dates on a visible calendar on a table, wall, or your phone. Make an exerted effort to strictly stick to this timeline because it will not only keep you posted and remind you about these important tasks, but it will also act as a record for future references for yourself or the people close to you. 

4. Set Yourself A Moving Budget 

It is crucial that you separate a proper budget for the entire moving process. Take out a notepad and make a list of all the costs that you think are going to come up during this time. This list should include the cost of packing materials, professional help, new furniture, utilities, and any extra cost that you can think of. Combine it all and set aside this particular amount of money. Remember to not step out of this budget to avoid any future financial problems and have a less-stress moving experience.

5. Sort Out Items By Category 

Categorizing your stuff will help you organize everything and make sure your items are safe. It will also make it easier for you to remember where you put every packed item. For example, put all of your books in a box set explicitly for paper items. Do the same for all your delicate and fragile possessions. Doing this will remind you to be careful while you or one of the professional movers you hire handle these particular boxes.  

6. Get Free Moving Boxes, Avoid Over-Spending 

A great relocating tip to save some bucks is to get your moving boxes from local liquor stores. Simply go to one of these stores nearby and ask them if they have any reusable cartons that you can use. If they are kind enough to let you take some, choose one according to the kind of items you want to store in them. For example, if you are planning to store heavy crockery in one of these boxes, then make sure that you get a good, strong, and sturdy box that can hold the weight.

There are also apps and other ways you can use to find moving boxes. Craigslist is a good place to find free moving boxes as well. Just remember to take note of the size of the box you are choosing. You can also reuse old electronics boxes. Improvise to find boxes you can use for your move.

7. Invest In Moving Supplies 

It’s great if you have some tools and supplies at home that you can use during the moving process. But if you are moving away from family and do not have any tools of your own, spend the money that you saved on moving boxes on moving supplies. These are a great investment to make since you can use them for other tasks around the house. Keep in mind that the cost of the tools should not exceed the budget you set in the beginning of the entire process. 

Also, check if you need any other materials from the hardware store like bulbs, extension cords, and power strips.

8. Start Packing As Early As You Can Before Moving Day 

When it comes to packing, you can never have too much time. Start sorting your stuff as early as you possibly can. It is a lengthy process depending on how much stuff you have. One fact you didn’t consider about packing your stuff is that it takes up a lot of brainpower as well. Start by packing items that you don’t use frequently. Separate them and put them away inside boxes. As the moving day gets closer, you can start packing items that you use more regularly.

9. Be Sure To Change Addresses At Least A Week Before The Move 

One of the simplest yet most common mistakes people often make during relocation is forgetting to change their address on different platforms before they shift. Remember not to make this mistake, especially if you are going to live separately from your family. It can cause them, and you, lots of confusion and problems when you are moving house. This is especially true if you are moving to a new city. 

Mark this task on a calendar so that you’ll remember to change your current address in your post office, online shopping profiles, and your workplace.

10. Pack Items Room By Room 

A convenient relocation tip is to pack your stuff room by room. For example, start with packing your guest room first as the items in that room are probably not currently being used.

Once that is out of the way, start packing other rooms of the house. Pack the most frequently used room last, because you need your everyday items and a room to sleep in during your last nights in your old house. This approach is a good hack for less stressful moving. 

11. Label Boxes & Color Code To Make Unpacking Easier 

As discussed earlier, it is a good idea to categorize and assign boxes to different types of materials or rooms so that it is easier to move them. However, this relocation tip is also useful when you have moved homes and are starting to unpack. If you packed all of your kitchen items in a particular box, you can put it in your new kitchen and get your stuff out accordingly. Similarly, you can put the box that had all of your guest room items aside and unpack it last because the items in that box are not used frequently. You can label the boxes using name tag labels or color-code them if you want to make unpacking easier and even more convenient.

12. Take Pictures Of Content Inside The Boxes 

Another good hack while moving houses is to take pictures of your possessions before you pack them. The idea behind this is to make sure that you have a record of all the items that you packed. This record will act as a checklist when you unpack your stuff in your new place.

Another good use of this step is to keep a record of the condition of these items before they were packed and moved. This is vital in case your professional moving help causes any damage to your items. These pictures will serve as evidence for your moving insurance.

13. Research Laws Of The New Location 

One of the essential things to know about your new location is the laws and regulations of that area. None of us want to move to the new house and get into trouble for doing something unintentionally illegal. It’s advisable to a little research a few days before moving and be aware of the laws and reforms of the location that you are planning to move into. This information will help you adapt to the new environment quickly and stay clear of any additional stressful things on your plate.

14. Find Essential Businesses In Your New Location 

Another thing that you want to avoid right after moving in is panicking when you run out of essential things like food, clothes, and everyday-use items. To prevent this state of confusion and misery, do your research and locate different businesses around your new home. These include grocery stores, shopping malls, restaurants, and offices. This relocation tip will also help you adapt and settle down in your new location smoothly and quickly.

15. Contact Cable & Internet Providers And Inform Them Of The Move 

It is always a good idea to get your utilities, cable, and internet sorted before you move in and start living in your new place.

Do your research and hire reputable companies to take care of these things for you. Tell them about your requirements and the date when you want everything ready. Make sure that this particular date is at least a few days or weeks before your actual moving date so that you can make sure everything looks good and functional.

16. Secure Your Important Documents & IDs 

It is absolutely crucial that you take care of your important documents and ID cards by placing them in a safe and secure place. You may need these from time to time, so make sure that not only are they safe, but they are also easily accessible.

Create a folder of these files and put them in a place that you can easily reach into. Avoid packing these documents in one of your moving boxes because getting them out will be a headache you don’t want to have. You can also scan these documents and keep a soft copy on your mobile tablet or laptop as a backup. This way, you’ll have less stress during the move.

17. Buy Some Cleaning Supplies For Moving Day 

It is basic moving manners that you make sure that your current apartment is clean and tidy when you leave and hand it over to your landlord. Get some cleaning supplies to shine up the old place before you shift into your new one. Clean the windows, vacuum the carpets, and mop the floors before handing the key back to the owner. Not only is this a sweet gesture, but your landlord will not have to spend time, money, and effort in winding up the place after you have left. It is also a perfect way of making a good last impression on your old landlord so that he can say nice things about you to your new house owner.

18. Pack A Moving Essential Bag For The First Day You Move In 

Remember the everyday-use items that you did not pack until the last minute? Pack them all in a separate essentials bag and take it with you when you first move into the house. These are the things that you cannot do without, such as your toothbrush, hairbrush, and your other everyday essentials. This is a good relocation tip to make sure that you do not face any problems on your first day in your new home, especially after moving to a new city. 

19. Unbox Items Room By Room 

Just as you packed boxes room by room, do the same when you are unpacking. This time, open the boxes for the most frequently-used rooms first, with the next set of boxes holding the items for the room you use less frequently than the previous room. For example, empty the kitchen and bedroom boxes first before unpacking the containers for the storage room and the guest room. This relocation tip will help you get the more important stuff out first so that you can settle down quickly.

20. Take Pictures Of Your New Home Before You Start Unpacking 

Taking snapshots of your new place before you finish moving houses is a great idea. Not only will it allow you to post before-and-after pictures on your social media, but it will also act as a record of what the place initially looked like before you move in. Again, this will serve as evidence for insurance purposes.