GUEST BLOG: Moving? 5 Key Things to Do Now

Hi folks: Please enjoy this guest blog post from South Seattle-based interior designer Michele Bayle, who owns Bayle & Co. and is one of the many local contractors that can help make your house a home. Find her at michele@bayleandco.com or www.bayledesignstudio.com. Enjoy!

You know when you’re getting ready to move, and you think, “I don’t have much, I can get this done in two weekends.” Ya, that was me twice. This is what I learned: Moving almost always takes longer than you think it’s going to, so be smart and plan ahead. A good rule of thumb is to begin your organizing and packing two months in advance of your move. Here are some important moving things to consider.

Get Estimates and Select a Mover:

Unless several of your friends look like they play for the Seattle Seahawks, you’re probably going to need to hire professional movers to do the heavy lifting. Start this process early to give yourself time to conduct research and get the best deal. Ask your friends and relatives if they recommend any movers, compare prices and then line one up for moving day.

Besides a decent price, you should be looking for a reputable company that is licensed with your state’s Department of Transportation (DOT) and, if you’re moving out of state, licensed for interstate transport. You also want a moving company (and its workers) that are bonded and insured.

Once you’ve selected your mover, make sure you understand what the final agreement is before signing a contract. Does the business charge by the hour, by the item, or by overall weight? Who does the packing? Are there limitations on what they will move? Will they move only the large items or every item? What is the fee for large weighty items like a piano or a pool table? Is the quote you received non-binding or binding?

A binding estimate should guarantee that the price would not change, a non-binding may have surprise charges. For example, say you’re moving from a house to a high-rise apartment. Will you be charged an extra delivery fee because the movers have to take the elevator up to the 24th floor? And, if there’s no place to park the moving truck near the high-rise, will you incur a shuttle fee?

Pro Tips:

• Read over documents from your movers before signing anything. Don’t let contracts intimidate you and don’t skip this step.
• Create an inventory sheet of all your valuables before they go on the moving truck. Also, keep a private list of which boxes you packed your valuables in.
• Put all your hardware in labeled baggies for easy furniture reassembly.

Begin Packing Little-Used Items:

There are plenty of items you don’t use on a regular basis that can be packed up in a box months before your move. Start with out-of-season items. Or you can pack by the room, maybe start with the guest room since it’s probably used the least. Pack small items in the big boxes and large items in the small boxes. It seems counter-intuitive, but it will prevent over packing boxes and box breakage.

Pro Tips:

• Label moving boxes using different colored markers for each room.
• Measure doorways, stairways, and elevators to make sure all your furniture will fit. Measure twice, move once!
• Mark moving boxes that are fragile. You don’t want books stacked on top of your wine glasses.
• Use socks, t-shirts, towels, and linens to use as free packing supplies. Wrapping water glasses, or stacking plates in dish towels.

Now is the Time to Start Going Through Your Stuff:

Moving is the perfect reason to get rid of unwanted items that have collected in your house over the years.

A good rule of thumb: If you haven’t used it in a year and it doesn’t have any sentimental value, get rid of it. I like to make piles. One for donation or charity, one to offer to someone who might need it, and one for the trash. Or, you can start by having a yard sale and then categorize after. I know letting things go can be though, so you may need to go through each closet or storage space twice. First time through, remove the obviously unwanted items, and on your second pass, remove the items that you’re a little more attached to.

Another fun idea is to have your girlfriends over for a dinner and let them take things from your home that not longer serve you but will remind them of you and the memories you created together.

Pro Tip:

If you’re moving cross country, have your vehicles serviced. The last thing you want is to deal with a breakdown mid-move!

Send Moving Announcements:

Inform people you know that you’re moving and what your new address will be. It can be as easy as sending out a mass e-mail with all the details. Or, more formal sending out moving announcements and put that holiday mailing list to good use. If you’re moving to another town, you might even get a going-away party out of the deal!

Plan Menus to Use up Food in the Cupboards:

Time to go through your cupboards, you might notice you’ve collected some nonperishable food that you’d rather not pack up and move to the new place. Plan some menus to use up that food before you move. It might actually be fun to think of creative ways to use the overflow of food. Another option would be to pack everything up for the local shelter or a food drive.

Last but not least for this section, pack a little every day. You don’t want to find yourself packing all of your belongings the night before. All of this pre-planning will help you arrive to your new home happier, organized and ready to celebrate new beginnings.

Finally, congratulations on the new digs!

If you are in the Seattle area and you would like some assistance after unpacking of where to place your items in your new place. Give me a ring and I would love to come assist bringing it all together for you! michele@bayleandco.com or 206.676.2624.