March 2023 | Olympia Moving & Storage

Moving can be one of the most stressful experiences you encounter during your adult life. From finding a new place to call home, to bidding farewell to your current place, to all the logistical details in between, a move can be an extremely overwhelming process. However, one way to alleviate some of the anxiety around moving is to prepare properly. There are several strategies you can utilize to tackle your next big move with ease, including hiring professionals from your local moving company to help you handle the job. If you’re planning to relocate in the near future, read on for some helpful tips and tricks so you can enjoy a smooth move.

1. Plan Ahead

With so many details to work out, moving often takes longer than you anticipate. Even tasks that seem like they will be quick might reveal time-consuming complications once you begin. The process is exhausting enough without adding additional stress from rushing at the last minute. That’s why it’s wise to start taking steps toward your move as soon as possible, such as contacting leasing agencies to schedule apartment tours or visiting potential areas where you can see yourself living months in advance.

2. Hire Your Local Moving Company

Some independent individuals insist on attempting everything themselves. However, your local moving company is ready to help you! There’s no shame in calling for backup. In fact, professional moving companies assist Americans with about 650 thousand moves every year, according to OnCue.

Movers have the experience, knowledge, and equipment necessary to handle your move with ease. Rather than risking injury by improperly lifting heavy objects, wasting time with inefficient strategies, or possibly causing a traffic accident by driving an unfamiliar moving van, let the professionals handle your move. You’ll have plenty of other tasks to take care of during the process, and relying on your local moving company frees up time and energy for you to handle the rest of your checklist.

3. Book Your Services Early

If you have a tight schedule, you’ll want to book your rentals as far out in advance as possible. Some days are more popular than others, such as weekends when people have the free time to devote their day to a major project. Contacting your local moving company ahead of time will ensure that you’re on their calendar and have the date and time that works the best for you secured.

4. Stay Organized

Set yourself up for success in the future by remaining organized while you pack and prepare. It’s always a good idea to pack everything you need for a room together. For example, keep all your kitchen utensils, appliances, and towels together and clearly label them. When you arrive in your new kitchen, you’ll have everything you need to start cooking readily accessible. Taking the time to pack with care will make the process of unpacking so much simpler and help your local moving company know where each box needs to go. You’ll be thankful to your past self for making your life a little easier!

5. Keep Track of Important Documents

There are certain documents that you’ll want to set aside for easy access throughout your moving experience. Passports, marriage certificates, Social Security cards, and other legal documents should all be handled with caution. Save yourself from the nightmare of having to dig through all of your boxes if you realize you need something! Set them aside and designate a specific and secure place to pack them so you never lose track of them.

6. Pack Fragile Items With Care

If you have special or fragile items to transport, they need extra care to ensure they arrive at your destination in one piece. Artwork, ceramics, family heirlooms, and other delicate objects should be packed with extra consideration. It’s also wise to clearly label any containers you pack them in. The movers will know that they should handle those boxes with extra care. Do you need help packing your valuable items? Your local moving company has strategies to make sure your precious belongings stay safe during your move.

7. Get Rid of Clutter

One great way to make packing a breeze is to make sure you aren’t dealing with anything you don’t want! Sifting through your belongings and removing things that are broken, worn out, or don’t fit your style anymore will save you time and space when you pack up your home. Donating items that are still in good condition to local clothing drives or charity stores is also a wonderful way to give back to your community. If you’d like to earn a little extra cash, you might be able to sell some of your books to a used book store, clothing via thrift apps, or bigger electronics to friends. A garage sale is another fantastic idea! You can use any earnings toward moving expenses, killing two birds with one stone.

8. Be Strategic When Grocery Shopping

While it’s important to be properly fueled up with nutritious meals during a physically demanding experience, be smart about how many groceries you purchase leading up to moving day. If your fridge is still full of perishable items, it’ll be difficult to keep them cold during a long move. Frozen items pose even more of a challenge. One helpful guideline is to make your last grocery run two weeks before your moving day. That way you can cut down on buying extra food items that you simply don’t need, giving yourself less to transport and avoiding any food waste.

9. Consider Hiring a Packing Service

In addition to helping you move all of your items, your local moving company can handle your packing, too! You can turn to them for a packing solution that’s speedy, efficient, and will protect all of your belongings. Save yourself hours of stress and labor by turning over this task to the experts. You’ll be amazed at how much easier moving can be!

8. Schedule Utilities for Your New Address

During the moving process, it’s easy to be so focused on your current address that you forget to think ahead. However, your new home needs attention as well! Make sure you contact the appropriate providers so that you’ll have all the utilities you need by moving day. If you’re moving to an apartment, your landlord should be able to provide you with details about which utilities are your responsibility and which companies you need to call. Some companies will have a delay between receiving your request and commencing services, so arrange this as soon as possible. You don’t want to be left in the dark or without water after a long and stressful day of moving!

10. Pack an Overnight Bag for the Big Day

Pack yourself a bag for moving day just like you would for a weekend trip. This will make sure you have access to all of your essentials such as clean clothing, electronics chargers, and toiletries without needing to dig through any of your boxes.

By using these strategies, you can reduce your stress and maybe even look forward to your move. After all, getting a fresh start in a new location is an exciting opportunity! If you need help with your move, be sure to give our team a call at Olympia Moving & Storage. As a licensed and insured local moving company, you can trust us to handle the entire process with incredible efficiency and high-quality customer care. Just reach out to us today to get started with an estimate. We would love to assist you!

Are you moving to a new home? If so, this is probably an exciting and challenging time for you and your family. According to OneDesk, the average American moves 11 times in their life. Whether this is your first move or your eleventh, moving is always a stressful experience. One of the most important steps in the moving process is preparing your belongings for the move. This is where you will ensure that your possessions are protected during transportation and arrive safely at your new home. If you don’t prepare your belongings correctly, you could end up with broken or damaged items when you get to your new home. Below are seven tips to help you prepare your belongings for moving companies.

1. Declutter and Downsize

When you’re preparing to move, it’s a great time to declutter and downsize. The more items you can discard, the less you will have to pack and unpack during the moving process. As you’re packing your belongings you’ll probably find many items that you no longer have use for. You may even find things that you forgot you had. This is the perfect time to go through all of your items and decide what you need to keep, what you can donate, and what you can throw away. You may even want to rent a dumpster to discard items as you’re packing. You could also have a garage sale or simply give items away for free by posting them online. By reducing the number of items you need to move, you’ll reduce the number of belongings that need to be packed, transported, and unpacked. That could reduce the amount of time you need the moving companies onsite and ultimately save you some money and stress.

2. Pack Early

One of the biggest mistakes people make when preparing to move is waiting too late to start packing. It may be because they underestimate how long it will take, or it may be simply that they’re overwhelmed by the task. The result is that they’re not prepared when the big day finally arrives. Either way, it pays to start packing early. Start packing your belongings several weeks before the moving companies are set to arrive. You can start with items that you don’t use on a regular basis, like things in storage or clothing that is currently out of season. As the big day gets closer, you can start packing things that you use on a more regular basis. Starting early allows you to take your time and avoid feeling overwhelmed. Make sure to label each box with its contents and the room it belongs in. This will make it easier for you and the movers to unload and unpack everything at your new home.

3. Protect Fragile Items

There’s nothing worse than moving into your new home, opening up boxes, and discovering that items were broken in transit. While moving companies will usually do everything in their power to keep your belongings safe, there’s not much they can do if fragile items aren’t packed properly. You can use packaging materials like bubble wrap and foam peanuts to protect fragile items. It’s also important to label boxes as ‘fragile.’ This lets the movers know that the boxes should be handled with care and shouldn’t have other boxes stacked on top of them. Some moving companies also offer packing services. You could hire movers to pack your most fragile items. That way you can be sure that the boxes were packed properly and will be handled with care during the move.

4. Disassemble Furniture

Want an easy way to save time and make your move as quick as possible? Disassemble the furniture before the movers arrive. This includes beds, couches, tables, and anything else that needs to be broken down into parts before it is loaded on the truck. When the moving companies get there, everything will be ready to load directly onto the truck. While many moving companies will disassemble your furniture for you, you can save a great deal of time by doing it yourself. An added bonus with this is that you can keep track of all the nuts, bolts, screws, and other hardware so you know where it is when you get to your new home. Put these parts in baggies and label them so you can quickly reassemble your furniture.

5. Pack Valuables and Important Documents

There may be some items that you want to transport yourself so you can be sure they don’t get lost or damaged. This could include things like valuable jewelry, family heirlooms, and even important documents like Social Security cards and birth certificates. Put these items in a safe container that is clearly marked, and drive them with you in your vehicle. That way you’ll know exactly where they’re located and won’t risk losing them. Do not pack these items in boxes that will be loaded onto the moving truck.

6. Prepare Appliances

Appliances are always tricky in the moving process. You may be leaving some of your appliances behind, but there could be some that are coming with you. Before moving, appliances such as refrigerators, washers, and dryers should be cleaned and emptied of all food, liquids, and personal items. It’s a good idea to plan your meals in advance of the move so you can use what is left in your refrigerator. If you have food leftover, you may be able to pack it in a cooler with ice, especially if you have a short trip to your new home. Either way, make sure the refrigerator and other appliances are clean and ready to move when the movers arrive. This will make it easier for moving companies to handle these items, and will also prevent any spills or leaks during transportation.

7. Plan for Pets and Plants

It’s also important to plan for plants and pets on moving day, so they survive the trip with as little stress or trauma as possible. If you have pets, you may want to make arrangements for them. Consider putting them in a boarding camp, or even have them spend the day with a friend or relative. Even if your dog or cat will be riding with you, they should be out of the way when the movers are there. The stress of having strangers in and out of the home could be too much for your pet to deal with. They could also get in the way of the movers, making their job more difficult. For plants, make sure they have all the water they need and consider transporting them in your car, so they still get sunlight. You can also pack them in boxes with ventilation, but if you do, be sure to label the boxes as fragile plants so other boxes aren’t stacked on top of them.

Ready to start planning your big move with one of the top moving companies around? Contact Olympia Moving & Storage today. Moving can be a stressful time, but it doesn’t have to be. We can help you plan every aspect of the moving process. We can even help you determine how many boxes you need when you should start packing, and how long it will take to load and unload your belongings. Let’s connect today and start planning your move.

Month: March 2023

10 Tips to Make Moving Less Stressful