Everyone always says that moving is one of the most stressful things you can go through, and they’re not wrong. Many of us aren’t used to moving and therefore aren’t used to having to remember to do a million different things at once in order to transfer all of our stuff from point A to point B. Surviving your first major move isn’t impossible, and with the right tricks, tips, and tools, you should do just fine. For most people, their first major move by themselves comes when they go off to college and are staying in a dorm or apartment. In this article, we’ll give you a mini-survival guide on surviving the stress, mistakes to avoid making, and ways to streamline the moving process as a whole.
Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute
This seems self-explanatory, but it actually is a mistake that is all-too-common. You may have some feels of doubt or unease about the move that might be causing you to drag your feet. These feelings of unease are common, but that doesn’t mean that you should procrastinate. Start sorting through everything first. Take a look at things that you most obviously won’t need (and no, you don’t need everything, be honest with yourself). Although sentimentality is important, remember that you can always put things that you don’t want to let go into storage. You don’t want to bring too much stuff to your new location and end up having to send it back. Start the sorting process early and then begin to put the sorted things into boxes.
Understand That Space is a Finite Resource
“I can make it fit” is something that is said way too often when it comes to moving. If you don’t think you will be able to fit something, you probably won’t be able to. The space that you’re going to have, whether it’s in your dorm room or apartment, is finite. You’ll also be bringing in new stuff once you’re at your new location. This means that choosing what you want to keep or give away is a process you need to take very seriously.
Try On-Demand Furniture Solutions
Lull mattresses are a great example of on-demand furniture in today’s world. If you’re shopping for a mattress, you don’t want to have to lug it with you. Mattresses are giant and inconvenient, yet incredibly necessary. The best way to go about this is to contact Lull, have us drop the mattress off to you in a manageably-sized box, and then open it from there. On-demand furniture solutions take the furniture to you, move it in for you, set it up, and then leave. This eliminates almost all the hassle for you and ensures a far smoother transition than would exist if you were trying to put all the stuff together yourself.
Your School Can Help You
If you are moving into a dorm, your school is able to help. There will likely be upperclassmen working as move-in-day helpers that will aid you in taking your stuff, finding out where everything needs to be, and making sure that you don’t forget anything. Colleges understand that for underclassmen, moving is something they probably haven’t done before on their own. They have a lot of instructions and people to help you on orientation. Once you know where your dorm is and where to park, you can go from there.
If You’re Renting a Truck, Rent it Early, or Hire Professional Movers
Don’t wait until the last minute to do so, even if you’re not sure whether you’re going to need a truck. A lot of places have cancellation policies that allow you to cancel at a certain date without a fee. If you think that you’re going to need a truck to move, reserve it at least two weeks in advance. Also, make sure you know how to drive a truck or know someone who knows how to drive a truck. They’re unwieldy and oversized, and not knowing how to drive one will become readily apparent once you’re behind the wheel. Renting a truck should make moving less stressful, not more. However, if you are going to be moving far from home you may want to hire professional movers, and Mayflower is a long distance moving company that can help you with all of the logistics.
Don’t Forget the Basics (They’re Easier to Overlook than You May Think)
So, you’ve decided on everything you will or won’t need, and now you just have to pack it all in the car. This process is overwhelming, and you might, on the way, forget to actually check and make sure that you have the basics (toothbrush, toothpaste, important documents, etc.). Make a checklist of the basics beforehand so that you know you won’t forget them or leave it up to chance on the last day that you’ll be able to grab them on the way.
Be Cautious of Packing Peanuts
Packing peanuts seem like a great idea until they’re everywhere and a significant portion of your move-in day is spent vacuuming and cleaning them out from every possible crevice in your new place. They also aren’t as secure as you may think. Bubble wrap is a far better option. It’s easier to clean up and more secure than a bunch of loose pieces of Styrofoam.
Friends are Great, But Not Always Reliable
If you’re moving into an apartment, don’t rely on your friends too heavily to help you. While they probably mean well, you should hire professional movers who know what they’re doing and how to set up the furniture and get things into the place without scratching up the walls and causing damage. Hiring movers and contracting with people to help you is a far more secure and efficient way to go about your move-in day than counting on people you’re probably not paying to help you.
There are a lot of things to think about on move-in day, and you want to make sure that you’re not forgetting any of them. Your first big move is scary, there’s no doubt about that, but it is also manageable and not impossible. If you plan ahead and start early, you will be fine. Good luck!
