Moving soon in Baltimore City? If so, it’s better to start planning sooner than later. Whether you’re moving from an apartment to your first starter home, moving to a bigger house to fit your growing family, or downsizing due to an empty next, moving can be a serious hassle if you wait until the last minute.
This handy moving checklist created by professional movers can help you plan you move ahead of time. It’s broken down into sections, which let you know what you should probably take care of at various intervals before your moving day.
Moving Tips
For local or interstate residential moving, you want to start planning a couple of months ahead. This gives you enough time to pack your things, take care of stuff like address changes, and hire experienced movers. If you’re opting for full service movers with packing included, then that’s something you actually probably don’t need to worry about. However, most people pack their stuff themselves, so we’ve included packing in the checklist.
- Sort through your stuff, and get rid of anything you don’t really want to keep. Moving is one of the best times to “clean house” and really make decisions about getting rid of stuff you’re not using. Being a packrat isn’t going to work to your advantage when you move. Professional movers charge by the weight of your belongings, so the more stuff you have, the more expensive it will be. Anything with serious value, like fine art or antiques, may be best sold through an auction house. Things that aren’t super-valuable but are still in good condition, and can get some money if sold, can be sold online on Ebay or Craigslist. Yard sales are also an option for getting rid of things, and making a little money in the process. Anything that’s left over and doesn’t sell can be donated to a local thrift store as a last resort. Try to avoid throwing things away entirely unless they’re broken or unusable. One person’s trash is another person’s awesome thrift store find.
- Start researching reputable local moving companies ahead of time. It’s also a good time to start looking into local professional movers, and arranging to get free non-binding estimates from a couple of different companies so that you can make a decision about who to hire. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which regulates companies that provide interstate moving services, has some great resources that you can check out. You can also find third party reviews of local moving companies through resources like the Better Business Bureau.
- Start keeping track of your moving process. When you move in Baltimore City, the movers will give you a substantial amount of physical paperwork. It’s a good idea to create a physical binder to hold items related to your move.
- Stock up on moving supplies. It’s better to have too many moving supplies than not to have enough. You’ll need regular boxes, packing tape, bubble wrap, and packing peanuts. You may also want to consider getting some specialty boxes, such as wardrobe boxes and dish boxes. You can sometimes get boxes for free through Craigslist, or by asking a local retailer or UPS store if they have any extras.
- Use up your perishables. Frozen and refrigerated perishable foods don’t really transfer well from your old house to your new house. It’s best to use them up in the weeks leading up to your move. Avoid buying new frozen goods, and focus on using up what you have. Otherwise, it will probably go to waste when you move.
- Separate valuables from the rest of your belongings. Moving companies may not be willing to transport jewelry, cash, and other valuables, which could pose a liability for them. You may need to move these yourself.
- Don’t forget about your house plants. Movers generally won’t move live house plants, either. You’ll need to make arrangements for them yourself.
- If you’re moving long distance, get your pets ready for the drive. If you’re moving a long distance away from Baltimore City, and you’re driving with pets, you may need to start getting them used to the crate or carrier in which you’ll be moving them. If your pet may experience anxiety during the move, talk to your veterinarian about getting them a mild sedative.
- If possible, try to move during the “off” season. If you can choose what time of year to move, schedule for the winter, rather than the summer. It’s less busy, and you’ll have an easier time finding available movers.
- When you pack, start with the things you use the least often. Things like old books, out of season clothing, and fine china can be packed first. Save the things you need every day, like toiletries and everyday dishware, for last.
- Don’t forget to change your address. You can change your address and set up mail forwarding with the US Post Office, either in person or online. You should also inform your bank, your employer, and anyone else who needs to know your new address. You should also change the address on any print magazine or newspaper subscriptions.
- Pack a suitcase or duffel bag with essentials for your moving day. You’ll want to have toiletries, a change of clothes, prescription medications, and other essentials handy, rather than boxed away.
- Don’t forget to label your boxes. That way, you’ll know what’s in them when you need to unpack.
- Pack heavier items in boxes with small dimensions, and pack lighter items in the large boxes. A large box full of hardcover books or other heavy objects can be very difficult to move. It’s better to pack heavy items in smaller sets in small boxes, and lighter things like linens and towels into the large boxes.
Professional Movers in Baltimore City
Moving soon? At Movers USA, we provide professional residential and commercial moving services throughout the Baltimore City area. Get an online quote or call us any time to schedule an estimate, or to find out more about full service moving.