Congratulations on purchasing your very first home, it will serve you very well during the time you live there. It has been quite the journey thus far; you decided to buy a home, qualified for a loan, call Bayou Properties in Houston for your residential real estate needs and toured a huge number of homes before finding the perfect one.
Once you decided which home you wanted, it triggered a mountain of paperwork that needed to be done and a closing date. The best part about closing is that after you sign your name a thousand times, you become a homeowner!
But now you have to think about what comes next: Moving.
While it will be lots of fun moving into your new home, it will take a lot of effort and work as well. But by following a few tips, moving can be made to be a much easier task.
Pack Stuff You Will Need Right Away in a Clear Plastic Bin
Spend a few bucks on several clear plastic bins and pack items like eating utensils, power strips, toilet paper and anything else you know you will need right away. The clear bins allow you to see what is inside and they are quite easy to separate from the myriad of cardboard boxes.
Get Rid of Everything
Well, this is a slight exaggeration, you certainly don’t want to toss or donate everything you own, but sort through things you need and don’t need. The less stuff you have means the less stuff you have to pack, the less stuff you have to haul and the less stuff you have to unpack and put away.
Plus, we are not going out on a limb here when we say that there are probably several trash cans full of stuff you don’t need. Seriously, take a look through your closets.
Schedule a Donation Pick Up
There will be any number of items around your home that you won’t be taking with you to the new location for any number of reasons. Like that ugly chair your aunt gave you as a wedding present. Gather all of these items up, place them at the end of the driveway and call a charity or other organization who picks up such stuff.
You free up a lot of space, free up time spent packing and unpacking this stuff and you are giving to a charitable organization and feel good about yourself for doing so. Nice job!
Map it Out
Whether you are moving a few blocks down or across the city, map out the best route to take to get from your current home to your new home. You will need an efficient route if you don’t want to spend the day stuck in traffic. Also, take into consideration road construction and detours that could cause problems.
Make a List or Two or Three
There is no doubt about it, on moving day you will literally be doing 600 things. That means there will be 600 things you need to remember. Don’t let any of these tasks slip your mind. Start with a master list of what needs to be done leading up to and on moving day. If necessary, make other lists that you can use on moving day to keep better organized.
Mark it on a Calendar
Take your organization one step further by mapping out an itinerary on a dry erase calendar board. Write tasks that need to be done by certain dates to help better prepare for your move.
Go to the Hardware Store
Take a trip to the hardware before you move and stock up on packing paper, tape and Sharpies. Before you go, brainstorm every possible item you will need to help you get through this move.
Schedule Disconnect and Connect Times
Yes, you will have to call your cable company and tell them you are moving and it may very well ruin your day. Even though it’s something you can do on your own, they will insist on sending a technician to hook you up at your new home.
You will also need to make calls to the electric company, the gas company and the phone company if you even have a landline. Just make sure you have all utilities scheduled out well in advance to avoid any problems.
Call Your Entourage
Call your friends and family and give them the news of the impending doom: They need to help you move. If you’re smart, you won’t just rely on two or three of your best buds, you will be digging deep by posting on Facebook when and where people need to be on your moving day.
Of course, offering pizza and beer will increase the chances that people will show up and give you a hand.
If you are in the market for a home, give Bayou Properties a call.
