What You Should Be Doing One Week Before Moving Day:

After months of planning, preparation and tough decisions, moving day is less than a week away! The few days before your move are often some of the busiest days, as you finish getting everything in order.  By tying up the final few loose ends the week before moving day, you can quell any feelings of uncertainty you may be having.

We hope you’ve been following our past posts on what to do throughout the moving process – if not, you can catch up by following the links below:

• What You Should Be Doing on Moving Day
• What You Should Be Doing One Week Before Moving Day
• What You Should Be Doing 2-4 Weeks Before Moving Day
• What You Should Be Doing 4-6 Weeks Before Moving Day
• What You Should Be Doing 6-8 Weeks Before Moving Day

Prepare your belongings for the move

With moving day right around the corner, now is the time to make sure all your belongings are ready to be transported.  Make sure your refrigerator and freezer are disconnected and defrosted in advance, so no water leaks onto your other possessions.  Washers and driers need to be disconnected from the walls, and things such as grandfather clocks need to be serviced before they can be safely transported.  Your mover can likely work with you to arrange a third party to handle many of these tasks for you.

Also, remember to take anything permanently mounted to your walls down before the movers arrive.  Things such as drapery rods, towel bars, or mounted paintings should be removed and placed on the floor.  It is also a good idea to unplug and pack the cables from your TVs, computers, and electronics in advance.

Finish up your packing

If you are packing yourself you will need to have all of your small items boxed up before the movers arrive.  Hopefully, you already have packed many of your non-essential belongings.  Now is the time to focus on getting everything remaining in order.

Go through your drawers one last time to remove anything that could spill or break. Leaving soft items such as clothing or blankets is fine—your mover can move your furniture with these things inside.

Remember to check all the closets, cabinets,  storage lockers, and the attic for any overlooked belongings.  Also, remember to bring home anything you are planning on moving from your work office, and gather any belongings you may have loaned out to friends.

Create an “Instant Aid” box

It is a good idea to put together a box of things that you might need immediately upon arrival at your new home. Unpacking can sometimes take a little while, so you will want to have some items set aside for easy access.  We suggest packing bathroom supplies including toilet paper, kitchen items such as paper towels and paper plates, cleaning supplies, a basic tool kit, and of course some snacks and easy to prepare food items.

It is often helpful to have your “Instant Aid” box in a clear plastic container in order to be able to see its contents and distinguish it from the countless other boxes that will be involved in the move.  If you don’t have room for this box in your car, ask your movers to load it into the van last—and unload it first—so you can get to it as soon as you pull into the driveway.

Once these last tasks are all complete you should be just about all set for the big move. Now the hard part is over and you can sit back relax. On moving day the movers will handle all the heavy lifting for you.

A Moving Plan for Seniors Who Are Downsizing:

If you are looking to downsize in retirement, moving to a smaller home may be in your plans. Although the move may seem like a practical thing to do, it probably won’t be the easiest, especially when it comes to the memories you’ve made in a home where you’ve lived for decades.

Additionally, the sentiments attached to belongings you may have to give up when downsizing require you to take pragmatic steps to ensure the move goes smoothly and with the least amount of emotional stress possible.

Make a Convincing Argument

There are a lot of good reasons to downsize in retirement, including the financial benefits. But besides having fewer financial obligations related to home ownership, with a smaller home you’ll spend less money on upkeep, taxes, and utilities. You’ll also have less stress and more time to do the things you like. This change in focus can lead to better physical and emotional health.

Just because you are aiming for a simpler life doesn’t mean you can’t live comfortably or will have to give up your personal style. Families often spend 80 percent of their time in just 20 percent of the space they have, so you may just start using your space more efficiently. In fact, if you follow some common-sense steps, you just may be surprised at how much happier you are in your new home.

Avoid Procrastination

Rather than put off packing until the last minute, start going through items as soon as you know for certain that you are moving. Begin by separating, organizing, and getting rid of what you don’t need. And if you are putting your house on the real estate market, it’s a good idea to start sorting through items even before you put your house up for sale.

Ask Your Adult Children to Help

Your children—and perhaps even your grandchildren—may want things that you can’t take with you.

Tackle the most cluttered areas of your home first. People tend to accumulate the most stuff in rooms where household members congregate most often, such as the kitchen, family room, and living room.

Go Through the Contents of Your Home Slowly

Separate the items you definitely want to keep from those you want to sell, give to a family member or friend, or donate. Consider giving items you intend to leave to others now, especially if you won’t have room in your new home or would need to pay for storage somewhere.

Determine what items you really need when packing areas of your home that aren’t part of the main living space. You are sure to find things you don’t use often or don’t use at all in places like the attic, garage, or outdoor storage shed.

Get Rid of Junk

As you clear out and get ready to move, you’ll probably have a lot more to toss out than your normal trash collector will take. Some items you’ll want to discard or recycle. Put items you don’t want but that are still in good condition out for people to take for free.

Don’t Include the Word Maybe in Your Vocabulary

Items you will maybe want to keep are usually those you don’t really need or don’t use often. Decide what to keep without taking time to think the matter over. Remember that your reason for moving is to downsize. Give yourself only two options—either keeping an item or getting rid of it.

Be Realistic

You need to be realistic as you downsize—even when it comes to the mountains of keepsakes you’ve kept from your children’s growing-up years. When you downsize, you won’t be able to take every item of sentimental value with you.

Mementos connect you to your past, so why not scrapbook some of your fondest memories? Perhaps your now-adult children will appreciate having a keepsake or two from their pasts to share with their children. When it comes to family photographs, transfer them to a digital frame rather than keeping stacks of photo albums or individual photos in picture frames.

Be Practical With Your Furnishings

Get the floor plan for your new home so you can determine which of your furnishings will fit. You may find that some furniture pieces just won’t fit the new space, and you want to know what your options are sooner rather than later.

Although you should take the furnishings that mean the most to you, you may need to give up some of the largest pieces. Instead, take furnishings you can use for more than one purpose.

Get Help With the Packing

If you hire a professional moving company, a professional packing team can do the job faster than you could. But if you do some of the packing yourself with the aid of younger family members, begin packing by tackling smaller tasks like a dresser or closet first. Complete all the packing for one room before moving on to the next.

Moving is a hard chore, especially if you are getting older. However, if you are considering hiring professional movers, you can count on the fast, reliable, and efficient moving services Wheaton World Wide Moving offers.

Tagged in: Downsizing, moving, Moving Tips, planning

Hiring Movers to Load a Truck:

Using movers to load or unload

DIY moving has many benefits — lower rates, flexibility, and the ability to control the move from start to finish. But sometimes you need a little help. If you’re trying to cut costs but want assistance with some of the work, hiring moving labor is a great solution. You’ll get the help you want without the high price of a full-service move. Find out how to hire a crew, how to prepare for the big day, and how to manage the crew when they arrive.

If you haven’t reserved moving equipment yet, U-Pack® prices are affordable and include two equipment options — the moving trailer or moving container. In most cases, U-Pack rates are comparable to truck rental. Click here to get a free quote.

How to hire movers

Here’s how to find loaders and unloaders:

1. Decide which tasks you need help with. Do you just need help loading heavy items or do you want a moving crew to load everything? What about a crew for unloading? The first step is determining what tasks you need movers to do.

2. Figure out what size crew you need. After outlining your needs, determine how many movers to hire. A two-person crew can handle smaller moves, but we recommend a third crew member for homes with two or more bedrooms. Here are some general guidelines:

• Studio apartment – 2 movers for 2 hours
• One-bedroom apartment – 2 movers for 3 hours
• Two-bedroom apartment – 2 movers for 4 hours
• Two-bedroom home – 2 movers for 5 hours or 3 movers for 3 hours
• Small three-bedroom home – 3 movers for 5 hours
• Large three-bedroom home – 3 movers for 6 hours\
• Four-bedroom home – 4 movers for 5 hours
• 5+ bedroom home – 4 movers for 6 hours

3. Get an estimate. We can refer customers to moving crews across the country. Give us a call at 800-413-4799 and we can help connect you to the available options.

4. Book the movers. We recommend booking the movers so they’ll arrive the day after the moving equipment is delivered. This will avoid any scheduling conflicts if delivery happens later in the day.

5. Prepare your home and belongings. Along with packing items prior to the move, there are several things to take care of before help arrives. Keep reading for those important tasks.

Preparing for moving truck loaders

Make a list of items to load

Make a list or put a note on items the movers will load. If you plan on doing some of the loading, you’ll be able to easily identify the things to leave for the moving crew.

Prepare appliances, furniture and outdoor equipment

Unless you’ve added this service, the movers will not pack or prepare your belongings, so you’ll want to handle that before they arrive. In some cases they will help with simple disassembly (like taking the mirror off a dresser), but it’s best to prep all items in advance.  Don’t forget to:

• drain the washing machine
• defrost the fridge or freezer
• wrap furniture in paper padding
• remove any flammable liquids from grills and lawn mowers

You should also perform the gypsy moth inspection on outdoor equipment before loading if it’s required for your move.

Prep the house

Clear a pathway through your home to make it easier to load the moving truck. Measure larger furniture to ensure it will go through doorways without a problem (you may have to remove trim or hinges). Remove hazards like rugs and cables or secure them so nobody will slip or trip over them.

Make a plan for parking

Make a plan for parking  the moving equipment and for your  moving labor. If the trailer or ReloCubes are taking up the driveway, make sure there is a safe, legal place for the movers to park.

Arrange a place for kids and pets

For safety reasons, it’s best if children and pets are in a place that’s away from the movers and equipment on moving day. Designate an empty room for them to spend their time (and supervision for smaller children), or hire a sitter so they can stay off-site.

To tip or not to tip?

It’s up to you! Learn all about tipping movers.

How to manage the moving crew

When the loaders arrive, they will do what you tell them to. Even though there may be a crew leader, they are customer-directed — so you’re in charge! Be clear about what needs to be done and give them any special instructions before they start working. Once everything is loaded, check to make sure the job was completed to your satisfaction.

Have questions about hiring movers?

Give us a call at 800-413-4799 or leave a comment below. We’re here to help!