Planning a Move? Here Are Some Tips to Know

Moving into a new home is exciting. But it can also be stressful and expensive if you don’t know what you’re doing.

So what, exactly, do you need to know to make your move as fast, easy, and affordable as possible?

A recent article from realtor.com unpacked (pun intended!) some tips for a successful move, including:

• Avoid moving on a Friday. Friday is a popular day to move; when people move on a Friday, it gives them the weekend to unpack. But because Friday is such a popular day to move, it’s also an expensive day to move—according to the article, moving costs can be 20 to 30 percent higher on Fridays. If you want to save money on your move, consider moving on a less popular day.
• Use colored markers to label your boxes. Can you label all your moving boxes with a standard black marker? Of course. But if you want to make the moving and unpacking process easier and less stressful, consider color coding your boxes (for example, boxes with red writing go in the kitchen, boxes with blue writing go in the bathroom, etc.) This can make it easier for movers to immediately identify where to put each box—which will make finding and unpacking your belongings a lot easier.
• Have everything packed up before moving day. Many people wait until moving day to pack up certain items, like bedding and personal items. But that can lead to unnecessary stress on moving day, and can make it easy for things to get lost in the shuffle. It can also make the process take longer, which can drive up costs. Instead, pack up the items you’ll need for the last night in your home (like pajamas, medication, or toiletries) in a suitcase; that way, they’re packed and ready to go when the movers arrive.