Often times you will not be able to move straight away into your new home.  When this happens, you need to consider storing your things.  There are many options available to you.  Whether or not it is a definite possibility, it is wise to ask what your options are with your professionals here at Highland.  This way there are no surprises.  Further, you can anticipate and budget for any potential increase in cost to accommodate storing your things.  This is really important if you are purchasing another home and that purchase is contingent on the sale of your current home.  Remember, anything can happen at closing.  Therefore, you may have a delay or even worse, something could fall through.  If that is the case, make sure to ask your professionals here at Highland about your options.  We will do our best to accommodate you.  However, you will want to know this ahead of time so that you can plan for any unforeseen circumstances.

If you are moving internationally or a long distance, storage may be a necessary part of transport.  Therefore, you will have to discuss the details of your impending move with your professionals here at Highland.  Keep in mind that there are several things that can be done to best meet your needs.  These include long-term storage for the items you may not be able to take with you.  Short-term storage for the items that will be transported to your new location and air shipment of a few things that you can’t live without.  In order to best meet your needs, take inventory of your things and think about what you will need immediately, short term and not until you return if that is apart of your relocation.

If you are on a corporate relocation, there may be storage as a part of your relocation package.  If so, clarify what is covered and what is your responsibility.  Often times there are limits on the length of time covered by your relocation package.  You will want to understand this ahead of time so that you can budget accordingly.  

Storing your items may be new to you but it is something we are very familiar with and we can identify options that can best meet your needs.

The key to any successful move is organization.  The more organized you are the easier your move will be.  Granted there will be unplanned events.  However, the more you do up front to prepare, the better position you will have to mitigate risk.

Step 1: Start early

The earlier you start to organize your move the better you will be.  You want to be in a position to optimize your opportunities.  Therefore, starting early allows you to secure dates, coordinate resources and downsize.  Granted you may not have the luxury of time but if you start the process as soon as you know you are moving, you will be able to get your things in order right away.

Step 2: One place for your things

Moving can be disruptive.  Therefore, taking steps to organize your things and putting them in one location will help prevent you from wasting your time looking for something.  Identify all the important paperwork you will need for your move and somethings that you just should have like birth certificates and put them all in one location.  This could be in a portable file folder or scanned into a digital file.  

Step 3:  Timeline

Understand your time constraints.  Consider your move as a large project that you need to manage.  Think about the tasks that you must do and identify any of them that affect the completion of other tasks.  List these out and use a calendar to plan what must be done first.  This will help you decide on what you have to do and when.  It will also help prevent you from missing an important task. 

Step 4: Budget

Your budget will dictate what you are able to accomplish.  Therefore, you want to make sure you have one set out at the beginning.  If you have a tight budget, you will have to entertain options that will save you money, like packing or unpacking yourself.  Feel free to ask your professionals here at Highland.  We have various options to help with your budget.

Step 5: Pick a System and Stick with it

Find a system that works best for you. Some people like paper while others prefer everything electronically.  Therefore, think about what will work best for you and use that system religiously.  You will be more likely to use something that you feel comfortable with and stick with it.  Keeping on top of your move will help you make it with ease.

Moving is stressful at times.  However, taking steps to organize yourself at the beginning will help to alleviate the stress.

Even if you are hiring a full-service professional mover, like Highland, you can still choose to pack yourself to save on costs.  This is a great way to get the best of both worlds.  It gives you an opportunity to weed through your things as you pack and get rid of the stuff you simply do not need or want.  There is only one exception to the rule.  If you are moving internationally or a long distance, have your professionals at Highland pack you for your own protection.  The longer the distance the greater the chances of something happening.  Therefore, for insurance purposes it will be in your best interest to have professionals pack you and take the extra steps necessary to protect your goods.

However, if you are moving locally and packing yourself, here are some great tips.

Packing Supplies

Make sure to get packing supplies.  You want to use boxes that are meant for moving because they can handle the transport of your goods.  If you are looking for a bargain, check around town or on Craig’s List.  You can often find reasonably priced packing supplies from recent transplants looking to get rid of their packing supplies.  Word of caution. Take the time to inspect the supplies and make sure they have only been used once before.  Like any other reuse of goods, the more worn they are, the less likely they will fulfill their purpose.  Therefore, check and review and then buy.  The only exceptions are wardrobe boxes.  For some reason, they do not repurpose as well so consider getting new ones.

Get tape.  Get more tape than you think you need.  You want to buy packing tape with convenient dispensers.  This will allow you to make quick work of preparing the boxes for packing.  Do not be conservative with your tape.  Tape the box seams several time to ensure it will hold together.

Permanent Markers.  This is another must when packing yourself.  Buy more than you think you will need because chances are you will pack a few in the fray.  

Label well.  Take the time to label your boxes well.  Note the room the contents is from, your last name and a general idea of what it contains.  Do not forget to label fragile if it requires it and an arrow for up.  This is essential in protecting your fragile items.

Have a packing party.  Bribe your friends with some wine or beer and food.  Have them over and help you make quick work of your packing.  Just make sure the friends you ask are not jokesters.  You don’t want them using creative writing to label your boxes.

Don’t worry if you run out of time.  If you simply run out of time, ask your professionals at Highland to help.  They will be glad to help you out if you simply run out of time.  It happens to the best of us.  Just make sure to notify them as quickly as possible so that they can make plans to accommodate you.

For more great moving tips, check out this list from Highland.

Moving large items are always a challenge.  However, the earlier you start the process the more prepared you will be.  Over the years as you live in one location, you will be surprised at the sheer volume of things you can acquire.  Therefore, as you prepare for your move think about your large items that you may need to move.  Itemize these things ahead of time so that you will be prepared to discuss options for your professionals here at Highland.  For example, if you have a large wooden play set, water fountain, pool table or piano, you will need to let your professionals at Highland know as soon as possible.  When they come out to take inventory, notify your representative of what items are staying and what are moving with you and may require extra attention.  Your Highland professional will be able to help you with this task as well.  Once these items are identified, they can best advise you of your options and if there is any additional costs involved.  Further, you will be in a better position to get a head start on selling or donating your large items if you choose not to move them after all.

It is important to note that your professionals at Highland have been trained to handle these large items.  They have special equipment to help move these large items without compromising them and prevent injury.  Further, there are special handling procedures to ensure your bulky item arrives in one piece.  Therefore, it is best to leave the transport of these large items to the professionals.

Whether or not you are moving, getting rid of clutter is a great way to start the new year.    It is especially important if you are planning a move in the coming year.  After you open your holiday gifts and put away your holiday decorations, begin to go through your things and start to get rid of the clutter.  A great way to do this is to recognize that you may be receiving some great new things for the holidays.  So go through what you have currently and make room for those new items.  If you have children, have them go through their toys and have them donate some of their old toys to make room for the new.  It will also teach them a lesson in giving back to the community.  

Here are a few great tips to getting rid of your clutter.

One at a time.  Getting rid of your clutter can seem overwhelming at first.  Therefore, breaking down the tasks incrementally will help you overcome that feeling.  Start by focusing on one room at a time.  Dedicate one weekend to work on one room and then move on to the next room the following week.  This will help you tackle the tasks at hand without out the worry of where to start or will it ever end.

Questions.  While you are going through your things, ask yourself these very important questions.  When was the last time I used it?  Do I need it?  Do I like it?  Do I want to pay to move it?  These are valuable questions because it will allow you to evaluate whether or not you really need that particular item.

Make some money.  If you are having some trouble seeing this as a positive exercise, consider selling some of your things online.  Someone’s trash is always someone else’s treasure so use this to your advantage.  Not only could you be saving yourself some money by not having to pay to move the item but you could make some cash by selling it.

Lighten the load.  Literally, lighten your load.  When you have a professional mover move your things, they evaluate your move based on the weight of your goods.  Reconsider moving that heavy concrete water fountain or sculpture you have.  Therefore, the more things that you can live without, the better the cost of your move.

Although you will have to invest sometime in reducing your clutter, it is time well spent.  It will not only help alleviate some of the cost to move your things but also help simplify your life.