Making a move to the Port Liberté area? Relocating can be tricky, time-consuming, and frustrating, especially if you’re not prepared. There’s a lot that goes into planning a move—from organizing and packing to unloading and setting up your new home—so the sooner you can start getting ready, the better. If you’re ready to make a move without all the headache, I’d love to help! Here are some of my best tips for stress-free relocation.
Before You Move
A seamless move starts well before you actually get the keys to your new home. The more time you give yourself to plan and prepare, the less likely you are to be rushing around at the last minute. Here’s how to get started.
Organize & declutter
First and foremost, take some time to organize your current home—and see what you can get rid of. The more stuff you have, the more you’ll ultimately end up having to haul and find a place for in your new home.
Pay special attention to storage areas that have likely been collecting unused keepsakes, furniture, decor, or other items you might be able to get rid of. Taking some time before your move to pare down on your belongings will save you time (and money) when it comes to packing and transporting.
Determine how you’ll move
Next, think about how you’ll physically be moving your belongings from old home to new. Will you rent a U-haul or trailer? Hire a moving company? Enlist the help of friends? Sign up for a Ubox? Nowadays, there are a lot of options.
Give yourself a few weeks to call around and get pricing estimates. Consider how much time you have, how far you’ll be moving, and how many people might be around to help you—at both your starting and ending locations.
Set up utilities
The last thing you want is to move into a new home without any power or water! Avoid troublesome shut-offs by calling to set up your utilities or transfer service to your new place well in advance of your move.
While you’re at it, you might also want to set up mail forwarding with USPS. You still have to change your address with companies you do business with, but at least this way there shouldn’t be any missed mail!
Start packing
After you’ve organized your home a bit, start packing as soon as you can. Giving yourself plenty of time to pack makes it much easier to get—and stay—organized. Leaving all your packing until the last minute is an invitation for disordered panic-packing, which can make unpacking a nightmare.
Pack by room. Try to keep together items that belong together. Label each box by room and contents so you know which should be unpacked right away, and which can wait for later. Create a separate "Open Me First" box for important items that will need to be unpacked before anything else.
On Moving Day
Moving day has arrived! It might seem like a stressful undertaking, but if you’ve properly prepared and planned, aside from some heavy lifting, it shouldn’t be too bad at all! Here are some things to keep in mind.
Keep personal items with you
Make sure you don’t pack any important personal information or items, like medical records, identification, financial information, or medication. Keep those with you at all times in case they’re needed or the rest of your belongings get hung up in transit.
You may also want to carry high-dollar items. Laptops, jewelry, and other valuables might be better off riding with you than with more replaceable items.
Pack a to-go bag
Should you reach your new home before the moving truck or Ubox, or in case you’re just too tired to unpack after the drive, it’s always nice to have a duffle with overnight items easily available.
This way, if there are any hangups in the process, you’ve at least got your toothbrush and a change of clothes!
Have contact numbers handy
Be prepared to stay in touch! Keep contact information for your movers or Ubox on hand with you so you can easily call for updates along the way or after you arrive. If you’re bringing moving helpers along with you, make sure everyone knows where they’re going!
After You Move
You made it to the new house! But the move isn’t over yet… Here are a few things to do first.
Clean first
The last thing you probably want to do after a long day of hauling boxes is to break out the cleaning supplies, but trust me. It’s much easier to clean an empty house than a full one. In the turmoil of moving out, the previous owner probably didn’t have a whole lot of time to clean up—which means it could probably use some scrubbing!
So before you start unpacking any boxes, take some time to wipe, scrub, sweep, and vacuum. Pay special attention to places like drawers, cabinets, and spaces around appliances, as these probably don’t see very regular cleaning.
Unpack by room
Next, it’s time to start unpacking! If you did your packing right, this part should be a breeze. Simply deposit each labeled box into its appropriate room and start opening based on the importance of its contents. This is where you’ll be glad you took the time to label!
Take your time. You don’t have to unpack all at once. In fact, it’s probably better if you work your way through little by little to ensure you stay organized and give each of your belongings a proper home.
Enjoy your new home
No matter how far your move, how big or small your home, or wherever you are in life, make sure you take some time to stop, smile, and welcome yourself home. This is an exciting new chapter in your life. Enjoy it.
Still Have Questions About Relocating to Port Liberté?
Thinking about making a move to Port Liberté, NJ? I'd love to help! I've helped hundreds of buyers find the perfect lifestyle in this amazing community—and I'd love to do the same for you. Contact me today to learn more about about how I can help you find the Port Liberté home that fits your lifestyle just right.