Cowtown Clean Up’s Moving Day Tips
Moving day is always busy. There is a lot to do and hectic. Generally speaking, moving day has are three phases:
- Loading the truck
- Driving to your new home
- Unloading the truck
When this day arrives, plan on a very physical day. You and your family are in constant motion and have very little time to do more than pick up the box and move it to its new location. The last thing you need is to stop and make decisions.
Here are four tips you can use to clear your day of distracting choices so you can focus on what needs to get done.
Do the Walk-In Inspection The Day Before
If possible, do your walk-through inspection with your landlord the day before moving. During the walk-through, test your utilities and set the thermostat. You want your home to be comfortable when you move in.
Take pictures of every room and every item that needs to be fixed. Find out if someone will fix them before you move in or how fast you would get reimbursed for repairing the issues for the landlord. Get all agreements in writing before doing any work.
Print two sets of pictures. Give one set to the landlord with the move-in inspections. Keep the other set for when you move out. These pictures will be the comparison point for how you leave the property. This is a key factor in getting your security deposit back.
Pre-Arrange Your Utilities
The week before you move, call the utility companies to start service on the day before you move. Contact the utility companies to confirm that the utilities are working on the morning of the move.
Don’t forget to arrange for your last bill and the shut-off date to the old place. Remember to give yourself time to clean the old home to get your security deposit back.
Plan on the Big Firsts
It never fails. As soon as you arrive, someone makes the mad dash to the bathroom, asks for a drink, or itches to get away from a family member.
It is easy to anticipate and plan for these three moving day “firsts”. These are easy to prepare for in advance and ready to go when the door opens. These firsts are:
- New light bulbs and toilet paper in the bathrooms
- Hang name signs on each bedroom door
- Set up the coffee & drink stations – don’t forget your pet’s water station too!
By anticipating these first needs, you provide each family member a moment to gather their thoughts in preparation for the next part of the move: unloading the truck.
Use Local Restaurant Gift Cards as Your Meal Plan
Feeding your family and the moving crew on moving day is easier than you think. Instead of meal prepping, buy a bunch of local restaurant gift cards to use as your family and the moving crew gets hungry.
Start buying them as soon as you give notice on the old place. Keep building the amounts on the cards. You are well ahead of the game if you can get to the point where you cover the day of the move and some additional groceries.
Don’t worry. The cards will not go to waste if you don’t use the amounts on them right away.
With these common distractions handled, it is easier to concentrate on the physical move and lift with your legs –not your back.
Cowtown Clean Up has helped thousands of people get ready to move, move and clean up from moving.
Getting ready to move?
Give us a call and let’s set an appointment for your curbside pick-up today!