5 Things to Remember During a Big Local Move

It’s no secret that moving locally is easier than moving long distance. You have an easier time coordinating transport, unloading, and travel. But when you’re doing a big local move, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. How are you supposed to keep everything straight?

Here are some of the key things to remember as you coordinate a big local move.

1. Leave enough time.

Time for what, you ask?

Well… everything!

If you’re packing up an entire house, that’s a big local move. Not only do you need to get all your furniture onto a truck, but you have to organize everything else!

One of the biggest mistakes that people make is not leaving enough time. You might be surprised by how long it will take to package up your fragile items. Or you might discover that you need a special organizational system for your home library.

Sit down and write out a schedule for the move. Give yourself plenty of time to do the packing gradually. And leave some wiggle room in case you fall behind!

2. Organize your things.

Packing might be a pain. But with a big local move, do you know what’s worse? Unpacking!

When you reach your new place, all of your things are hidden away in boxes. Without a good organizational system, you won’t be able to find anything.

There are basic tips, of course: labeling each box with the room and type of contents inside. But if you have the time, you can go even further.

For example, you might dedicate one box to the “essentials” in every room. These are the items that you want to unpack right away. That way, you don’t have to fish through multiple boxes for things like a coffee maker and mugs.

Not everyone will have the time or energy to keep a detailed packing list. But if you want to know where every individual item is, write it down. Keep a document as you pack and type each item under its labeled box.

That’s especially helpful when it comes to things like books. Maybe you have multiple boxes of all the books on your shelves. If you’re searching for a specific title, then a detailed packing list will make life easier!

3. Decluttering now saves hassle later.

You might be tempted to just toss everything in boxes and go through it later. But a big local move is a perfect time to take inventory of your things. How many of these things do you really need to bring? Can any of them be donated or gifted to other people?

People are great at accumulating stuff. It’s harder to decide how much of that stuff is important. But if you have the time to do so, decluttering has these benefits:

• Fewer boxes means less expensive transit
• Loading and unloading a truck is easier
• Unpacking is a lot faster
• You eliminate a lot of the stress caused by clutter

Going through your things is something you can do while you make your organizational system.

4. Don’t forget your utilities!

A big local move isn’t just about the packing. You also need to deal with things like changing your address and transferring utilities.

Local moves don’t require as much paperwork and advance planning as interstate ones. But you do need to transfer your utility services. It won’t be done automatically by the utility company.

If you don’t do this, you might not have electricity when you arrive at the new house!

In addition to your utility providers, you’ll have to change your address with any subscriptions. These are some key organizations to contact:

• Your electric company
• Your water and gas companies
• Your internet and cable provider
• Your bank
• Any magazines or newspapers you’re subscribed to

Sit down and make a checklist of every company that you need to call. Make sure you keep a record of each conversation you have to switch. You might even follow up on the day before the move to make sure everything is set.

5. Help is there for a reason.

Any local move is a hassle, but a big local move can be overwhelming. You might feel like there’s simply too much to do and too little time. Whether you ask your friends for help or enlist professionals, other people make moving easier.

To coordinate a big local move in Raleigh, North Carolina, you can contact us at Movin’ On Movers today.