The average American moves 12 times over the course of their life. While the amount that a person moves throughout their life varies with age, income, and education (over three quarters of college graduates have changed communities at least once in their life) nearly everyone will be making a big move at some time in their lives. About one third of all renters move every year, and over 60% of all people in the United States will move to a new community at least once. Whether you’re moving across town or across the country, it makes sense to prepare in advance for your next move. As you start the journey to find your “heart home,” here are three tips to make the change as stress-free as possible.
Consider what items in your home you will need extra help moving.
Do you drive a Prius and have to move an upright piano? Are you going to be moving family heirlooms across state lines? In instances like these, it makes sense to find a responsible moving and storage company. The California Moving and Storage Association recommends doing your homework and visiting a brick and mortar location first to gauge expertise and professionalism. Bandit-movers may pose as a legitimate moving and storage company but may defraud unwitting consumers by threatening to sell personal items if the customers don’t agree to pay outrageous sums.
Another moving and storage company may not engage in unlawful activities, but its owners and movers may not know about moving specialty items, such as artwork, fragile items, antiques, or instruments. In these instances especially, look for a moving and storage company that is licensed and insured through a government agency such as a public utilities commission.
Update your change of address as soon as possible.
It’s important to make sure that you leave a forwarding address and submit a formal change about two weeks before your official move. Not only will this prevent bills and subscriptions from being lost in transit, it will also ensure that your sensitive personal information (from medical reports to bank statements) doesn’t end up in the wrong hands.
Make sure you budget for the move in advance.
The average move between communities within a single state is over $1,100. That just accounts for intrastate moves–interstate moving (moving between states) can cost even more. Before you make the move, consider whether you will have to pay additional fees in deposits, calculate mileage, and consider the added expenses of storage. While you can save money by buying sustainable boxes and doing most of the packing yourself, it often isn’t worthwhile to cut costs with a moving and storage company. Bandit movers promise inexpensive moving services, only to demand higher fees later, so expect to work with a higher quality moving company from the start.
Moving can be pricey and stressful, but the proper planning and help from professionals can make it a straightforward process. Doing a bit of research beforehand will make it easier for you to move to the next place you call home.
