Five Tips For Moving Out On Short Notice
by Luke Fields
In an ideal world, you would always know several months in advance before having to move so that you had plenty of time to plan and pack. But sadly, in the real world, there are times when circumstances dictate that you only have a few short weeks or days to get out of your apartment and into a new place. If you're in this situation, the following tips will help you make your last-minute move without losing your mind -- or your sofa.
Plan on hiring a moving company -- and book them now.
Playing phone tag and combing through your contacts for willing moving helpers will only waste time you could be spending on more important moving-related tasks. There's also the hassle of booking a moving truck, procuring boxes, and feeding your helpers. In this situation, it's worth it to fork over a little extra cash and have professional movers move your items for you. You might have to call around to a few companies before you find one that can move you last-minute, but this will take far less time than organizing a moving posse from square one. Do schedule with a moving company as soon as possible; the closer you get to your moving day, the more they may charge.
Start packing as soon as you know you have to move.
Even if you plan on having the moving company do the majority of the moving for you, plan on using any spare minute you have between now and moving day to pack your items. There are sure to be things you want to pack yourself -- such as your intimates and valuable documents -- and by tackling these things now, you'll save yourself the hassle when moving day comes. Label any boxes you pack clearly so that you know whether to take them with you or leave them for the movers to bring along.
Don't bother sorting through things.
In most moving situations, it would be to your benefit to sort through your items before you move so that you don't have to pay to transport them. But with as short as you are on time, this would be foolish. Now is not the time to sort through all your clothing and dishes. Have the movers pack it all up and move it -- you can go through it at your new place once you have a bit more time. You might end up paying a bit more to move the items you ultimately end up donating or throwing away, but skipping this sorting process will likely mean you get to keep sleeping and eating during this chaotic time.
Make to-do lists for each day.
The sheer number of tasks you need to tackle before moving day may seem overwhelming. You can avoid mental burnout and that overwhelmed feeling by making lists. Write down the day and date for each day between now and your planned moving day. Then, assign tasks to each day. Next to each day, write the approximate time you think each task will take. Seeing everything laid out like this will help you stop worrying whether or not you'll accomplish everything and will also give you a place to keep track of what you have and have not completed. (Cross items off as you complete them).
Make sure your plans to move into the new place are concrete.
When you absolutely need to be out of your current place on a quickly approaching date, you cannot afford to have your new landlord be wishy washy about when you can have the keys. Make sure your plans for moving into your new place are set in stone. Ensure the new landlord knows what time you plan to arrive and on what day. Get confirmation in writing (email is fine) of the day and time you'll be given the keys. It would be a nightmare to arrive at your new place only to find that your landlord can't give you the keys until the next day and that you've already given up possession of the old place.
Finding out you have to move in just a few weeks or a few days can be nerve wracking. However, with the tips above, you should be able to survive the process with your sanity intact. For more information and tips on moving, check out sites like http://www.bekins.com.
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About Me
Welcome to my website. My name is Larry Silva, and I want to talk a bit about private mortgage insurance. You may have heard the term PMI mentioned when you were in the process of purchasing real estate. When I first heard my lender talking about PMI, I was very confused. It was my realtor who sat me down and explained what private mortgage insurance was and when someone is required to purchase it. He told me that PMI is not lifelong insurance; it can be cancelled when the mortgage principal balance reaches a certain point. Once it was explained to me, private mortgage insurance was no longer a mystery or a confusing concept. I would like to pass on what I learned and hope that you find it to be of value.