Packing your life and moving to a new place can be challenging. At the same time, it can also be fun, exciting, and thrilling to explore a new area. Moving to Chicago, for example, offers many advantages regarding job and business opportunities, quality of life, vibrant culture, bustling neighborhoods, and breathtaking skyline.
As per NBC Chicago, Chicago was among the top 10 destinations for relocation in 2021. It was mainly due to remote work opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 20% more Americans moving there than the previous year. It is still one of the major cities to move to for those looking for a change of scenery.
Knowing a thing or two about moving or packing can make the transition easier. Storage units, for example, can come in handy if you need to store furniture and other household items before moving in, ensuring their safety until you’re ready to set up the new place.
With that said, the following are more tips to make your move less of a hassle and more of a learning experience.
1. Book a Moving and Storage Company
One of the most crucial areas of planning an effective move in the vibrant city is booking a reliable and professional moving and storage company.
If you want a team of skilled professionals to handle delicate items and every aspect of your move, we suggest getting in touch with Blackhawk Moving & Storage, especially if you’re based in Chicago.
However, it is essential to communicate your needs beforehand so the movers can prepare and bring the required packing supplies and vans to pack and shift your things into a storage unit. Make sure to get insurance and liability coverage in case of theft or damage to your items.
We also suggest you read reviews, schedule consultations, and ask for a quote before you confirm any moving or storage service.
2. Create a Checklist
Creating a moving checklist ensures a well-organized and stress-free relocation. It will allow you to stay on top of things and act as a roadmap, guiding you through every step of the process.
Your checklist must include the following:
- A list of your items to pack
- The exact date when you want to move out
- Important documents and insurance papers to hold onto
- Things you want to give away or donate
- Confirm traveling arrangements
- Speaking to the telephone and internet company regarding relocation
Researching the area you are moving to can help you plan an ideal moving date. For example, analyzing the region’s weather conditions, events, or even your job can help determine the best date to move.
It would be best to align your checklist with important dates and begin planning at least two weeks before moving.
3. Contact Utility Companies
It is crucial to speak to and arrange a visit by the utility companies at least a week before you move in to ensure your telephone, internet, and gas are set up and working.
At the same time, if you move within the city and wish to stick to your current utility provider, it would be best to inform them about your plans. Proper scheduling will allow you to avoid last-minute inconveniences and prepare your place for arrival.
4. Avoid Packing in a Rush
Nothing is worse than rushed packing, unlabeled boxes, and not knowing what goes where. You may even forget to pack important documents or delicate items that shouldn’t be mixed with household items.
Scheduling a consultation with your moving company and discussing your specific requirements, timelines, and other things is a good place to start. Close collaboration with professionals can help optimize a packing strategy and ensure the safety of belongings.
Moreover, sort out the things you need to take with you and make an inventory of all your belongings the moving company will take to make the process easier. Use this opportunity to declutter and donate items you no longer need.
It is also essential to ask if your packing company offers packing materials, such as boxes, bubble wrap, packing tape, and protective packing. If they do, communicate your packing requirements well. If not, then ask for recommendations on where to get quality-packing supplies.
Furthermore, labeling boxes according to their contents is helpful to make it convenient when unpacking. Lastly, establish continuous coordination to ensure the moving company knows your timeline for a coordinated relocation process.
5. Declutter
Moving to a new place is an excellent opportunity for you to declutter. Start by removing trash and choose one area, like a cupboard or a drawer. Place clothes you no longer wear in a basket and mark them properly.
An excellent strategy would be to sort stuff into three piles; keep, donate, and toss. Rent a storage unit if you don’t want to store the items in the same area. We understand decluttering can be overwhelming, especially if you don’t have room for the stuff you were attached to, but this must be done if you want a hassle-free moving experience.
The truth is, the older you get, the harder it is to let stuff go, so do it now before stuff starts piling up.
Conclusion
Relocation can be tough, but if you hire a reliable moving company, communicate your requirements, and stick to a timeline, the process can be a learning experience.
Start by creating a moving checklist highlighting every aspect of your move, from the items you want to take to the ones you donate. Use this checklist as an opportunity to declutter and start fresh.
Plan things at least three weeks before you hire the moving company and ensure they understand your timeline. Talk to friends who relocated to know more about the process and use their strategy to make things easy for yourself.
We hope you learned something from this article. If you think we missed something, please tell us in the comments below.
Comments are closed.