Five Tips That Will Help You Move Like a Pro

While moving to a new place, be it your first apartment or your dream home, is exciting — the physical act of moving is often stressful and can be overwhelming. Here at Anderson, Bagley & Mayo Insurance, we want to help make the process a little easier, which is why we’ve put together the following five tips to help you get ahead of your next move and move like a pro!

Start Packing Early

Have you been living in your home for a long time? Thinking about all the knick-knacks, souvenirs, and various items you’ve accumulated over the years can make packing and moving feel like a daunting task. However, you can beat the pre-move scramble by starting early. As soon as you know you’ll be moving, begin packing, especially things you don’t regularly use — like the items stored in your attic, basement, or garage. Getting your packing done a little at a time is much easier than packing your entire home and life up in a few days before your move.

Organization Is Key to a Stress-Free Move

One of the most critical steps to a successful move is making sure you have all of the necessary supplies. Here’s a quick list of items to get you started:

Once you have all your supplies, we recommend you have a system to keep yourself organized. For example, you may find it easier to go room by room as you pack, and clearly label each carton so you can easily know where the box should go as you start to unpack — taking the extra time to be organized will make the unpacking process a lot less stressful.

Phone a Friend to Help

Moving is often hectic and exhausting, no matter how much you’ve prepared. Consider asking a friend for help. Having an extra set of hands to move boxes and furniture will make things go more smoothly, cost you less physical effort, and may make the process just a little more enjoyable. Just as breaking up the preparation over a longer period of time makes a move easier, divvying up the work on the big day will make the actual move considerably easier as well.

Hire Movers

If you think that hiring movers is your best course of action, ask friends and family for reliable recommendations. There are great resources available, such as the Better Business Bureau and The American Moving & Storage Association that can help you find a reputable moving service. You should also make sure any company you hire is licensed and insured in your state.

If you elect to go with a moving company, be sure to go over the logistics of your move with them ahead of time. Show them everything that you’ll need to be moved so that they can give you an accurate estimate and provide them with any special instructions they may need. For example, what your new address is, where they can park the day of the move, and how to handle fragile items and clothing. If you are moving to an apartment or a condo, you should share which unit number is yours, and, if applicable, how many flights of stairs they’ll need to account for, or where the storage unit is, etc.

It’s critical that you go over all of these details before you sign a contract, and fully understand how the movers you’re working with will be charging you for their services.

Other Considerations for Your Move

Lastly, there are often a number of things that get overlooked leading up to your move, which can make the day more hectic than it needs to be. Here are a few things to consider taking care of beforehand so you can focus only on the move:

• Do you have small children? Consider hiring a babysitter or having a friend or family member entertain them for the day.
• Pets are typically better off away from the commotion of the move — consider making plans for your pets so you can move without worrying about them.
• Pack an overnight bag with various toiletries, toothbrush, medications, phone chargers, etc. — the last thing you’ll want to do after a busy day of moving is to look for these things.
• Plan your food for the day — make food ahead of time or look up local take out in the area, so that you won’t have to worry about making food the day of your move.

Keep Your Insurance Agent in the Loop

When moving, there are several insurance considerations you may need to make. So,we recommend you contact your insurance agent as soon as you start to think about moving, rather than waiting until after you move. Here are a few items your agent can advise you on:

• If you’re buying a new home, you’ll need to have home insurance squared away before you can finalize your financing and mortgage.
• If you’re moving valuable items, it’s good to remember that accidents can happen during a move, so make sure these items are properly insured with the right scheduled personal property endorsement.
• If you are buying a lot of new, expensive furniture, you may need to increase the amount of personal property coverage you have in your existing home insurance policy.
• If you are moving into a rental unit, make sure you invest in a renters insurance policy.
• If you are moving to a condo, it’s smart to fully understand the master condo policy for your association and confirm that you have the right condo insurance in place.

Uprooting your entire life can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be if you don’t let it get the best of you. Follow these five steps to ensure that you are prepared for your move, and you’ll be ready to handle anything that may come up on the big day.

Here at Anderson, Bagley & Mayo, we pride ourselves on being the best local resource for all of your insurance needs. If you have questions about updating your home, condo, or renters insurance policy — don’t hesitate to contact us. You can connect with us over the phone at (978) 534-2800 (Leominster), (978) 632-1098 (Gardner), (978) 464-5857 (Princeton), or (978) 874-2921 (Westminster).