Your Essential Moving Checklist
If you are moving to a new home, you need to create a realistic moving checklist. This will help you identify the best moving company and how to go about this process with minimal stress. Moving locations involves a lot of different tasks you have to remember and organize. This is why moving can feel quite overwhelming if you don’t have a checklist to reference.
Keep reading to find out what your moving checklist needs to include for a smoother process.
Locate a Moving Company
If you are moving to a new home, there are a few first steps you need to take. One of the first things you should focus on is researching moving companies. Make sure you keep your results local to find the most accessible moving company in your area. Read online reviews and check out the website to see what services that company provides.
If you can’t find what you need, you should also consider giving the company a call. This is a great way to work through your options if you have specific things that you need. It is also important to get this process started as soon as possible when you know you are moving. Some moving companies may be booked weeks in advance depending on the time of year.
Go Through Items
After hiring a moving company, you need to focus on your possessions. This is a great time to sort through everything you own to see what needs to stay and what can go. If you are like most people, you most likely have things that you no longer have a use for. Sort items into piles and throw away or donate items that no longer have a purpose.
It is a good idea to get the entire family involved so that you don’t overwork yourself. Get rid of things like broken toys and clothes that no longer fit so that you don't waste your moving resources. You can also do a bit of packing as you are going through your items. Some moving companies provide packing services, but you can save a bit of money by doing this yourself.
Identify Valuables
When you move, there is always the risk of your belongings becoming damaged in the process. This shouldn’t be too great of a concern, as long as you go with a reputable moving company. But accidents do happen, and there is always a risk of things breaking or getting lost. That is why it is important to identify what valuables you are moving with.
Some people choose to bring their valuables with them in their own vehicle when moving. This is a great way of keeping track of these items so that they are never out of sight or forgotten. But if that isn’t possible, make sure you clearly identify where the valuables are packed. For instance, you could have a box where all these valuables will be stored during the moving process.
Valuables could include anything of high value or any possessions that are breakable. It is a good idea to let the movers know about these items so that they can be extra careful with those boxes.
Request Time Off Work
During a move, you want to make sure you have plenty of free time for this process. If you try to work and move at the same time, things can become very overwhelming. Because of this, your moving checklist should include asking for time off work. You may need a few days off or an entire week, depending on the situation.
Some people are able to avoid this by scheduling their move on the weekend when they are already not working.
Find Places For Kids and Pets
When you are moving with children and pets, things are a little more complicated. You will need to find a place for them to go so that they aren’t underfoot. You may want your children to stay with friends or family for a few days during the move. This is also a great option for pets if you have people who can take them on. You could also schedule daycare for your children or check your pets into a pet hotel for a day or two.
Label Boxes
Whether you are packing boxes yourself or not, you need to keep things organized. Make sure every box has some kind of label so that you know what is in it. An easy way of keeping track of things is by labeling boxes by the rooms they belong in. This way, the movers know where the boxes go to reduce how long it will take to unpack.
This will also save you time later on since you don’t have to move boxes around before unpacking them.
Take Time to Clean
A lot of people simply focus on the process of moving to their new home. But the reality is that there are a few loose ends that you also need to focus on after moving. In most cases, you need to make sure you clean up your old home for the next person moving in. Plan on dedicating a day or two so that you do not feel overwhelmed and you can do a good job.
It is also a good idea to set aside some time to clean the new home you are moving to. It may not be cleaned to your standards, or you may feel more comfortable if you can tidy it up yourself. If you are working on a time crunch, you could always hire professional cleaners as well. They can get the job done much faster and provide more professional results.

Conclusion
If you are planning a move, you need to keep things organized so that the process isn’t overwhelming. Part of this includes sorting through all of your belongings and hiring a moving company.
You need to find a moving company that provides the services you need and the right availability. You can contact Arch Moving for high-quality moving services for a variety of situations.