Moving into a new home can be exciting but it can also be stressful. However, if you’re moving to a local neighborhood, there can be many advantages. You’ll be able to stay in touch with old friends, while also making new friends in your neighborhood. If you’re really close to your last home’s location, you can keep your children in the same school district, sports leagues, and other extracurricular activities that they may participate in. Plus, you’ll already know the area, so you won’t need to worry about getting lost or figuring out where things are. With so many benefits, it’s easy to see why people choose to relocate to a nearby neighborhood.
To make sure that this transition is a positive experience for your whole family, we’ve created a list of tips to help you have a successful move.
Organize and declutter
Moving goes much smoother when you are organized. One of the easiest ways that you can be organized during a move is by getting rid of excess clutter before you begin packing. That way, you’ll have less to pack and won’t need to worry about spending time getting rid of things while packing. Getting rid of excess clutter will help you feel relief and ready to conquer packing. Another way to stay organized is to create a move-in checklist. Creating a checklist will help you have a smooth transition to your new home and hopefully have everything you need when you move.
Ask friends and family for help
It doesn’t hurt to have extra help with packing, moving, and unpacking before, during, or after moving day. Often, an extra helping hand makes things go faster and smoother. Plus, you’ll feel less overwhelmed if you have someone around to help you sort out any unexpected problems that may occur.
Begin packing early
When you finally know your moving date, start packing early enough so that you don’t end up doing everything last minute. Set a plan for what you will pack and when you’ll do it. Depending on how much time you’d like to have, give yourself between 8 to 12 weeks before your move to prepare. This way, once you’ve finished packing everything, you’ll have more time to clean and won’t need to feel stressed or rushed on your moving day.
Transport as much as you can before moving day
Since you are moving to a nearby location, you can move things over earlier in smaller amounts to make your moving day easier. It can be especially helpful to transport things before moving day that aren’t essentials or used on a daily basis, like decorative items, books, or storage boxes. You can easily put these types of items into your car and drop them off at your new house when you run errands in the area.
Hire a moving company
If you feel like you need extra help while moving, then you might want to look into hiring a moving company. When searching for the right moving company, look at reviews online. Choose a company that has high reviews and exceptional customer service. You’ll want to hire a moving company that cares about your health and safety, especially since you might have concerns about coronavirus. Ask moving companies what they are doing to combat the virus and keep their customers and employees from getting sick. Many moving companies in the Chicago area have adopted health codes to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while working. Choosing a moving company that will keep your health and safety in mind can help you feel comfortable and make your move go smoothly.
Explore the neighborhood
Even though you may already be familiar with the neighborhood around your new home, it’s still a good idea to further explore the area and get to know your new surroundings. You can choose to do this either before or after your move, just make sure that you are following local and state guidelines while you explore. You’ll want to figure out where the nearest shopping centers, grocery stores, local dog parks, and nature preserves are located.
Follow CDC recommendations
By now, most people are aware of the CDC guidelines, but here is a refresher for you and your family to use while you are moving. While you are packing and moving, avoid touching your face and wash your hands as frequently as you can. You may want to bring a travel-sized hand sanitizer to use whenever you don’t have access to running water to wash your hands. Stay 6 feet away from others. If required in your state or city, wear a cloth face covering. These things can help protect yourself and others from getting sick while you are moving.
Settling in
Once you have moved into your home and unpacked all of your boxes, it’s a matter of time before you and your family feel completely comfortable and at ease. Before you totally unpack everything, you may want to clean your apartment so that you can have complete peace of mind. Although the CDC says that the transmission of novel coronavirus to persons from surfaces contaminated with the virus has not been documented, they do recommend disinfecting surfaces to prevent the spread of any viral respiratory illnesses. After you finish cleaning you can start to unpack and begin to beautify your home with picture frames and other decorations. If you work from home, create a home office that will help you be productive during work hours. Take advantage of the luxuries provided by your new home, especially any amenities that you now have access to. Now, you and your family are on your way to feeling right at home in your new living space.
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