Moving last minute is always stressful as it’s unexpected in most cases. You don’t have much time to plan everything beforehand. It’s necessary to make quick decisions and cope with a variety of tasks at the same time. Still, there are some tips from experienced professionals that might be rather helpful in this situation.
Can You Foresee the Last-Minute Moving?
In most cases, it’s difficult to find the answer to this question. The reasons to move out quickly can be different:
- You have to leave the house because of some damage.
- You have broken up with your partner and want to leave as soon as possible.
- You get a job offer and have to relocate quickly.
- You have to find another place of residence because your landlord has asked you to do it due to some personal reason.
Even if you try to predict that any of these situations can happen to you, it’s impossible to plan everything in advance. So, there is no need to worry about it. Here is a list of useful hacks that will help you organize everything as soon as possible.
Last-Minute Moving Tips
If you are short of time, it doesn’t mean that you don’t need to plan anything. It’s much easier to cope with all your tasks and arrange everything fast if you have a clear picture of what you need to do.
Prepare a Moving Checklist
It is a checklist where you include everything that you definitely need to do. For instance, you should move out in two weeks. Write down what you should do within these two weeks. Then divide the mentioned tasks into several timelines:
- 14 days before the moving day
- 10 days before the moving day
- 7 days before the moving day
- 4 days before the moving day
- A day before the moving day
Thus, you will have a list of tasks to be accomplished and exact deadlines when you have to do them.
PRO Tip: The more detailed the moving list you have, the easier it will be to survive a last-minute move.
Think of a Detailed Packing List
What do we do when we plan the process of moving out carefully and beforehand? We pack all the necessary belongings and try to sell or get rid of everything that we don’t need. In case of a last-minute move, you don’t have much time to think of your belongings and decide whether you need all of them or not. And what you should do with the rest.
However, it doesn’t mean that you should throw everything away and start a new page in your life from scratch. In some cases, it helps but not in all the situations.
Thus, the next step after preparing the moving list is to write down a list of things that you will have to transport. The list should include the items of furniture, clothes, household appliances, etc.
Besides everything that you may write in your first list, it’s a good idea to make a separate list of important items, such as:
- valuables;
- some prescriptions;
- chargers;
- cables;
- cords;
- decorations.
These are the things that people usually forget about on moving day. As a result, there is a risk of leaving some of them at your previous place of residence or, what is worse, losing them somewhere.
Take Advantage of Moving Companies
The easiest way to enjoy a stress-free experience while moving last minute is to hire professional movers. By choosing a reliable moving company, you can avoid complicated issues with finding suitable tools and renting big vans. You will also avoid having to pay extra costs for transportation.
Prepare Your New Apartment for Moving In
Usually, people think of managing all the tasks at the previous place of living, such as paying the utility bills, collecting all the items, etc. When you are moving last minute, it’s easy to forget to check a new apartment or house whether everything is ready for moving in.
For instance, it’s recommended to pay attention to the utilities, the Internet, etc. That is arrange everything that is necessary for a comfortable life.
Organize a Packing Process
So, you have chosen all the items you will have to transport to another dwelling. It’s a good idea to start packing everything as soon as possible. It helps because you may pack a part of clothes and add something else to this or that box.
And don’t forget to label the boxes. It’s clear that you are packing in a hurry. Still, if the box is labeled, it will be much easier to find the things you need without unpacking all the boxes at once.
Arrange a Packing Station
The worst part of moving last minute is having to pack all the stuff you own. However, you can’t avoid this step. To make it faster, you can set up a packing station. If you have a packing station somewhere in your dwelling, you won’t have to run around your apartment looking for packing tape or scissors. Thus, less haste will contribute to more productive work.
Think of all the materials that you may need to have at hand. You will use bubble wrap, scissors, packing paper and tape, markers, boxes, and stickers. If you use color-coded stickers, choose one particular color for each room.
Think of the Essentials Bag
These are the things that you may need for the first 24 hours after the move. When you have arranged and transported everything, you will have neither strength nor desire to unpack all the boxes that very day.
However, there are some items you may need, such as bathroom necessities, and probably, some medication. It’s more practical to have everything that you might want to use in one bag.
Take Precautionary Measures
If you have to transport fragile things or electronics, it’s advisable to take pictures of all such items. It’s necessary to document their initial condition. Sometimes movers can damage your belongings. Do you notice that some of your items have been broken or damaged during transportation? You can use these pictures as evidence to claim the damages for the loss.
Thus, moving last minute can be less annoying if you know what to do. Even if you are short of time, it’s worth spending some time making checklists and organizing a packing process properly. It will help you arrange the transportation and cope with everything much faster.