Moving to a new city can be both exciting and stressful. During the move itself, you might find yourself focusing more on the stressors of moving rather than the excitement of new experiences. To help your move go a little more smoothly, we’ve created this guide on how to prepare for moving to a new city. You’ll learn how best to organize your city-to-city move so you can let go of the stress and get excited for all the experiences that await you at your new home.

Packing Plan

Every successful move kicks off with a well-organized and comprehensive packing plan. An easy to follow packing plan ensures that you’ll be able to pack up your house in a timely and orderly fashion. Here are our tips for a foolproof packing plan.

Pack Items Based on Their Final Location

Instead of packing up items and boxes as they are currently ordered in your home, consider where they will go in your new home. Packing items together that will end up in the same room will save you time when you’re setting up your house. This also cuts down on the possibility of lost items. By spending a little extra time organizing on the front end of the move, you can save hours on the back end.

Clearly Label Boxes

Similar to grouping items by their final location, clearly labeling boxes will save you tons of time in the long run. Instead of just labeling the box with the room its content belongs in, add in some extra detail about the contents. Doing this not only tells you what room each box should go in, but also helps you mentally sort the items before they’re even unpacked.

Group Items Together in Your Moving Vehicle

Once you’ve got everything packed, be sure to group “rooms” together in your moving vehicle. This will help cut down on time spent sorting through the truck, speeding up the unpacking process.

Pack Yourself a Suitcase

Even if your move will be a short one, you’ll want essentials to be easily accessible. So pack some clothes, medications, entertainment and personal hygiene products in a suitcase. Having these on hand reduces the urgency of unpacking and ensures you’ll be fine should there be any delays with your moving vehicle.

Purchase Packing Materials

Once you’ve come up with a moving plan, it’s time to buy the boxes, materials and packaging products you’ll need to start packing.

Though it may seem obvious, especially to anyone who has moved to a new city before, you should always over-anticipate how many boxes you’ll need. It’s much easier to find a future use for a few unused boxes than it is to run back to the packaging store. Leftover boxes can be used to package up holiday items, donations or even as art projects for your family.

Forward Your Mail

Even if you’ve changed your address for everything, be sure to set up mail forwarding to your new residence. Chances are that no matter how thorough you were, at least one service got missed. This will also help should a relative or family friend accidentally send a package to your old address.

Come Up with a Commute/Transportation Plan

Having a plan for getting to your new house can prevent a lot of stress. For some, this may be as easy as deciding who will take a car and who will drive the moving vehicle. If you have a larger family, then you’ll need to decide how everyone is getting to the house.

If you’re moving a great distance, a plane may be worth considering, while a shorter move may require separating into two cars. Whatever your situation, having a transportation plan beforehand will save you time and stress.

Check Out Local Areas

If you arrive at your new home before your belongings so, checking out your new city is a great way to pass the time. Drive around and scope out local landmarks, acclaimed restaurants and nightlife venues. This not only fills the time, but also gives you something to look forward to as you unpack your home. If you’ve already scoped out the town prior to moving, pick one activity a day to give yourself a break from the stresses of unpacking.

Hire a Moving Company

One of the best ways to save time and reduce stress is to hire a moving company. Not only will they perform the physical tasks of loading and unloading items, but certain movers can set up entire moving plans for you. If you’re moving to a new city soon, Alliance Moving & Storage can help. Get your free quote now to see how we can save you time, money and stress during your next big move.