Houston Moving Blog - Tips, Tricks, and Insider Info

A Comprehensive Guide to Moving

Moving to a new homeBy Julie DeLong, A-1 Freeman Moving Group 

If a move is in the near future, we know that you've got a bunch on your mind. From notifying your friends and family to home shopping to finding a moving company in Houston, there’s no doubt about it that moving is a massive job, that requires much preparation and organization. Feeling a bit overloaded? Don’t fret, we’ve got you covered! Our complete moving guide has everything that you need for a smooth and successful move to Houston.
 

1. Visit your new community. Ahead of choosing to move anywhere, it’s often a good idea to go to your new town. Sure, you could head to all the sights, but don’t only visit as a tourist. Drive through local neighborhoods. Observe where super markets, service stations and schools are located. Consider your everyday life and how it would shift to this all new area.

2. Investigate schools. While you are checking out your new area, identify the schools that your kids will likely be enrolled in. Start looking at the bordering subdivisions and also do a little investigating online to determine how the public schools rank along with what private school alternatives are accessible in the community.

3. Produce a moving budget. Let’s be honest, moving isn’t low-cost. Even DIY choices come with a large cost. And should you be moving an extended distance, a professional mover in Houston will definitely make the process less stressful. Remember to add some additional for unexpected costs, because they often manage to happen. In case you happen to be moving for a job, check with your workplace to ascertain if any of your moving expenses can be covered.

4. Look for a place to reside. If you have kids and have investigated what school you would like them to go to, your options of a location in which to live have very likely been reduced some. But, regardless, a realtor will guide you through the home shopping process. A knowledgeable real estate professional will show you residences in your choice location and be able to answer any questions about the subdivisions.

5. Investigate moving companies. Choosing a reputable professional mover in Houston is essential for your move. Perform your research by checking Google reviews as well as the BBB rankings. Talk to other people who have moved recently and find out what moving company they utilized. Acquire several quotes from different movers to compare. Ask questions in the event you don’t fully grasp anything on the quote and be sure you are comparing apples-to-apples. Bear in mind, if a quote appears too good to be true, this can be a warning sign.

6. Decide on a moving date. In the event that you are wanting to move in the midst of the the summer season, you will want to get with your moving company in Houston to confirm your chosen dates as far ahead of time as you possibly can. Summertime is considered peak season for moving, so schedules fill up quickly. On the other hand, if you're wanting to move during the winter or early spring, you might have your choice of dates and may also wind up expending less. You will usually pay a premium for moving during peak season.

7. Get started obtaining your moving supplies. By accumulating boxes right now, you can be a small step ahead when it's time to pack. You can buy boxes from your local moving company or from many big box stores. Don’t forget various other moving materials, such as tape, bubble wrap, newsprint, box knife, and so on.

8. Have a strategy for packing. In advance of when you actually conduct any packing, develop your plan. It may be beneficial to check your belongings in advance and determine what you are going to take with you and what you don’t need any longer. Have a yard sale or donate to a charitable organization the items you don’t need to move. Then, you can start packing non-essential items including basement and attic items and also out-of-season items. After that, proceed to stuff that you won’t need for the upcoming couple of weeks. Hang on until the days before moving day to pack things that you make use of on a regular basis. Make certain and ask your moving company should there be things which they can’t move in the moving van, such as live flowers, combustible things and perishable food. You should make alternate arrangements for these items.

9. Pack your suitcases, as well. If you are going to be on the road for a few days and nights along the way to your new home, you'll need attire and toiletries for the journey. Make certain and set separate everything that you will need along the way to ensure that those things don’t inadvertently get packed up and loaded on the moving van.

10. Make travel arrangements. When you're driving to your new house, plan your path and reserve your rooms in hotels in advance. Furthermore, if you are flying, decide on your airline and buy your tickets. Remember that you might need to stay in a hotel for a few days in your new location in the event your things won’t be delivered straight away.

11. Transfer memberships and records. When you've got a gym or golf club membership, check into shifting them to your new town. Additionally, ask your child’s school to send their information to the new school and likewise for your health professionals and dental office.

12. Empty out your storage space. You should probably go ahead and sort through your storage unit, also, and get rid of all things that you don’t need. Above that, make certain and notify the managers of the unit that you will be moving your stuff out and make contact with them for a second time after you have vacated the area.

13. Forward your mail. Nowadays, it's easy to forward your postal mail to your new home address. Simply go on to the USPS website and submit the required information. This is a really straightforward step, but it’s frequently overlooked, so we wanted to bring it up.

14. Check your moving date with your mover. You will probably hear from your moving company in Houston a few days or even a week ahead of your move date, however if you haven’t, at this point would be a great time to go forward and reach out to them and be sure that your move dates still tie in with what they have on the schedule for you. Last minute itinerary modifications are never enjoyable for anyone, therefore it’s always in your best interest to make sure all of the details to make sure everybody is on the same page.

15. Cut-off and set-up your utilities. The timing of this step is essential because you don’t want to be moving out of your old residence in the dark or moving into your new residence without heat or air conditioning. Make contact with your present and also future utility suppliers and understand what you must do so that you can guarantee an easy transition.

16. Arrange a move-out cleaning. When you have everything moved out of your old home, you will likely be too tired to want to clean. There are cleaning services which specialize in empty houses therefore think about hiring the cleaning done.

17. Let others know your new address. This measure may very well be accomplished once you get to your new house, too. Nevertheless you will want your friends and family to have your new address. Consider mailing a change of address card or at least an e-mail to let everyone know that you've moved.

18. Exchange contact information with your moving van driver. When everything has been loaded up and the moving truck is getting ready to set off, make certain and ask the driver for the ETA to your new house and for his cell phone number. Likewise provide him your cell phone number. You want to have a way to stay in touch whilst everybody is on the road.

19. Arrange a handyman. Be sure and locate an experienced handyman once you move to aid in work such as replacing light fixtures, doing simple repairs or hanging items on the walls.

20. Register to vote and acquire a new driver’s license. Updating your voter registration swiftly once you move is smart so that you can vote in any future elections. Your community library or post office can typically supply more information about how to register. Also, getting a new license is important after you have moved to a new state. Take a look at the local DMV website to ensure that you have all of the necessary documents before you wait in line, because requirements are different from state to state.

Are you ready to move?

A-1 Freeman Moving Group in Houston would like to assist. Merely contact us today to get going with your free in-home or video estimate.

 

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The Mickelson Family
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The Mickelson Family
Best. Move. Ever!
Very pleased with the overall respect and care the men gave to my possessions. Even mailing me very quickly the only thing lost in transit. Would recommend to anyone needing a long distant move.
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