When it comes to moving, the days of stuffing everything into your car and leaving your junk on the curb are over. You could hire someone to do the whole thing for you, but that could cost you thousands of dollars. And with a whole house full of stuff, you don’t have the time or energy to just wing it –– so you need all the moving tips and tricks you can find. We’ve gathered tips and tricks from moving experts who have spent years mastering the best ways to move. We spoke to founders of innovative moving companies, the creator of a professional organizer company, and a top real estate agent to present you with every hack, tip, and trick these real pros do that you can too. “Make sure you transfer the utilities before you close escrow, otherwise you’re going to have a weekend without electricity and water,” says Chris Murray, a top selling real estate agent in Hemet, California, who has sold over 74% more single-family homes than the average agent. He adds that between gas, water, and electricity, it could take anywhere between a few days and a couple of weeks to get them up and running, so make sure to schedule the transfer as soon as you know what day you’re moving in. Movers get booked months in advance. So if you plan to hire a moving company, do so as soon as you know what day you’ll close escrow or you could be left with mediocre movers who charge you an arm and a leg. If a moving company is booked on your moving day, find another moving company. “Don’t beg a mover to squeeze you into his schedule on the last Saturday in July,” says Mike Glanz, the founder and CEO of HireAHelper, an online marketplace for hiring hourly moving labor. “That’s when his schedule is most full and ‘squeezing you in’ might actually mean you’ll be getting his least trained crew, exhausted from four moves before yours, showing up three hours late.” Ryan Carrigan, the co-founder of moveBuddha, a fast and easy way to plan a move online, says, “If you’re hiring a moving company, book the earliest morning time slot available. The moving crew will be fresh, so they’ll get the job done faster and typically do a better job.” Glanz adds, “This is especially true in the summer when moving crews are slotted for up to five or six move jobs in one day. If your loading request ends up as their fifth move, even if you get the best crew in town, they’re going to be exhausted, work slower, and might even drop a thing or two.” A hired mover with a moving truck costs significantly more than it would if you hired a mover and rented a truck separately. Rent a moving truck or reserve a moving container to use for the duration of your move. Then, hire moving labor to load and unload it. “By separating the transportation and the labor, you stay in complete control of your stuff, and it’s far more affordable than a full-service moving company,” says Glanz. “A full-service move normally costing $2,600 could be done for $800 using this approach.”Prepare to move during your home sale
1. Get utilities up and running by moving day
2. Hire movers as soon as you know your closing date
3. Don’t let movers “squeeze you in”
4. Reserve movers’ earliest time slot in the beginning of the month
5. Rent a moving truck instead of using the mover’s truck
