Most of us dread moving more than any other task in life – and for good reason – because it is very disruptive and just plain hard work. But it doesn’t have to be that way or at least not as bad as it often is. If done right, it can be a time of celebration, of looking forward to the exciting new chapter of your life that is about to be written. And it all hangs on proper preparation. So in that vein, here’s a checklist for preparing for a move once your house sells in Michigan.
Figure Moving Costs
The first step in preparing for a move once your house sells in Michigan is figuring the moving costs well ahead to time. You don’t want any surprises here you can’t afford. So you need to determine what you are willing or able to spend on moving and then stick to that budget. Typically, moving companies charge by the hour for man-hours and then tack on extra fees for moving long distances and for excessive weight or volume.
Gather Packing/Moving Supplies
What you don’t want to happen is to be in the zone and have your packing momentum built up and then run of packing supplies like boxes. So in preparing for a move once your house sells in Michigan, you need to gather and have on hand plenty of packing supplies – tape, boxes, labels, markers, packing paper, and so on. If you start early enough, you can get plenty of boxes for free at local supermarkets and department stores
Change Address Early
Do make sure you put in your change of address early enough so that you will begin receiving important mail at your new home when you arrive. And this includes having the utilities shut off at your old house and turned on at your new home at the right time so that you aren’t paying for utilities you aren’t using and will have heat and light and water at the new place. Also, be sure to notify all the companies that send you bills of your address change.
Hire Movers
Then you need to hire a moving company. You could, of course, do it yourself if you have enough friends with pickup trucks or if you own a moving-van-sized vehicle, but most of us don’t. Professional movers can get the job done more efficiently, more safely, and often cheaper than you could on your own. Certainly, you should shop around for the best service and lowest rates, but don’t pick the cheapest service without checking out the company. Make sure the movers are licensed and bonded and that they offer a binding estimate.
Get Help Lined Up
Preparing for a move once your house sells in Michigan also means getting plenty of help lined up well before the actual move. Not everything will go into the moving van, and packing up alone can be a daunting task. For most of us, that “help” means family and friends. So to make it more convenient for those kind enough to help you out, try to schedule the work on weekends and provide plenty of food and drink.
As you can see, then, properly and adequately preparing for a move once your house sells in Michigan will make the actual moving process much smoother and far more pleasant. It also helps immensely to be able to close at the most convenient time so that you don’t have to remain in or move to a house with no utilities on. Your agent can help you achieve this optimal timing.