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| Moving |
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| Cleaning for the New Owners | Dread the Big Move | Finding the Right Movers |
| Kids and Moving | Moving Arrangements | Plan That Move |
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Cleaning for the New Owners  |
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| There are some people who know that every square inch of their home, every hidden area behind furniture and appliances, is always spotless. Most of us, however, do not tend to be such maniacal cleaners! |
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| So as your possessions are moved out of the house, expect to make the acquaintance of numerous dust bunnies and bits of nasty grime. Now what? To clean or not to clean? |
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| The new owners will undoubtedly make a final walk through of their new home before attending the closing. They will want to make sure that all agreed upon repairs, removals, etc. have been completed. They will arrive at the closing in a much better mood if they have toured a spotless home. Facing the chore of cleaning up someone else's mess before you can move in is unappealing to say the least! |
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| Expect to be tired when your possessions are finally packed and out of the house. Even when you have movers doing the packing, there is a lot of sorting out that you must do yourself. Once your house is packed up, you face the prospect of unpacking in your new home! |
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| The thought of now having to clean your old home can be enough to bring tears! In light of this, doesn't it seem prudent to plan ahead and make arrangements to have cleaners come in? Professional cleaners who come in with their own equipment can make quick work of cleaning an empty house. |
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| It is well worth the expense. It would be nice to have some energy left to settle into your new home, rather than having your first day be marred by being overtired and cranky! |
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| Dread the Big Move |
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| There are people who love buying a new home, there are people who love making a new start in a new location but there are no people who love the process of moving! The trick is to make it as painless as possible and that means planning ahead. |
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| The day after you decide to move is the day to start organizing. It is not moving the large items, like furniture, that ultimately causes the headaches - it's all those hundreds of little bits and pieces we accumulate. Unless we want to pay movers to pack up and move everything- including garbage! - We need to sort through small items we may have been accumulating for years. |
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| This is the time to put items aside for a garage sale or donation to charity. The sooner you start the sorting out process, the easier moving day will be. |
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| Finding the Right Movers |
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| Want the best movers? The answer is - go shopping! Moving companies are very competitive. Whether your move is cross-town or cross-country, a little effort can save you money. |
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| Get recommendations from your Realtor®, friends, and neighbors. In getting estimates from the moving companies, consider the following: |
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- How rates are calculated (possibly by time, weight or cubic feet).
- What kind of insurance (against loss or damage) do they offer.
- What is the cost of the insurance.
- How much of the quote is for packing (you may want to save money by doing your own packing).
- Do they guarantee delivery on time.
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| Be aware that if you do choose to do your own packing, the company may not be willing to insure for breakage. |
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| Kids and Moving |
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| Discussions about making a move to a new home or even new town should include your kids. This is going to be an exciting experience but children often experience anxiety at leaving their familiar surroundings and friends. Talking to them about the move and including them in decisions can help them through the anxiety and they may end up sharing in your excitement! |
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| House hunting is fun and can be especially so for children who have great imaginations. Hold family discussions about the positives and negatives of places you see. Talk to the kids about how they would fix up their rooms and make play areas in the yard.Teenagers can be especially territorial and fiercely protective of their space. Adult discussions should include the young adults so they feel a part of the process. |
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| Once you've decided to place your property on the market your home will need to be viewed by prospective buyers. The children should be aware that it's especially important at this time that they keep things tidy and they should know it's not exactly the best time to express their artistic talent with crayons on the wall! The children also need to be forewarned that the family needs to take a hike while the house is being shown. This can be made into a special time to go to the beach or shopping. |
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| Your Realtor® should be comfortable with talking to children, after all he or she will be involved in the process until you're deal is complete. Realtors® have a special knack of helping people imagine what can be done with a new home. Kids love imagining and can come up with great suggestions. They should get along famously! |
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| Moving Arrangements |
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| As moving day approaches and you go down your list of chores, one that cannot be left for the last minute is making arrangements for a moving company. You may be able to disconnect your phones with only hours notice but if you don't plan and do some investigating ahead of time, you could end up with some nasty surprises. |
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| Pouring a celebratory drink at your new house would turn into a somber occasion if you discovered your irreplaceable family crystal lying shattered in a poorly packed box! You also don't want the money you had earmarked for that new patio set to go towards paying an excessively large moving bill. |
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| Long before you want that moving company to show up at your door - and you do want to make sure they will show up when you need them! - Do some comparison-shopping. |
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| Get quotes from different companies. Find out how their charges are calculated, how much insurance coverage they provide, how they will handle your fragile items, and if they guarantee the date of delivery. |
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| Plan That Move |
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| You’re moving! Those “good friend with a truck” moves of your feckless youth have probably been replaced by a less muscular reliance on professional movers. As soon as your move is definite, start calling movers for information on costs and services. Some movers require 3-6 weeks notice. |
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| Ask each company the same questions: how do they compute charges, how much time do they estimate the work will take, what insurance coverage do they offer, what arrangements can be made for storage, etc. It may cost you less if you pack yourself, but some companies won’t insure items they didn’t pack. |
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| In the case of a long distance move, a company rep may visit your home to give you an estimate. For a cross-town move you may get an hourly rate quoted over the phone. Ask everyone the same questions, check the reputation of the mover and choose the mover who best suits your needs. |
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