Relocation is a time consuming undertaking. In the ideal situation, one has to plan all the details one month in advance and several weeks to pack stuff and clean the apartment or house. However, the reality is sometimes very different and most people have only a week or less to arrange relocation. And this time pressure only aggravates the stress of the whole situation.
Whether you have to move in a short time due to the last-minute notice, procrastination, or bad planning, it is possible to arrange the process even in the last moment. To help out in this situation, below there are some useful tips to up-ease relocation in a week or less.
Plan things without stress
Hurried relocation takes place because people encounter one of the following situations: they don’t have enough time to arrange a move as they are not aware of it on time or they don’t plan things in a timely manner and postpone everything until the last moment. In both situations, shortage of time and a pressing need to move in a week or less is extremely stressful. That’s why it is essential to take things step by step and put aside worries and anxiety.
Therefore, breathe in, breathe out and get to work. As you might not have enough time to plan things thoroughly and do everything on your own, search for professional moving services Chicago. The movers will assess the situation and take lots of moving routines off your shoulders when it comes to regular moving activities like packing and transportation as well as specific requests like furniture dis/assembling or piano moving.
Should you decide to relocate without professional moving firm`s help, think through the details of transportation of belongings to the new address. You may consider renting a van for this purpose.
Collect sufficient amount of packing supplies
If you work on a tight moving schedule, you won`t definitely have an opportunity to go several times to a shop to get boxes, crates, and other packing accessories. That’s why prepare packing supplies from the beginning so as not to lose any time on unnecessary trips to a shop. One required approximately 10-20 crates or boxes (both big and smaller) to pack a studio. This amount is double in case one has to pack a one bedroom apartment and is triple for a two bedroom home. Of course, those numbers are approximate but they give you an idea of how much material might be needed. A nice idea might be getting some wardrobe boxes which will allow you to pack/unpack your clothes directly with their hangers which will spare you quite some time.
It’s also advisable to purchase more boxes, wrapping paper, and tape than you think you might need. Generally, people tend to run out of the packing supplies rather than having enough of them.
Get some help from family or friends
If your move is only a couple of days ahead, you should definitely ask for help from your friends and family members. Their helping hands would be very useful if you need to pack or move things. Don`t forget to prepare some drinks and snacks for your helpers.
It can happen though that none of your friends is available on such a short notice. In this case, you might need to recruit somebody on the platforms such as Thumbtack or Taskrabbit. For those helping hands you would need to pay.
Get rid of some belongings
It’s always a great idea to minimize the number of possessions before a move. Relocation on a short notice is not an exception. The less items should be wrapped and transported, the better it is for the entire. Look critically at the possessions you have and dispose of things which are not used anymore. Pay particular attention to the outdated gadgets, small or worn out T Shirts, items which have expired, etc. All those objects can be thrown away, donated, or recycled. Try to donate and recycle as much as possible. Some of the things can be also given to your friends for storage purposes during your relocation so that you don’t have to move it all.
Don’t stress about organizing all neatly
Admittedly, a perfectly organized move involves neatly packed boxes with labels which include similar items. In case of a hurried move this isn’t the case. If you don’t have time, forget about arranging everything in a perfect way and concentrate on getting stuff from the old to new address. Put the kitchen utensils with USB chargers and shorts. But in any case don’t forget to treat fragile items duly so that they arrive safe and sound to your new home.
Think about the details
Moving can be very overwhelming, especially if one doesn’t have enough time. However, even when in a hurry one shouldn’t forget about the nuances and practicalities. This is changing an address at the city hall and bank, arranging utilities at the new address and stopping them at the old one, informing the insurance and employer. With the last minute move, there is a possibility that utilities providers would not work exactly on the schedule you have, so you might need to follow up whether your internet or electricity connections are arranged. This may involve calling to the providers and getting them to help you out.
Get specialized cleaners
The landlords and landladies expect their tenants to leave the apartments or houses tidy and ready to move in for the next ones. This might be even explicitly stated in a rental contract. Even though cleaning doesn`t take all the time in the world, it is quite time intensive, particularly if one is in a hurry. It might happen that you don’t have some spare time to tidy every angle in an apartment or house. In this case, search for a cleaning company which will take over those tasks and relieve you from certain positions on the moving-out checklist. If a new tenant doesn`t move in immediately after your move-out, you might check with a landlord whether you can clean the place in the meantime.
To sum up, relocation in a short period of time (sometimes shorter than a week) is quite a complicated but not entirely impossible affair. Think about what should be done and concentrate on moving things forward. If needed, contact others (family, friends, and specialized moving and cleaning services) for assistance. In the meantime, don`t forget to rest and avoid stressing out a lot. Once it’s all over, treat yourself for something pleasant as you surely deserve it after a hectic and intense relocation.
