Pre-move audits are an essential element of moving home. But only a tiny number of people actually conduct them.
Why is this?
Partly, it’s because only a few people ever think of the idea. But also, audits aren’t exactly sexy!
Don’t worry, though: we’ve broken everything down for you into manageable chunks. By the end of this post, you’ll feel much more confident about moving successfully.
Clear Out What You Don’t Need
Start your pre-move audit by decluttering your space and getting rid of everything you don’t need. This tactic matters because it means you’ll have less items to move come moving day.
Remember, most removalists will charge you more if you need a second or third truck. So if you can do any consolidation at all, it’s usually worth it.
Create A Detailed Inventory
Next, you’ll want to create a detailed inventory of what you actually have in your home. This step matters because it means you can track what’s being moved and make sure it all arrives at the other end.
But how do you do it?
Easy: just go through all your rooms and write down everything in them, one at a time. Try to think outside of the box and write down everything that you see, not just the items that are immediately obvious to you.
Don’t worry about smaller items and junk unless you want to move this as well.
Budget Your Move
You also, of course, want to budget your move. Working out how much the whole thing is going to cost prevents unexpected expenses from wiping you out.
Sometimes, professional movers are affordable for what you want to move, so it is worth using them.
When setting aside funds, think about all the stuff you need to spend money on. This includes boxes, packing materials, and transportation options.
Try to work out each cost instead of assuming they fold into each other. This way, you can get a more accurate assessment of the likely expense.
Plan Your Packing
You can also plan your packing if you want. Getting this right can save you a lot of time and make it easier for removalists to help you remove and organize your stuff at your new address.
You can plan your packing strategy by packing non-essential items early, perhaps three months before you plan to move. Keeping these aside and leaving only the essentials out gives you the jump on packing and makes it feel less monumental once you finally move.
You could also think about labeling boxes. Again, this helps moving professionals know where to put things.
Review Your Insurance Coverage
Finally, you’ll want to review your insurance coverage. Planning this can help you avoid massive losses during the moving process.
Remember, things can go seriously wrong during the removal process. Damaged items at the other end will sometimes leave you out of pocket.
Obviously, you’ll want to choose careful removalists with excellent reputations. But if you can’t get that, then, insurance is the next best thing.
