5 Moving Tips to Save You Money + Two Must-Have Moving Checklists

Getting from point A to point B is a lot more involved when you are moving your life from point A to point B. Chances are we’ve all moved, are in the process of moving, or will move homes at some point in our life.

Seeing as how my goal is to help you make financially smart decisions when buying or selling your home, I am touching on a very important topic: the actual physical move itself!

Moving expenses can range anywhere from $350 for a one bedroom apartment, to $2,000 for a four-bedroom home — and that’s just for moving services, locally! What about things like packing, packing supplies, unpacking, and new items you’ll need in your home?

I’ve comprised 5 tips (based on Money Tips from previous weeks) that I’m sure will save you time, stress, and money — and a couple free resources too!

1. Use a Checklist

With something that has so many moving pieces (pun intended?) — it’s crucially important to stay organized: for you budget, and for your sanity. Checklists will help you with a number of different tasks: moving essentials, timeline tasks, first night necessities… where there’s a task, there’s a checklist. And since my task is to give you everything you need to make smart home purchases, here’s a simple must-have checklist for when you are preparing to move!

MovingChecklist

2. Multiple Moving Quotes

Do your research, and I don’t mean scour the internet for the lowest price. Often times, the cheapest on the internet may not be the cheapest in the long run. Replacing items that are accidentally damaged or broken can end up costing you hundreds if not thousands of dollars. The horror stories are out there, and unfortunately they are not few and far between. Find quotes for at least 3-5 moving companies with great reviews and/or personal recommendations. Then, use your research to negotiate. Are they willing to price match? If not, can they add things like boxes, unpacking, or additional labor? The more information you have, typically the more money you will save.

3. Purge

It basically comes down to two simple questions:

“Will I be upset when unpacking this item?”
“Will I be excited to place this item in my new home, or will I groan at past me for packing it?”

Imagine yourself unpacking your least favorite pair of shoes, near empty shampoo bottles, knickknacks you have nowhere to place, and toys your kids haven’t played with in years. If you’re like me, these thoughts are less than appealing. Don’t pack things you won’t want in your new home. And remember, “purging” doesn’t simply mean “throw it away”, this could mean donating or selling items as well!

And of course, we’ve got a checklist for that, too.

MovingChecklist_Purge

4. Toolbox and cleaning supply box

This is one of the most practical, easily applicable tips, that can end up saving you so much money! Put your toolbox and a cleaning supply box in the front seat of your car. SO OFTEN when people move, they’ll end up buying extra things that you don’t need because you can’t place the ones that they already have. That extra duct tape, window cleaner, paper towels, or flat head screwdriver can end up costing you money that you just don’t need to spend. You can really take this tip to heart by labeling all of your moving boxes accurately! Don’t write something ambiguous thinking, “Oh yeah, I’ll remember what that means later.” You won’t. Moving is crazy! More details are always better. Give labels based on room and what’s inside, and try to resist from using “MISC”.

5. Amazon Boxes!

A simple tip. If you are planning to move, start collecting your Amazon (or any other boxes your might be getting) now! Seriously, you may feel like a hoarder, but if you break the boxes down and stow them in your garage or under guest bed or wherever until you need them, you’ll thank yourself you did! Also, if you personally don’t receive any boxes, I’m 99% certain that someone you know, does! Amazon boxes alone are everywhere. We get them almost daily. Email me for dibs. 😉

Okay, and a bonus tip! Because I personally am involved to some extent with so many families moving: plan your move a year to six months before you actually move! I know this sounds like an extended timeline, but believe me, this stuff takes time. The more prepared and organized, the more money you’ll save!

I hope these tips, bonus tips, and bonus checklists give you the can-do attitude you need to tackle any move. I know these tips will help you ensure that every hard earned dollar you make works for you, even during a whirlwind of a time like moving!

To those of you who have moved more than once, what advice would you have to those going through a move, maybe for the first time? Please feel free to share in the comments below!