Moving can be stressful, but also exciting. A new city, new house or new neighborhood can also mean new beginnings. So how do you turn the stressful part of moving into excitement? By having a plan. Below are 5 tips for planning your move.

Decluttering. One of the first things you can do when you find out you may have an upcoming move on the horizon is to declutter room by room. This is important for a number of reasons. First, when you put your house on the market, it will sell faster and for more money. A house always looks bigger with less “stuff” inside. Second, when you move, having less stuff to pack, load, unload and unpack will save you both time and money. It’s also a very freeing process once you get started.

Dispose of hazardous waste. Hazardous wastes cannot be packed in moving trucks. If you have things like gasoline, paint and chemicals in your garage, ask if a friend or neighbor would like them. If not, look online to find your nearest hazardous waste disposal site. If you plan to use any of the same paint colors in the new house, be sure to record the information needed before disposal.

Research your moving company. This is critical and can often get overlooked if your move is a sudden one. Be sure to read reviews online before deciding on a mover and don’t hire a mover based solely on price. Experience, knowledge of your area and skill level (like moving a grand piano) counts for much more. It’s also helpful to know that many movers will give a low bid to get your business and then later charge more. Reading reviews will avoid surprises and disappointments.

Transfer records. If you have school-aged children, you will need to have their school records transferred to their new school. Getting this out of the way now will mean less for you to do on the other end of your move. Medical records are another thing to have transferred. If you don’t have your new doctors lined up yet, you can ask for a copy of your records or make a list with phone numbers and addresses of the doctors/dentists/chiropractors from whom you will need to obtain information.

Update your address. You can update your address for the postal service online. It’s also important to share information with friends and relatives. Consider sending out a change of address group email or posting something on facebook to let others know how to contact you in the future.

For professional unpacking and organizing services in St. Louis, contact Perfectly Placed today. Our expert team will help you settle into your new home quickly and efficiently, creating organized, clutter-free spaces from day one. Call 314-626-8558 now to schedule your personalized unpacking and organizing service. Contact us now to schedule your unpacking and organizing services.