Make Moving Less Stressful & Costly

Moving is one of the most stressful life events. Besides the hassle of packing and unpacking your entire life, it’s expensive.Atlantic Coast Mortgage makes the lending process as stress-free as possible. We want the same for your moving experience. Here are a few tips to make moving to your new home easier and less costly:

1. Keep a Moving Diary

The small logistics of moving are what can make it overwhelming. You must forward your mail, transfer your kids to a new school, set up cable; the list is endless. Create a running checklist of everything you need to do for the move. It’ll keep you organized and you can delegate some tasks to the rest of the family.

2. Make Truck Reservations Early

Truck rental companies use a pricing strategy similar to the hotel and airline industries. Rental rates change based on truck availability. You’ll pay a higher price if you wait to make a reservation at the last minute when fewer trucks are available to rent. If you choose to go with a full-service moving company, schedule movers one to two months in advance. It puts you in a better position to negotiate on price. Plus, you’ll have more flexibility to shop around for the best deal.

3. Consider Renting a Storage Pod

Renting portable storage containers or pods is another option for moving and particularly convenient for long-distance moves. A company drops off shipping containers in front of your house. You have a few days to fill the containers. Then the company picks up the containers and delivers them to your new home. No need to worry about driving a rental truck and you have a few days to unpack the containers. If you’re looking for a way to move that’s less expensive than a full-service moving company but easier than renting and driving your own truck, storage pods are the answer.

4. Lighten the Load

Moving companies charge by weight. Rental truck and storage pod companies charge by the size of the truck or pod. Getting rid of excess will lower the cost of moving. Downsizing also means less stuff to pack. Who doesn’t want that? 

5. Pack Slowly

You can’t pack with rhyme or reason when you do it last minute. And it’s a nightmare to unpack disorganized boxes. Start filling boxes weeks in advance with items you don’t use often and then pack your kitchen last. Label each box with where it needs to go in the new house and its contents. If you have tons of boxes you can also try a number system. Number each box and then keep a spreadsheet of what’s inside each one.

6. Never Buy Boxes

It’s easy to underestimate the cost of packing materials. Boxes sell for about $1 to $2 each. A one-bedroom apartment can require 10 to 20 boxes alone. Now, think about how many boxes you’ll need to pack your entire house. It’s not cheap. Retail and grocery stores are constantly getting store inventory in boxes. Head to a few stores and you can get boxes to move for free. Although moving can be a pain, the end result is settling into your dream home which makes it all worthwhile.  

