Save Money When Moving To A New Home With These Helpful Tips
Moving house was voted as one of the most stressful events in a person’s life. Coupled with the financial strain that comes with the territory, it can lead to a serious breakdown.
As soon as you open the first drawer, you are likely to be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of things that you own! Make the whole process and transition easier on yourself, and on your budget, by sticking to these simple tips.
Plan Ahead
Making a checklist may seem like a waste of precious time, but in the long run it will save you energy and help eliminate unforeseen complications. Put all of your moving expenses in writing.
Don’t forget the little things such as tape or food, they can affect your budget too. Scheduling in advance will help you get a better deal than when you are pressed for time. Make sure that everything is planned before the day. Last minute decisions can be the most costly.
Reuse and Recycle
Instead of buying moving boxes, bubbly wrap, etc., try packing your things in old drawers, laundry baskets, suitcases or reusable plastic storage containers.
Wrap your dishes and other breakable items in towels or clothes. Garbage bags are great for items such as clothing, pillows or linens. You can also ask your local store to save a few bigger boxes for you to reuse – they get thrown away anyway.
You could potentially save over one hundred dollars, depending on how many boxes you need.
Recruit
Packing your things is a tedious job, you don’t have to do it all alone. Does a friend of a friend own a truck? Consider asking for help from your friends or family with everything from packing and cleaning to the transportation of your things.
This will help reduce the cost of labor, storage, truck rental and professional cleaning services. Also, it will help ensure that your things are handled with the care they deserve. Offer to pay for gas, food and beverages.
This will not only reduce the amount you spend on moving services, but having a few familiar faces in a new place may lower your anxiety as well.
Clearance
It is not easy to let go of the little trinkets with sentimental value, but the broken appliances and chipped plates have got to go. This is a good time to go through your closet and throw away, sell or donate the things you do not need or do not have space for.
Why not have a yard sale or list your unwanted belongings online? You may wind up making more money than you spent on the move! If you didn’t even know that you had it, chances are you don’t need it.
Storage
Now that you have efficiently, tightly and safely packed up all of the belongings you cannot let go of, depending on your new housing situation, you may need to put some things in storage.
Self storage units are a great option. Make sure to rent a unit large or small enough to accommodate your things. A great way to save money on Self storage units is to check the height of the ceiling.
Can boxes be stacked one on top of the other? Bonus tip: ask your friends if they have anything they would like to put in storage, and split the cost.
Moving is more stressful for some than others, but it does not have to be expensive. If you opt for professionals, hire companies that give you the greatest value for your money, doing some research will help pinch a few pennies here and there.
Author bio: Steven Clarke is a business consultant and a DIY enthusiast. In his spare time, he likes to write about his ideas and share them with the world. Steven is a regular contributor to several websites.
Category: Housing
