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Your 4-Stage Transition
The actual transition process of arriving at your new home is unique. There are four stages to departing and arriving that you will want to coordinate with care.
- Truck Loading
- The day you load the truck with everything in the house, then give your house a final inspection.
- Family Travel
- The family road trip moving people, pets, plants, and personal items to the new house via passenger travel.
- Family Arrival
- Most people moving arrive before the truck. Plan for one day of house-camping.
- Truck Unloading
- The day the truck arrives and you unload everything. Then, the unpacking process begins.
Arriving At the Empty House
The first day in the empty house is a special experience in the process of moving to a new home. Most people arrive before their moving truck and therefore have some time to walk around the house and adjust to the new space. You might even have to spend a night without any of your belongings if the truck doesn't arrive in time. Be sure to pack a sleeping bag (or bedding roll) and overnight supplies just in case.
Of course, the best thing about that first night is ordering local takeout and watching movies on a laptop in your big empty house.
Bonus Tip: Driving the Truck Yourself
If you're comfortable driving large vehicles very, very slowly and carefully then you can choose to rent a truck instead of hiring movers for the entire operation. Load the truck as a family or ask friends to help you to tackle the job completely mover-free by packing, loading, driving, and unpacking yourself.
Essentially you are taking on a unique road trip. If you have the ability and skill to handle the truck, it's a cost-saving and adventurous way to move. Be sure to plan your gas stops and hotel stops ahead of time if you're traveling a long distance. Take care of the truck and don't hesitate to call for assistance from the rental company if there are performance or damage issues.
Moving yourself, you can also take an extra day to rest while unloading the truck before you turn it back into the local rental lot.
How to Unpack
Now that you're settled in the new house surrounded by boxes and packed furniture, what do you do first? What is the best way to unpack so you are quickly comfortable and on-track to be box free in the near future? Here's a smart approach:
- Sort boxes and furniture by room
- Start by separating boxes and furniture to the rooms where they will be unpacked. Here is where your room-by-room labeling (and quick-glance color coding) really come in handy.
- First unpack survival and entertainment basics
- As for opening boxes, start with your basic needs: survival and entertainment. Set up the bedrolls, bathroom, basic kitchen, and some kind of TV first thing. Then enjoy some streamed movies or music while you unpack the rest.
- Re-assemble the furniture together
- Before everyone breaks into separate unpacking, work together to reassemble the furniture. If this isn't a possible task, you can also hire movers to do furniture re-assembly on arrival.
- Unpack as a family pastime
- Finally, settle into a routine of unpacking. Encourage everyone to unpack as the new pastime and encourage having fun together while boxes are emptied and shelves are filled.
Moving 101: Was that everything you needed to know?
Hopefully, somewhere in our vast guide you've found the answers, tips, and tricks that will help your move to be both fun and efficient. Moving can be an exciting adventure, whether it's one you tackle solo, do as a family, share with friends, or hire a team to take care of depending on your personal needs and style. Contact us for more insights on how to make your home purchase and following move as smooth and enjoyable as possible.