Moving? Put Together a Plan of Action

Moving? Put together a plan of action.  The minute I am hired as a moving concierge, I put together a plan of action based on my clients needs, budget and timeline.  This is the ‘map’ that will help guide you through the process.  Moving is stressful enough and any tool that can help alleviate this stress is critical.  Remember, every move will have a different plan of action, but the core tasks remain the same.  For example:

Selling/Buying/Renting a Home.  What you are doing will determine your budget, time line and resources you need. Utilities. Determine whether you are transferring or terminating service. Downsizing/Donating/Selling.  Planning early will help you be proactive.  I encourage my clients to part with things they no longer use, need or will translate into their new home.  You want to avoid paying to move things you will never use in your new place or worse, have to pay to store them. Services.  Identify all of the service you currently use from doctors, dentists, vets, dry cleaners, post boxes and anything else that applies to you and your family. Make sure to tie up loose ends before the actual move date. Packing and Moving. Your budget will be the driver for what you can do for your move.  Once you have established what you can afford, you can then start to plan your move.  If your budget is tight, you may want to do a ‘hybrid’.  By ‘hybrid’, I mean a combination of do-it-yourself and hiring moving resources to help with the larger more cumbersome items.  Keep in mind, you can hire folks to do the heavy lifting for you so you can save your back. Moving for Work? If you are on an employment relocation, your employer may cover some or all of the costs involved to relocate you.  Your human resources representative will be able to explain your eligibility.  If you are relocating for employment but your employer does not offer any relocation assistance, you may be eligible to deduct these expenses on your taxes, so keep your receipts and consult your accountant. Family.  This is the most important and subjective.  Moving is stressful so keeping the lines of communication open helps tremendously.  Have a family meeting.  Check in with the kiddos and spouse/partner.  It is hard to juggle all the tasks at hand, but critical to make time for all those involved to ensure a successful transition for everyone.

These are just a few core components that can help you put together your plan of action.  The most important to keep in mind as we embark on peak moving season, is to start early.  The earlier you begin the process, the more proactive you will be and it will help save you money and frustration.