Whenever we struggle to organize and plan all major events, it might happen that you need to arrange relocation in a very short time. Well, last-minute moving is a tough challenge — even pros recommend getting ready for a move in advance, having a couple of months for planning and scheduling. Hiring a moving company, looking for packing supplies, packing the stuff, and cleaning — using the tips below, you can streamline the process and make even the last-minute move less stressful.
How to Prepare For a Last-Minute Move?
The first thing to do is create a checklist for your last-minute move. Fussing around and trying to complete all tasks in a short time, you can easily forget about some important issues, like canceling utilities or changing the address for your bank. With a list of things to do, you keep all stages of relocation under control. Sure, you can add some extra tasks to the following checklist outline:
- Book movers
- Declutter
- Get packing supplies and boxes
- Pack your belongings and prepare the essentials box
- Schedule dates to turn off utilities and apply for utilities in your new location
- Change address for your bank and cancel subscriptions in local clubs, gyms, etc.
- Hire a cleaning crew or prepare cleaning supplies to tidy up the place
Hire a Moving Crew or Company
This should be task #1 on your checklist — booking last-minute movers. Reliable and experienced moving companies are in high demand and usually reserved in advance. Thus, as soon as you know the date of your move, contact several companies to inquire whether they have a free spot. Request moving quotes to compare rates and book the best available movers. Keep in mind that rates are higher on weekends and the last days of every month, so moving during a week is a budget-friendly variant. Besides, movers might be fully booked for weekends but still have free days throughout the week.
Otherwise, you risk staying in a house full of boxes with no trucks available an evening before Day X.
If you consider booking full-service movers, they might save you from tons of tedious tasks: they will deliver packing materials to your house, and a day or two before the scheduled move they will pack all your stuff. As costly as they are, pros can accelerate and streamline the entire moving process.
Get Rid of Unwanted Items
Decluttering saves your time on packing and reduces moving costs. When time is running out, you don’t want to waste it on packing broken or unwanted items. Besides, movers charge by volume or weight, so you will pay less if you get rid of unnecessary things.
You might consider decluttering as a time-taking and useless procedure for last-minute moving. But it is not the case. Put aside all broken appliances; no longer wanted home décor items and furniture that won’t fit your new place. Throw away destroyed things. Items in good condition you can send to charity (many organizations like The Salvation Army and Goodwill provide pick-up services) or give to friends or neighbors.
Get Moving Boxes
Once you have sorted out the belongings, you can proceed packing. But you will need to stock up boxes, wrapping, and tape. You can ask family and friends for boxes, check on Craigslist (people often offer boxes left after relocation), or buy them from nearby stores.
Wrapping materials like bubble wrap you can also purchase, or you can opt for using blankets or towels for packing fragile items.
Pack and Label Boxes
Now you come to the most tedious task — packing. If the volume of your belongings to be packed makes you frustrated or depressed, ask friends and family for help. Do not feel embarrassed or shy — quite often, friends readily agree to reduce the workload you face. Besides, having friends around will raise your spirits and add some fun to the boring task.
Obviously, you don’t have time to make lists of items for all boxes, so label boxes at least by room and type of items. Labeling saves your time during unpacking at your new place.
If you need packing in a record time, hire professional packers. Sometimes packing help from local companies can cost you just around $200. If you hire a truck from a local rental place, ask if they provide extra services for an additional fee. This way, you may still be within limits of your budget, but pro help will save you a significant amount of time & power.
Prepare an Essentials Box
Packing all the stuff hastily, do not forget to prepare the essentials box. No one wants to end up searching through all the boxes for a toothbrush, daily medication, or a favorite toy your kid won’t sleep without.
Prepare and set aside the bag (or box) with the following:
- Documents, including checkbooks
- Chargers
- Regular medications for all members of your family
- Baby formula (if you have newborns), snacks for toddlers, and a couple of favorite toys for kids
- Toiletries
- PJs or a clothes change for the first night at your new place
- Anything else you might need for the first couple of days in your new home (feel free to snatch a coffee maker and your favorite mug).
Hire a Cleaning Crew
As tired as you should be, your soon-to-be-old place must be cleaned, particularly if rented. Certainly, a studio or one-bedroom apartment you can tidy up on your own, but cleaning a 3- or 4-bedroom house in a hurry can be overwhelming. Local cleaning companies can solve the problem and relieve your headache for as little as $70 (for cleaning a studio or small apartment) or up to $250 (for a larger house).
How to find the best last-minute moving company?
Timing is a critical issue for last-minute relocation. If your budget allows booking full-service movers, go for this option. Pros are capable of handling moving-associated tasks much better than you do. It might be difficult to find a last-minute moving company that is reliable and available for specific dates, but it’s still possible.
For instance, pros can pack a 1-bedroom apartment in 2-4 hours and a 3-bedroom house in 6-10 hours, while you will need triple time for fulfilling the same task.
Contact local movers and compare the rates they offer. Do online research on rankings and reviews. Licensed companies usually post their license and DOT numbers on websites. You can verify companies’ registration via platforms like BBB or Safer Web.
Is it possible to move a house last minute?
Though challenging as it is, you can still manage to move at the last minute. In a situation when time is running out, you need to stay organized and decisive — your checklist should facilitate the process and help you keep everything in order. If you are reading this article now, you might be frustrated with the upcoming urgent relocation. Following the tips above, you can manage everything with no damage to your nervous system. Right away, request free online quotes from last-minute moving companies, check their availability, and book the best variant. And so on down the checklist.
