Moving Out: The Go-To Guide for Leaving your First Space

When it comes to the moving process, moving out can often prove to be more difficult than any other step that you’re forced to take on. But does moving out have to be a painful process, or is there a way to reliably take on the needed tasks involved, without racking your brain with a stress-induced panic? At the very least, we figured we could put together a check list to help you along the way with your arduous move out process. After all, getting your thoughts organized often tends to be the hardest part.

Follow along with the groupings of to-do tasks below to gain an idea of when and how to get started on all of the challenges that come with moving out. Try to focus on completing one group of tasks at a time as you kick off your transition, and there will be a good chance that you will be able to handle the seemingly impossible challenge of migrating your household after all of it is said and done.

Getting Prepared:

Confirm your decision on a moving company - If you’ve reached the point in your move where you’re looking towards moving out, you will most likely have already started to consider a range of options for your mover. You will want to make the final decision on a mover before it gets too late in the game. Reservations need to be made early to avoid potential complications, and you’ll also be able to coordinate certain aspects with your mover so long as you reach out to them early.
Create a Moving Out Notebook - Getting successfully moved out will mean that you will need to remain as organized as possible along the way. Before you get started, now is a smart time to create a notepad where you can keep needed records for the various aspects of your move.
Review your Budget - Moving out means that you’re finalizing the largest parts of your moving process and getting ready to start wrapping everything up. You should be focused on narrowing down a budget for your transition, and making any necessary preparations to ensure that you are able to stick to it.
Get to Know your New Neighborhood - A good way to alleviate the anxiety of moving out of your existing comfort zone is to learn a great deal of info about what is soon to be your new one. Have a strong sense of where you are heading, in advance.
Get to Know the Ins and Outs of your New Home - The difference between moving out and moving in is usually a matter of hours. If you want to move successfully, you’ll need to have an idea of where your things in your new home are going to go –preferably before you arrive.

Getting Started:

Change your Address - Moving out means, perhaps above all else, that your address will be changing. So, it almost goes without saying that you’ll need to look into completing any needed forms or paperwork to ensure that you get your address changed in time for your move—bills, subscriptions, driver’s license, etc. will all benefit from having your address be updated sooner rather than later.
Complete any Necessary Home Improvements - During the busy time of moving out, it can seem almost counterproductive to think about fixing up things in your old home. However, any functional concerns that can pose a risk or issue to the new residents, such as faulty wiring or a broken door latch, should be fixed before you move out to ensure that the soon to be empty home is in working order and ready to be successfully sold or rented out without any complications.
Devise a Labeling System - Moving out means transporting an insurmountably large sum of goods at once. It almost goes without saying that you’ll need to be organized for things to go smoothly. Regardless of how you prefer to do it, you’ll need to label your packed goods in a way that is easy for both you and your movers to understand. Consider color coding your boxes based on the rooms that they’re intended for, etc.—whatever works for you.
Cut Away the Fat - Before you move out, you’ll want to go over all the items that you plan on moving, and try to formulate a list of those that you can safely dispose of or give away. Essentially, the more items you can do away with before you move out, the better.
Lock down your important paperwork - Are there any documents you’ll need to keep on hand for when you arrive at your new place? Whether it’s a real estate contract, a passport, or anything else your move could possibly require, you should locate it now and save yourself the drama later on.

Moving Things Along:

Disassemble your fridge, freezer, etc. - Appliances that utilize a steady water source need to be given extra care to prevent spillage, messes etc. Take these apart, making sure to unplug and disassemble any sources of electricity or water.
Shut off your Utilities - By now, you should be looking towards having your house completely empty and deactivated—a surreal alternative to what you’ve been used to up to now. This will include needing to shut off any utilities that you’ll no longer be using. Water, gas, electric, and even things a few other things like internet service will need to be canceled. Call the appropriate companies and let them know what your plan of action is as soon as possible. Doing so will help alleviate any problems or delays when transitioning into your new place.
Make a Final Run-Through - Are you sure you’ve covered all the bases up to this point? If not, you will want to run back through your own personal to-do list (along with the list here if you’ve been following along), and make an effort to ensure that everything along the way has truly been squared away before you and your family hit the road. Remember, once you move out, it will often be too late to swing back by to cover things you may have forgotten. With that said, you need to double check all of your steps to ensure that nothing has being left behind or forgotten in the process.