Tips for Making an Easy and Safe move in Virginia

Moving can be a nightmare if you’re not prepared.

And if you've recently decided to move across state lines to Virginia or just a few blocks away from your current Virginia home, here are some tips for making an easy and safe move in Virginia.

Since moving, in general, can be disruptive to your life even the physical parts of moving and lifting can be tough work. From gathering boxes, packing it all up, and then unpacking it again, can certainly be a big job.

Plan Ahead

Take some time to plan the next few weeks and months and leading up to your move. Think about how much time it will take to pack up the rooms in between daily life like working, taking care of the kids, etc.

Get Rid of Stuff

Moving is the perfect time to rid yourself of clutter that you don’t need. Go through closets and storage areas and make piles of what can be donated or tossed. Why pack it up and lug it to a new place if you haven’t used it in years?

Pack Cords and Chargers in One Place

To stay organized, put all electronic chargers, plugs, and cords in one box to be matched up after you unpack at your new place.

Keep Essentials Close By

Use one box for things you use daily and can’t be without for the first night in your new home. Think toiletries, medicine, toilet paper and eyeglasses, cellphones, computers, chargers. Have everything in one place to avoid riffling through all boxes to find what you need.

High-value Items

Keep your essentials box, as well as any important paperwork and other important items with you and not on the moving truck always.

Label Boxes by Room

Use a Sharpie marker to label all boxes as you pack and tape them up, so movers know where to leave them upon arrival.

Label What’s in Boxes

Try and put a brief description of the contents on each box to quickly get to dishes, clothing, office items, etc. Numbering boxes is also helpful once they arrive at their destination.

Heavier Items Go in Small Boxes

Keep boxes light so movers can keep things moving efficiently, even if you hire professional movers, this will be helpful to them. Put heavy items like books in smaller boxes as well as electronics.

Pack Tight

Fill all empty spaces in each box either with items or packing materials like wrapping paper, towels, pillows, and blankets to fill space without increasing the weight.

Take Photos When Taking Apart Furniture

Use your smartphone to take photos before and after to remember what goes where. Make sure to label all pieces, and bag hardware.

Pack Fragile Items Together

Pack glasses and sets together and arrange them like shoes in a shoebox. Wrap each separately, using large wrapping paper sheets to protect breakables together into a firmly packed block shape, to make packing more durable.

Towels, Clothing, and Blankets for Packing Material

Save on disposable packing materials by wrapping breakables with towels, clothing, pillows, bedding, and comforters.

Find Boxes for Free

Look for durable boxes at grocery stores, big box stores, or buy new ones at storage centers as it sometimes pays to buy better boxes, so they don’t fall apart while moving.

Change of Address

The Post Office will forward mail to the new address when you submit the "Change of Address" form. It will also inform senders of the new address, so you won't miss any important letters or bills. And don’t forget to update subscriptions and financial services, such as credit card or insurance statements, as well as newspapers, and magazines.

Get New Insurance Info

If you’re moving to a new zip code in Virginia, be sure to explore homeowners, renters, or auto insurance policies as you might be able to save some money.

Update IDs and Voter Registration

If you’ve changed states, you’ll need to update car registration at some point. Even if you have moved only a town over, you will still need to obtain a new driver’s license and update voter registration.

Hire a Quality Moving Company

Research and do your homework when looking for a moving company to move you to Virginia, as no two movers are alike, and most offer various levels of service. Decide what services are most important to you i.e., packing, storage, or long-distance coverage. Read local testimonials on a moving company’s website to learn more about how they are rated by other users.

Request an Early Start

Requesting an early morning start move is better than a late afternoon. If you move later in the day the crew is most likely to be tired from earlier jobs, which could result in more hours to move you and could be more expensive. ‍

Ask for Additional Insurance Coverage

‍Ask for full-value replacement coverage even though it will be more costly this way you will be fully covered in case of major damages.

Create an Accurate Inventory List

‍Make, sure you supply your movers with accurate information like a full list of furniture and the number of boxes. This will ensure that your moving company provides the best crew and moving truck to complete the move.

Know the Moving Contract

Typical moving fees include a service charge per day for the truck, including mileage, but may also include additional fees for packing supplies, dollies, insurance, and more. Do understand these details, so you won’t be sticker shocked once you get the final invoice for the move.‍

Best Time to Move

Experts suggest the best time to move is from November to February. On the flip side, May to September is the worst.

Late to early months of the year are best because of the holiday season as nobody wants to make a move around Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s., or if you live in an area that has winter weather.

Not So Bad

In the end, if you are prepared, hire the best movers, for your move to the state of Virginia or a new city within Virginia, your move won't be so bad.

Just think of all the fun you will have in your new home, exploring the neighborhood, making new friends, and creating new memories.

‍