Since I have been working at StoreRight Self Storage in Lecanto, I’ve heard lots of stories about some of the headaches that can be involved with moving. I’ve also moved multiple times myself, there was a period of time when I was younger during which I moved every two years for about 12 years, that was ALOT of moving! So, based on my own experience, as well as my tenants experience; here are some tips to make your move go more smoothly.
First: the more organized you are at the beginning of the move; the easier it will be on the other end. Even if you’re in a hurry; just take a few more minutes to label everything, and pack your stuff as well as you can.
You will NOT remember where your coffee maker is; if you have 12 boxes called “Kitchen”. Don’t label anything “miscellaneous” either. You’ll be kicking yourself later on when you’re looking for your computer mouse or your checkbook, and it’s just buried somewhere in one of your “miscellaneous” boxes. At least call that box: “Office” or “Desk Stuff”, but better yet, be more specific and write down what’s actually in the box.
Before you move: put everyone’s number in your cel phone, your moving company, or your truck rental office if you’re renting a truck and moving yourself, your storage facility’s number. You don’t want to be relying on scraps of paper that you can easily misplace. Also, keep your cel phone charger with you, don’t pack it in one of those “miscellaneous” boxes. You don’t want to get stuck with a dead phone.
If you are travelling with pets: make sure you have your vet records with you, specially if you’re moving cross country with pets. You never know what may happen, and if you have to kennel your animals: most reputable kennels will require written records of shots, rabies, kennel cough, etc….so you want those records handy, you do NOT want them in a box on the moving truck, or stacked at the very back of a storage unit.
Before you move, remember to return all library books, Redbox dvd’s, the casserole dish from the next door neighbor, the chainsaw from your brother in law, etc….you don’t want to pack a dvd that’s not yours, and then end up not finding it for 2 months, and then end up with a bunch of unwanted charges on your credit card.
Also, remember to get any drycleaning out of the cleaners. You don’t want to end up paying for the drycleaners to ship something to you, cause shipping is expensive! Be organized ahead of time and save yourself $$$.
Toll Passes. If you have a transponder for local tolls, make sure you do whatever you need to do to de-activate it. Sometimes you’re required to turn those in. Do it before you move, so you don’t have to worry about it. You don’t want that sort of loose end. It’s just one more thing that will cause you a headache if you don’t take care of it before you move.
Garage Door Opener—if you have one in your car, make sure you bring it in the house. It’s not going to do you any good at your new house, and it will be much less of a hassle for the new people. Try and remember it’s like a house key. Give all keys and the garage door opener to the new homeowners. Or ask your Realtor for advice.
Houseplants: do NOT pack them without labels. I made this mistake myself and it turned out both good & bad. In a hurry, I actually packed a few houseplants in regular moving boxes, and did NOT label them. Of course, those boxes ended up being unpacked last….they sat for weeks in a spare bedroom. Well, two of them didn’t make it, which was a shame because they had been gifts which were very special to me, as they marked a special occasion. However, I had a Christmas cactus which apparently really enjoyed being in the dark for a month with no water because it was thriving & blooming! But that was just a lucky accident. If you’re planning on having your belongings on a truck for any length of time or in a storage unit; you might be better off just giving your plants away to friends and neighbors. We can’t store live plants at StoreRight Self Storage.
Once you get to the new house, don’t be afraid to ask for advice! Specially if you are moving to another city or state. We don’t really have the Welcome Wagon program anymore; but go ahead and ask people you meet for their recommendations. It’s daunting to move and not have any idea where to even get a good pizza! Here at StoreRight Self Storage in Lecanto; we always try to help. We can tell you where to get your new drivers liscense, where the good restaurants are, where to buy furniture, where the hardware store is (both the big box stores & the local smaller Mom & Pops), where to take your grandchildren for a fun day, etc….just feel free to ask us! We try to make your transition to your new home as smooth as possible! StoreRight Self Storage, Right Place! Right Price!
