Moving Tips for First-Time Homebuyers
You may have experienced moving from dorm to dorm, or from apartment to apartment, but moving to your first house is an entirely new experience. From finalizing the sale of your home to moving out of your current living space, you have a wide variety of to-do items to juggle.
If you’re wondering what to bring first when moving to a new house, or you’re not sure how to pack a moving truck, Freedom Storage Management can help. Dive into our helpful tips for first-time homebuyers below.
Create a “Before Moving In” Checklist
Moving as a first-time homebuyer has its advantages and disadvantages. Unlike moving into an apartment or townhouse, you have more flexibility for your moving day. Most houses have driveways, so you don’t have to guard a parking space on the street while moving.
Additionally, if your new home isn’t too far away from your current apartment, you can gradually move your belongings over before the end of your lease. Often when moving from one apartment to another, your moving day is constrained by both leases’ terms and dates.
If you don’t have the option to stagger your home move-in date with the end of your apartment lease, or you’re moving to a new city, create a “Before Moving In” checklist. A pre-move checklist should cover all the to-do tasks that fall outside of actually moving your belongings. Common items to include on your checklist include:
- Get your new home inspected
- Forward your address, utilities, etc.
- Make a moving budget
- Gather moving supplies
- Take inventory of your belongings
Write Down a Moving Budget
Another key item for your pre-moving checklist as a first-time homeowner is creating a moving budget. Just like purchasing a home, moving into one can be a pricey process. Depending on your available resources and timeline, you have two options: doing it yourself or hiring a company.
Each option has its pros and cons. A do-it-yourself move may be time-consuming but save you more money and give you more control over the process. A moving company will do the heavy lifting for you but can be expensive and leave your belongings at a greater risk of damage. Things to consider when creating a moving budget with a professional company are:
- Insurance
- Moving company rates/fee
- Hidden fees (tips, damage claims, etc.)
- Packing or unpacking services
If you prefer to take the plunge with a DIY move, you’ll need to account for factors like:
- Cost of truck rental
- Lodging
- Storage
- Gas money
- Furniture insurance
- Packing and moving supplies
Gather Packing and Moving Supplies
If you’re wondering where to buy moving boxes, packing tape, and other moving supplies, Freedom Storage Management offers moving supplies for purchase on-site at many of our storage facilities. Find your nearest Freedom Storage Management-operated storage facility to learn more about purchasing moving supplies.
How to Pack for Your Moving Day
You can do a variety of things to make packing easier for your moving day. Before you start loading things into boxes, take inventory of your belongings. By keeping track of everything beforehand, you can minimize your chances of misplacing something during the move.
Additionally, label your boxes accordingly with their contents and the room they belong in. Whether you’re using a moving service or handling the transition yourself, labeled boxes can help speed up the overall process.
How to Pack Your Clothes
Not sure how to pack your clothes? Organize them by season into medium-sized boxes. For bulky clothing, such as sweaters or coats, try vacuums-sealing them before putting them in boxes. Keep the climate of your new area in mind, too; if you’re moving from Georgia to Pennsylvania over the winter, for example, you may want to keep your cold weather clothing close at hand. Winter in Georgia and winter in Pennsylvania are two distinctly different seasons.
Packing Your Own Moving Truck
Don’t let packing a moving truck intimidate you as a first-time homeowner. Start by loading your largest and heaviest items first, such as your couches, mattresses, etc. Next, load your middleweight furniture and boxes, followed by your lightest boxes, lamps, and other miscellaneous items. By loading your truck accordingly, you can speed through unloading belongings at your new home.
Pro tip: Remember to use furniture covers, padding, and bubble wrap for anything not already protected inside a box. You should also keep valuables (electronics, jewelry, documents, etc.) with you in a suitcase, purse, or backpack.
Make “Open-First” Boxes
Speaking of packing, you may be wondering to bring with you when initially moving to your new home. Create “open-first” boxes for your moving day. Keep toiletries, a few changes of clothes, and comfortable shoes in a suitcase or backpack, and put the following items in your “open-first” boxes:
- Kitchen essentials (paper plates, plastic cutlery, paper cups, coffee maker, etc.)
- Bedding or sleeping bags
- Prescriptions
- First aid kit
- Important documents
- Shower curtain
- Toilet paper
- Towels, washcloths
Manage Your Move with Self Storage
Self storage is an ideal tool for first-time homebuyers, especially if you’re handling the move on your own. Once your belongings are packed, you can start transporting them into your storage unit until your moving day officially arrives. Renting a storage unit also helps you keep everything organized in one clean, accessible place.
When you need self storage for your move, choose Freedom Storage Management. We offer several storage unit sizes and features to simplify the process. Keep all the contents of your two-bedroom apartment in a 10’ x 15’ unit or store your larger furniture in a 10’ x 10’ space. Dive into our unit size guide to learn more about our available units!
Conquer Moving as a First-Time Homeowner
Embrace moving to your first home with self storage from Freedom Storage Management. We’ll help you find the self storage facility that fits your needs and makes your moving experience easier. Learn how to organize your storage unit, choose the right unit size, or rent or reserve your unit online today!