Home Moving Guide - 5 Tips for a Smooth Move

You can't talk about real estate without talking about moving. After all, the process of buying or selling a home goes hand-in-hand with moving into or out of the home. While few people look forward to a moving process, there are some things you can do to make the process easier. Here are five moving tips to help make your next move as smooth as possible:

1. Round Up Your Materials

There's nothing worse than getting "knee deep" into the moving process, only to realize you forgot something and have to run out to the store. Simply by making a list of moving materials in advance, you can save yourself time and hassle later on.

Of course, if you are paying the moving company to pack your items for you, then you can forego the shopping list. That's one of the benefits of the full-service approach to home moving. But if you want to save some money by packing yourself, you'll need to round up the right supplies for the job.

Here's a shopping list for you:

• Boxes *
• A sturdy pair of scissors
• A couple rolls of packing tape
• Black markers for labeling
• Newspaper or packing paper for cushioning
• Moving blankets (for expensive items, mirrors, furniture, etc.)
• Maybe even some plastic storage bins (i.e. Rubbermaid)

* There's a good chance you can score some boxes from your local supermarket, if you ask the manager on duty. This works most of the time. You can also purchase boxes from your nearest U-haul rental place, or buy them in bulk online.

2. Back Up Computer Files

Before you start disconnecting your computer and preparing it for transport, it's a good idea to back up all of your files. After all, could you imagine losing all of your documents, photos and other computer files? If your hard drive were to get damaged during the move, and you didn't have a backup, that's exactly what would happen.

Fortunately, this is a scenario that's easy to avoid. These days, there is a dizzying array of computer-backup products available. Thumb drives, zip drives, flash drives and more. Regardless of whether you have a Mac or a PC, there's a product out there that will help you back up your entire hard drive, quickly and easily. It's money well spent, and it will give you peace of mind during your move.

3. Lighten Your Load

As early as possible in the moving process, you should start purging the items you don't need. A garage sale / yard sale is a great way to do this. By getting rid of unwanted clothing, furniture and knickknacks, you benefit in two ways. First of all, you'll save money because the moving company won't have as much to move. Secondly, you'll make the packing process quicker and easier. You might even make some money in the process!

Of course, if you prefer to donate your unwanted items to charity, you can do that as well. Your local Goodwill or Salvation Army will be happy to accept old furniture, clothing, and just about anything else you might need to purge. But before loading up your car and heading to the drop-off location, visit their website to find out what they do and don't accept.

4. Label Your Boxes

This is one of the easiest things you can do to save yourself time and headache during a move, but you'd be surprised how many people forget to do it. By labeling your boxes when packing up, you will have a much easier time unpacking.

When you bring the boxes into the new home, you'll know exactly where to put them because they will be labeled with contents and room. For example: "Pots and Pans - Kitchen." This will prevent you from dragging boxes from room to room, saving both time and energy.

5. Choose a Reputable Mover

Perhaps the best moving tip we can give you is to choose a mover with a good reputation. All of the reputable moving companies participate in the Better Business Bureau program, so you should be able to check them out on your local BBB website. If a mover does not participate in the BBB program, it's probably best to avoid them altogether.

You can also ask for a list of references from past clients, or search the mover's website for such information. Remember, this company is going to load up all of your earthly possessions and move them from one place to another. You will be putting a lot of trust in your chosen mover, so it's worthwhile to do a little homework before choosing.