Quick Tip: Deciding what to Move

By Jeff Walker

Moving is a time consuming process, so the quicker you can get started, the better off you will be when it’s time for your mover to perform the actual move.  Getting organized is the first step in the process and can save you headaches down the road.  Whether you have hired a moving company to come in and pack your household goods or are packing and loading your truck yourself, you’ll need to make some critical decisions.

Cost seems to be the number one factor in determining whether a consumer hires a mover or performs the move themselves, and determining whether or not you can afford a mover may come down to what you plan to haul.  The first critical decision is “what am I going to move, and what am I willing to part with?”, and may greatly affect the outcome of the first question, whether to hire a mover, or do it yourself.  Pick a room in your house, any room, and look at the items inside.  Make a list and decide what you want to move, and what items you may be willing to get rid of to lighten your load.  Go to the next room and do the same thing until you’ve been through all the rooms in your house and decided on what items you will actually move.  Don’t forget any sheds you may have, your garage and that closet under the stairwell you never open!

Ask yourself a few questions:

1. Have I used this in the last year?
2. How likely am I to use this again anytime soon?
3. Is our furniture going to match our new home?  If not, are we willing to part with it?
4. How much value does this item have?
5. How much sentimental value does this item have?
6. How expensive would it be to replace this item after the move?
7. How long have I had this item?  Would it be worth it to replace it after the move?
8. How useful will this item be at our new home?
9. Does it make sense to move this item?
10. Do I need this item?

In taking the time to sort out what “goes” and what “stays” you’ll be much better prepared to take the next step in packing your items and much more organized in going about your move.  Also, taking the time to figure out what you don’t actually need can cut down some of the cost of your move as well.  If you decided not to take the living room furniture, for example, you’ve just cut out a considerable amount of weight from your move, thereby reducing your costs.  Little items, while they don’t seem like much, can add up quickly, again lessening the weight of your load.

Make sure you take the time to figure out if you will need to replace the items on the other end of your move, and whether or not that replacement is worth it to you.  While you may save a few hundred dollars in not loading that living room couch, it will probably cost you triple that amount on the other side.  On the other hand, if you planned on buying new furniture for your new home because of a change in decor, then you’re on the right track.

Moving takes a lot of effort and is time consuming, but if you take the time up front to get organized and make the tough decisions ahead of time, the rest of your move will be a lot easier.