The Ultimate Guide to Last Minute Moving: Things You Shouldn’t Forget

Everybody knows how hard moving can get. This is especially true if it has to be done on short notice. Whether it’s a financial issue that made you sell your home and move out quickly, a limited-time job offer abroad or just procrastinating that left you with not enough time to carefully plan and pack, last-minute moving can be a horror if not done right.

Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of items that people usually forget about when having to move promptly. This checklist will help you make sure you don’t forget anything that might make your move even more difficult than it has to be.

Get Help

When it comes to moving, reliable help can make all the difference. Whether it’s from good friends or professional moving companies, getting help packing your stuff, transporting, and organizing everything will make this experience much less tiring. 

That is why you shouldn’t wait until the last minute to seek assistance. Make sure you start looking for a moving company, hiring furniture movers, or hitting up friends to help you pack at least a month before the move. This will give you much more time to go apartment hunting and settle all other affairs.

Schedule a Moving Service

As soon as you know that you are moving, make sure to call a Removals or Man and Van company and schedule the date. If you’re dealing with a last-minute move, you might have to call several companies before you find an adequate one that meets your needs.

Make sure to have the movers over so they can give you a quote. You need to make sure you’ve found a good removalist company at least a week before the move.

Have The Necessary Packing Materials, Tools, and Equipment Ready

There are several essential items you will need to keep close as you prepare for your move. These can be used for up to a month before your move:

• Enough boxes of all sizes for all your household items.
• Working gloves
• Blankets/Fabrics for covering furniture etc.
• Marker pens or name tags.
• A roll of bubble wrap for breakables.
• Newspaper for fragile items.
• Packaging Tape.
• Stanley knife or scissors.

Having these packing supplies on hand before the moving process will make it much easier for you to get into the groove of packing and moving. Can you imagine having to stop midway to get some tape or more boxes? Yikes!

Have An Effective Packing System

It is very easy to get wound up in the chaos of a move, so your first step in moving is to make a list of everything that needs to be packed. It is also advised to jot down the importance of the items you are moving and declutter any items you won’t be taking with you. This way, you can make sure that rarely used items can be packed first while those used more often can be packed last.

When you start packing, make sure to number each box and keep a note of all the items packed into that particular box.  Another good idea is to give each room in your new house its own number then mark the boxes according to which room they will be placed in once you arrive at your new home. Also, write down the contents of each box. This way, you can easily track down which items are placed into which box.

Once you start packing up a room, finish it before moving to the next room. Pack all the items which can be classified as unnecessary first. These are the items you know for sure you will not be using until you arrive at your new house, and they can be packed up to a month in advance.

Use a variety of different sized boxes to pack your items. Small, lightweight items such as plastic containers and cutlery can be placed in bigger boxes, while books and other heavy objects should be placed in smaller boxes. When packing up fragile items such as mirrored furniture, make sure to wrap them in newspaper or bubble wrap. Moreover, for moving wood-burning stove and other hefty furniture, it is advisable that you wrap it with blankets or any clothing fabric to keep it protected throughout the move.

As the day of your move approaches, you will only need the bare essentials, a few changes of clothes, only enough cutleries for the family, and enough toiletries to last for a short time. Everything else should already be packed. This also means that you will only need to pack one or two boxes on the day of the move.

If you are in a rush and would rather focus on something else, using professional movers for their packing service is also ideal. In fact, most professional removal companies have a few tricks up their sleeves that can make any last minute removals project easy as pie! This includes the aforementioned packing and moving services, as well as unpacking services and even temporary storage services.

Give the Notice

Moving takes a huge toll on us, so even the most organized tend to get confused in all the chaos. But don’t let all the mess make you forget about one important thing you need to do: make sure you let your roommates or landlord know you will be moving.

In either case, they will need to look for a new tenant as fast as they can. Make sure you inspect your contract to see if and how you can terminate your lease, as they often include the numbers of days of notice you need to give.

Plan The Layout of Your New Home

There are a number of things to take into consideration when moving into your new home. How much space do I need? What will be my furnished or un-furnished living situation (i e., does it come with furniture)? In order for you answer these questions, we recommend using an interior design or floor planning software that can help plan out different layouts based off various sizes and types rooms available in homes today!

Find a New Home for Your Plants

Collection of various cactus and succulent plants in different pots. Potted cactus house plants on white shelf against a white wall.

If you don’t plan on taking your plants to your new home, you need to make sure you find them a new home. Ask your neighbours or your family to take in those plants they always admired.

If you plan on taking your plants with you, make sure to protect the pots from breaking. If you’re moving to a different state, make sure there are no regulations preventing you from importing some of your plants.

Clean the Old Home

You might be in a hurry, but giving your home at least a surface cleaning can be beneficial for several reasons. First and foremost, cleaning will give you a chance to see if you’ve left something behind. Second, it’s common courtesy. Make sure to fix any paint issues whilst cleaning; either wipe that red wine mark off the wall or give it a quick paint. 

Make sure to check the washer, dishwasher, and fridge to make sure nothing is left behind. If you’re renting a place, cleaning will also help you see if everything is in order so you can have your deposit back as soon as you can. It will come in handy during the move.

Floors are one of the first things people look at when assessing home cleanliness, specially if you are moving out of a unit with carpet floor. You may be tempted to save a couple of pounds by cleaning the carpets yourself but a trained technician is always the best route – do not think twice and hire a professional carpet cleaner.

Don’t forget your Windows; they require cleaning as well; if you are unable to do this yourself, I recommend hiring a commercial window cleaning company.

If you don’t have the time to handle this chore, consider hiring a reliable cleaning service to help out, as they specialize in quick cleanups and last-minute move-out assistance.

Give the Keys Back

If you are renting the apartment, there’s one last thing you need to remember, which is to give the keys back to your landlord. The same goes if you live with roommates, as they will likely need the keys. Once this is done, you can breathe easy and start a new chapter in your life. Check out this list of top 10 things you should find after relocating for a fresh start at your new place.