Moving on a Budget

Moving is an exciting time! Starting over and creating a new space for yourself is something to look forward to doing. But the process to get there isn’t. If you’ve got to do it, why not make it as efficient and wallet-friendly as possible? These tips will help kickstart your transition and get you moving on a budget.

• Take inventory and declutter.

  • Take a walk through each room, closet, and drawer and decide if you can part with various belongings. Are all of these items worth the time it will take you to pack and move them? If you have time to spare, gather these items, and put on a garage sale! You’ll offload a lot of things while giving them a second life and earning some extra cash! Just as equally, donating your items means less to transport, time saved, and less spent on gas money! 

• Save on packing materials.

  • Packing materials like boxes, packing tape, and bubble wrap or paper are essential. Still, you do not always have to dish out those last-minute bucks to purchase a ton of it. Ask around to your coworkers, Facebook Marketplace, your family, especially if you know anyone who has recently moved. Offer to take those boxes off their hands.
  • Use containers you may already have! Food storage containers, suitcases, laundry baskets are all items you likely already have. The more creative you get with items you already own, the less you’ll have to spend on boxes!
  • If you’re not having much luck, you can undoubtedly find boxes for low prices at many local retailers. Sites like Craigslist or community groups on Facebook may also turn up folks willing to hand over their boxes for no cost at all! 

• Avoid decorating before moving in.

  • The most fun about moving into a new space is making it your own. But avoid decorating before you’ve completely moved in! Waiting allows you to feel the space with your pieces in it, taking inventory of what you have room for after it’s all said and done.
    • Decide if your space fills out to your liking with your furniture. Are you able to wait a little longer before splurging on new items? 

• Measure rooms and access points.

  • (This one goes hand-in-hand with our previous tip!) Nothing is more frustrating than buying a new mattress or couch (or car!) that doesn’t fit your new space properly. Before you make new purchases (and after you’ve shopped for the best deal!), take measurements of all rooms and access points. Keep a running list and use it as a guide when buying new furniture. Your list will save you money, leaving you to purchase what you know will work, without the hassle of returns and exchanges.

• Plan your utilities carefully.

  • Thinking through when to transfer utilities will save you some cash. While setting up a new utility account, the timing can be crucial for your budget. Does it make sense to pay for utilities you aren’t moved in to use yet?

Determine your move-in date and when the utilities in your current home should end. Suppose staying with friends or family while you pack is an option. In that case, you may turn your utilities off earlier and work during the daylight hours.

• The experts at Apartment Guide have some more detailed advance when it comes to transferring your utilities! You can find those tips at the link above.

• Save on a moving team.

• • Round up friends and family for a couple of hours with large vehicles. The more cars carrying things at once, the fewer trips you make, the less you spend on gas. Paying your help at the very end may not take much at all, either – a tasty BBQ goes a long way! Fire up the grill and celebrate your new home!

Moving on a budget is entirely possible; your new home deserves the planning and care to ensure its success.