Moving from one apartment to another can be easier than a house in some ways, but there are also some unique challenges that you have to consider. 

Today, we’re going to go over an apartment moving checklist to make sure your upcoming relocation goes as smoothly as possible. 

Let’s get started. 

 

1: Start Packing Early

 

This is a tip that needs to be on every moving checklist. If you wait until the last minute, you’re going to have a rough time getting it all done without getting overwhelmed. 

In any moving situation, it is best to start the earliest phases of the move at least a month ahead of time. It’s even better to start earlier than that and try to sell junk that you might want to entertain the idea of junk removal from the place you’re leaving. It will help offset moving costs a bit, and if it doesn’t sell, you were going to toss it, anyway. 

Otherwise, packing early allows you to take your time and do it without stressing out. 

 

2: Give Notice

 

An apartment isn’t like a home. You can’t just get up and move in the middle of the night without consequences. When you know you’re going to move, give the landlord notice.

This does two things. 

First, it gives the landlord a little time to start preparing a listing for the apartment. Whenever an apartment is left vacant, the landlord loses money, and no one wants to deal with that. 

For you, it leaves you on good terms with the landlord, gives them the opportunity to make your move smoother, and if you ever end up wanting to come back, they’ll remember the favor. Of course, this is dependent on you being a good tenant during your time there. It won’t mean too much if you destroy the place during your stay. 

In any case, it’s the right thing to do, it’s sometimes required, and assuming you didn’t damage it, this is your time to get your security deposit back. 

 

3: Talk to Any Service Providers You Use

 

Most apartments require you to pay for something on your own. Utilities and internet are common expenses, and we’ll use those as examples. 

Make sure you call the provider for your utility bill and internet bill, and tell them that you’ll be leaving the apartment on your move date. This ensures that those services will be cut at the right time to stop your payment period, but you’ll still have those services while you’re there.

You don’t want to wait until the day of the move, because it might take time for them to cut off service. Besides, you also have a lot of other things to consider on a moving day.

 

4: Get Your New Address on the Books

 

You’re moving to a new residential address. Unless you want all your important mail and packages getting shipped to your old apartment, you’ll want to call all the services that send you mail and let them know where you’re going to be from now on. 

This can be a major issue for anyone who moves. So, it’s a good idea to get it figured out a little early and leave time to get mistakes fixed before you’re settled in. 

Also, don’t forget to go through your various shopping apps and change your address once you have the new apartment leased and ready to go. It’s easy to forget that detail and accidentally send packages to your old address. 

 

5: Choose the Right Time of Year to Move

 

The next point on our apartment moving checklist should be done when you first start thinking about moving. Some seasons are better for moving than others. Moving companies tend to be overbooked in the summer since most people are buying homes during that period and moving, and in the winter, they tend to be less active. 

This affects how likely you are to get your optimal moving date, and it can sometimes affect the rates you get. Try to choose a time that’s optimal for you and your needs, but also aligns with an easier season to move in. 

 

6: Hire a Mover Ahead of Time

 

You don’t hire a mover on the day of the move. You have to reach out at least a couple of weeks in advance.

The more notice you give before your move, the easier it is to fit you into the schedule on the exact date you need, and the mover can block off that time to serve you before anyone else can book it.

This also lets the moving team plan ahead, and you can enjoy a smoother experience in general.

Don’t try to book it too far in advance, though. A month or two ahead of time is great. 

 

7: Secure Parking Permits for You and the Movers

 

If your current apartment or the one you’re moving to requires a parking permit, make sure you acquire a permit for both you and the moving company.

The last thing you want to do is start your life in a new home with an immediate parking fine or getting either party towed. 

 

8: Address Any Pet Issues

 

If you have a pet now, make sure your pet’s going to be able to come with you, or if you need to file special paperwork to bring your pet in.

Not every apartment lets you have pets, and some make you document that the pet will be there and pay a pet fee. You don’t want to show up and be told that Fido has to find a new home. 

 

9: Turn in Your Keys

 

If your apartment requires you to turn in your keys when you move, make sure you stop by the management team’s office and drop them off on your way out. It’ll save you a trip later, and it’s the last thing you should have to worry about before you move into your new place. 

 

Hire the Right Moving Company

 

Some of the things on our apartment moving checklist will apply to you, and some of it won’t. Regardless, you need a high-quality moving company to make the process go smoothly. Bantu Mover can get you out of your apartment and into your new home in record time. Call Bantu Mover today, and start moving worry-free.

Usually, when you’re relocating your business office, it’s an exciting time. You’re upgrading your space to expand the scope of your business, or you’re relocating to a new area that is ripe with opportunities. 

Well, the Texas area has seen a boom in commercial and business-oriented development, and we know a lot of you might be moving here to get those benefits. 

How do you do it, though? 

Here’s an office moving checklist to help you navigate this exciting, but stressful, time.

 

1: Understand the Scope of Your Move

 

First and foremost, you need to understand the scope of your move. Are you relocating your office locally to enjoy a bigger space, or are you moving into the area from several states away to target a new demographic of clients? That matters.

A long-distance move is far more resource-intensive and stressful, and you’ll have to navigate those difficulties with a bit more planning and resource management.

Of course, all the tips on our office moving checklist will serve you well regardless. You’ll just need to implement them more extensively during a big move. 

 

2: Budget

 

Moving isn’t cheap. You can leverage a variety of strategies to lower the cost of moving, but you’re going to spend a pretty penny regardless. 

An office move has some extra costs to consider.

Primarily, a lot of larger furniture items and fragile items like computers will need to be moved, and they require considerable space and packing material to move them safely. This is a lot different than totes of toys, knickknacks, and clothing like a normal move. 

Research the average cost of moving an office the size of yours, and use that to create a budget for the move. 

We recommend making a budget that allows for a bit of breathing room. Many marketing campaigns will undermine the costs slightly to make it seem cheaper, and you want to make sure you’re properly funding the move to avoid surprises. 

 

3: Contact a Moving Team and Book a Date

 

You likely have a moving day in mind, but unfortunately, it’s not always possible for moving companies to book you for your intended day. 

It’s best to work on planning your moving date while contacting your preferred office mover. 

Start by having a range of dates you’re willing to work with. To keep it simple, pick a moving week. If that’s not possible, find every day in your schedule that you can afford to move on, and write those dates down. 

Then, research a variety of moving companies and determine which one is the best choice according to price, quality of service, and service features. 

Once you know who you want to work with, reach out, give them the dates you have, and see if they can work with that.

Not only does this give the moving company more room to work you into the schedule instead of just telling you “no”, but it might also give you a little negotiating room because you’re being considerate of the moving company’s needs. It’s an “I itch your back and you itch mine” type of situation. 

Now, you’ll have your moving day planned and officially booked assuming you commit to the offer.

 

4: Lighten Your Load

 

Next, you’ll want to lighten your load. Moving companies don’t work on flat rates for every move; you typically pay according to the size of your move and any additional services you choose.

If you can cut down the size of your moving load, you can dramatically lower your moving costs, the time requirements of the move, and the amount of stuff you have to deal with once you’re in your new location. 

The best way to do this is to take a good look at everything in the office, and then start determining what isn’t necessary. Do you have tons of boxes of paperwork you don’t need? 

Maybe you’ve held onto a bunch of old office equipment “just in case” but never actually used it. Try to get rid of that stuff before the move. It’s not necessary, it will increase your moving costs, and it lead to you unloading a ton of stuff that you don’t even plan to use.

To simplify this process, you can always use junk removal services if you need help with clearing out your space. Not only will this make the move more efficient, but it will also help you start fresh in your new office with only the essentials.

 

5: Insure the Move

 

This is maybe the most important step in our office moving checklist.

You always want to buy insurance for an office move.

You have thousands of dollars of equipment and non-replaceable items in your office building. While a high-quality mover does their best, you can’t fully rule out car accidents affecting the moving truck, items being left behind, bad weather creating horrible driving conditions, etc. 

Spend the extra money, pay for moving insurance, and rest easy knowing that you’ll be compensated if a catastrophe occurs.

Hopefully, you’ll finish the move and feel like you wasted money because if you finish the move and realize fourteen computers are destroyed after an accident, and you didn’t pay for insurance, it’s a lot worse.

 

6: Work with Your Staff

 

When a family moves, everyone’s typically on board, and they have the same opinions. They’re going on the same journey. When you’re moving an office building that people rely on to support their own families, it gets complicated. 

Take time throughout the entire process to see what each staff member expects, what their preferences are, if they need another option or an “out” that doesn’t affect their future, etc. 

Don’t simply call a moving company, tell all your employees on a moving day that their livelihood is being uprooted, and then expect them to personally haul all their office materials to the new location. It’s bad for business and can spoil the event. 

A great way to do this is to make a moving committee at the beginning of the process. Get employees involved, or choose a couple of employees as representatives, and get them involved. It will make it all a lot smoother.

 

Book Your Office Relocation with Bantu Mover Today

 

After reading our office moving checklist, you are probably ready for the final step: finding the best moving company to ensure a smooth and efficient relocation.

Your office and everything in it is crucial for your business’s survival. When you plan to move your office, Bantu Mover has got you covered with the highest quality moving and packing services available. 

Book your moving date with Bantu Mover today!

Moving to a new home is both an exciting and stressful time. You’re leaving your comfort zone and an area you know well for something entirely new. This is also becoming a lot more common due to changes in the job market, cost of living having a more noticeable impact on one’s quality of life, and various other reasons. 

However, the cost of moving can be prohibitive, too. It’s not as easy as loading up a car and driving off to your new home, and many movers end up finding that out the hard way when they pay a few thousand extra dollars just to move somewhere. 

Today, we’re going to help you avoid those unseen costs or at least mitigate them.

Here are some tips for moving on a budget effectively!

 

1: Choose the Right Time to Move

 

The timing of your move has a lot to do with how much it costs. Certain periods are a lot busier for moving companies, and you end up paying more since they’re stretching themselves thin to serve everybody. 

One of the best ways to get lower prices for a moving service is to time your move for the colder seasons. Everyone wants to move when it’s warm, sunny, and comfortable, but if you wait until winter moving companies are more likely to give you a discount. 

This isn’t an issue, either. Yes, it’s a little less comfortable, but moving companies are typically going through a slow period, and they need the business. So, you get a lower rate, and the business gets much-needed work until things pick up. 

You might also be able to get better deals during weekdays. Again, fewer people want to pause their normal work week to move, and most schedule their move for the weekend. This isn’t as reliable as waiting until the slow season, though. 

 

2: Minimize What You’re Taking

 

If you’re moving on a budget you have to be aware of one thing – the more you have to move, the more it will cost to do so. While you don’t need to liquidate your entire home, it does help if you can declutter a bit and get rid of things you’re not really going to need before you move.

You might even have some things you can sell and help offset the moving expenses.

This is something you’ll want to do months in advance to give you plenty of time to sell unwanted items of value and sort through the stuff you’re simply going to throw away without rushing. 

 

3: Travel Smart

 

Relocating on a budget doesn’t just mean budgeting your costs for moving your stuff. You also need to budget how much you’re spending on maintaining your needs. 

While you might not think about it, your normal costs such as food, gas, and other things go up while you’re traveling. 

When you’re transporting your family to meet up with the moving trucks, try to make budget-conscious decisions such as packing sandwiches, having your drinks and snacks in the car with you, minimizing detours, etc. 

 

4: Make Use of Free Materials

 

You’re going to need a lot of materials when you move. Boxes, bags, tape, filling materials, bubble wrap, and more. Usually, some movers offer packing services, but if you’re operating on a budget, that’s not really something you’re considering.

So as an alternative, for a few months before your move, start hoarding those items as much as you can. Save your Amazon boxes and package filling, stow away your newspapers to use as box stuffing, buy a roll of masking tape here and there, etc. 

If you go to buy all your materials when you start packing, it can cost between $100 and $250 on average. Just taking advantage of things in your daily life for a couple of months can give you a good stockpile of those items for free, and then you can buy a lot less. 

Also, try to ask your friends and family to put those items back for you instead of throwing them away. Usually, they’ll be willing to do so, and you’ll save a lot of money. 

 

5: Give the Movers Some Flexibility

 

Moving services typically aren’t rigid in their prices. You can negotiate a great deal. However, like any good negotiation, everything goes both ways. You can’t just demand lower prices and immediate service. 

The best way to give the company something valuable is to let them pick the date that they move you. 

If you have a couple of weeks to get moved in, offer them their choice of moving date in exchange for a better price. This takes a huge load off their shoulders, and they can typically cut a little off the top of your bill for the convenience you’ve offered them. 

 

6: Compare Mover Prices

 

Don’t just search Google and pick the first moving service you find. Pick a few movers with great reviews, and then compare their prices. If you can find a mover that does a great job at a competitive price, you’ll shrink your overall moving costs dramatically. 

However, it’s also important to not just choose the cheapest service. Like most services, you want to choose a mover that offers a lot of value for what they’re charging. It doesn’t help to hire a cheap mover if they don’t do a good job.

Cheap movers are often associated with breaking things, careless approach to brittle objects, and cutting corners while doing their job. On the other hand, there are some reasonably priced movers that offer additional services such as junk removal services, which can be quite useful in certain cases.

Nevertheless, explore your options and choose the option that best fits your needs and monetary capabilities.

 

7: Time Your Move Around Your Bills

 

You won’t necessarily save money with this last tip, but you will get more of what you paid for. 

Most of the time, your service providers aren’t going to refund you any money just because you stop using their services before the end of your billing cycle. Think of your internet bill, rent, and other recurring bills you’ve been paying for years. 

If you leave halfway through the month, you’ll still be held responsible for the full month’s payment. 

Try to time your move to minimize that. That way, you’re not wasting a bunch of money on something you’re not even going to be using anymore. 

 

Choose Bantu Mover for Lower Moving Costs in the Houston Metro Area

 

If you’re moving on a budget and still unsure which moving company in Houston to go with – you’re not to worry.

Bantu Mover will help you reduce your moving costs without sacrificing any quality or service.

Contact us today for a free quote and premium service at a reasonable price.