The stress that comes with moving is usually quite high especially when it was poorly planned. However, with proper planning and armed with some useful tips, it is possible for someone to have a smooth and stress free move. It is with these tips that you will be able to plan yourself accordingly and have a well organized move.

In this day and age where time is everything and people cannot afford to waste any of it, it is therefore important to make sure that you adequately plan your move in order to make things easy for you. Some of the most useful moving tips would involve different areas. To begin with carefully pack all your stuff accordingly. For the small and moveable items, it is best to have them packed in properly sealed boxes or totes. Try to fit all your items in fewer boxes if possible since this will mean less return trips to the house from the truck and you will be able to finish up with your move on a timely fashion.

It is important to plan ahead for long walks and tiny elevators. This will automatically means that you will have to cover a long distance with your furniture and boxes to your new apartment. It is also possible that the apartment you are moving into has a very small and cramped elevator. For this you can hire the services of about 3 men who will strategically place themselves with one bringing the stuff to the elevator another one loading them into the elevator while the third guy removes them from the elevator and takes them into your apartment.

Parking space is known to be quite hectic in some states. You should therefore make sure that you get a permit to park the moving company truck next to your apartment earlier on in the week especially when moving over the weekend. This is the time when a good number of people are off from work and each and every parking spot taken. It is important not to rely on the alley for parking since it is not the best and the right place to park.

Some states are known to have very old buildings with cramped staircases and doorways. Things have changed now and the furniture being made is much bigger and heavier than it was then. This will disrupt your move since the old buildings were not constructed with spacious and wide doorways to give an easy access into the building with your furniture. For such a situation planning ahead would involve you measuring your furniture against the doorway or staircase to determine whether it will fit or not. This will also help the movers to find other strategies to make sure all your things get to your apartment in one piece.

If you follow these simple but effective tips you will be able to have an easy and stress free move. It will be so simple you will not even get that fatigue usually experienced after a move.

1. Do your research.
   Touring the entire place to search for rental properties can be a daunting task but it can be very helpful for you. You can also surf the web to get more information about the houses or apartments within the city or town you’re moving to.
   
   
2. Inspect the property.
   Spend enough time investigating the area. When deciding to rent, see to it that you think of living in the place for long-term. It’s up to you if you want to take a home inspection service as long as you are able to check all the areas in the building for any damage. Other than the house, you may also need to check the neighborhood and the surrounding areas especially if you have kids.
   
   
3. Find a home that is within your budget.
   Before you decide on which home or apartment to rent, take time to do the math. Renting a house that’s way beyond your means can just damage your credit score. It’s simple to determine how much you can afford. Just get the sum total of all your monthly earnings and deduct all your expenses. The excess funds would tell you how much you should spend on renting.
   
   
4. Haggle about the price.
   Don’t immediately settle on the first price. Take a look at this way – the landowner needs you or else they wouldn’t have enough source of income. You should be able to negotiate with them especially if you’re planning to rent for a long time
   
   
5. Choose the home you can easily manage.
   While renting a big house can sound really great, you don’t want to choose the one which is too hard to manage. If you’re living alone or you only have a very small family, why not rent a home that is just enough for all of you? Too spacious houses can just add to the expenses. Imagine having to buy tons of cleaning supplies, décors, and other stuff you really don’t need.
   
   
6. Prepare the house before moving in.
   Take time to clean the house when it is still empty. Look for all areas that need repair and have them fixed before moving your belongings. You should inform your landlord regarding the problems you found out. It’s part of their responsibility to improve their facilities.
   
   
7. Use appliances with Energy Star labels.
   Energy bills constitute a big portion of your monthly expenses. If you’re using old appliances, it’s more likely that they consume too much electricity. Most of the new appliances sold in the market today are rated with Energy Star which means they are not just efficient but are cost-effective as well.
   
   
8. Read the contract. Read the fine lines of the contract. This will answer all possible questions you have in mind. When you know the rules, you’re not likely to have any problem when renting.
   
   
9. Know your rights and responsibilities.
   As a tenant, you have many rights and responsibilities. There are federal laws that cover tenant and landlord relation.
   
   
10. Choose your neighbors carefully.
    If you’re renting an apartment or a perhaps a dormitory, it is also important that you are comfortable with people around you. No matter how you avoid them, you will need to live with them and you will certainly be affected of the things they do.

Moving out on one’s own is a life changing event. It may be a student moving out of their home to go to college for the first time; or it may be because of the break up of a relationship but, whatever the reason, it will open a new chapter and mark the progression to the next stage in one’s life. With this in mind, one needs to plan meticulously for this moving experience to be successful and with as little stress as possible.

Consider downsizing. The most important tip to a successful solo move is that one needs to downsize. This simply means that you will have to go through all your possessions with a fine toothcomb and discard (or recycle) any items you really will not need any longer. This step must be done ruthlessly, as the consequence of not doing so will only mean that you will be unpacking things in your new home which you will have no place or use for; and you will then have to find a means of disposing of them in an unfamiliar area.

Sort out your clothing. When downsizing, clothing must be at the top of one’s list. Sort out all your clothing items into the following three piles: pack, donate or toss. The clothes you wear frequently should be packed. Clothes or footwear that are still in good condition but you have not worn during the last year should be put into the donate pile. The remaining items from your closet, which are generally items that have holes in them, will form the third pile. These items can be tossed.

Pack everything else. Take time to pack all the items that you are not using on a daily basis, such as pictures and photographs, ornaments, spare linens, duvets and blankets, kitchen utensils and the like a few days before your moving day. This will free up time to pack the things you need on a daily basis, such as personal hygiene items, a few items of clothing, your bed linens, a towel and some kitchen items, at the last minute. Remember to label these moving boxes carefully so that you can find them easily in your new home, unpack them and have all your basic necessities immediately available.

Hire movers. Hire a long distance moving company to move your furniture and heavy goods (like your fridge and stove). Since these items are expensive to replace, a moving company will ensure their safe arrival since they have the experience and equipment necessary.

Moving away from home is a huge step in any young person’s life. It is a mark of independence and show of adulthood; and a journey into the future. Young adults leave home for a variety of reasons, such as going away to college or finding a job.

Whatever the reason is for moving away from home, it is a very difficult and emotional time for all members of the family, especially for the young adult who is embarking on their own.  Fortunately, with some organization and planning, the move can be accomplished with a minimum of stress and problems.

The most important aspect is to have open communication, both through the transition period (when there will be lots of calls home for advice and help) and once things settle down. The best way to do this is to establish a routine where telephone calls are made by both parties at regular and set times. If you are really busy you can send emails or Skype so that you will be able to see each other when you chat.

Before you start calling long distance moving companies you will have to locate the right apartment or rental home.  If at all possible, you should visit the place you are moving to ahead of the actual move, preferably with your parents, in order to find the best place to live. You may want to also visit some real estate agents to get an idea of the prices of rental properties. The main points to weigh up when choosing your accommodation, after taking your budget into account, is how close it is to where you will be working or studying and the available transport options, cleanliness of the building and surrounding area and noise levels. If you will be sharing, meet with your flat or housemates to ensure that you will get along and to sort out details such as who pays for what.

When moving away, also remember to eat well and stay healthy. Make up a list of simple recipes for balanced and healthy foods which use the minimum of pots and pans and other equipment. Even if you cannot cook, you can open packets and cans and boil up some pasta to make something nutritious to eat. Mom can even make simple shopping lists of basic foods which are used in most meals, so that the cupboard is never bare.

The problem with small moving jobs is that many moving companies don’t want to move a few things. This is because the small profit that they make is simply not worth their time. However, there are some moving companies that specialize in smaller moves. Here are some questions to ask before you start working together.

Have you done many small moves have you worked on? Ask them specifics about moving services they offer such as smaller moves. Also, be sure to check their Better Business Bureau rating and references.

What vehicle or moving van will you use? Since you have a smaller move, you will only need a small vehicle or moving van. Ask your potential mover about what type of vehicle they use and whether your items will be placed on a van with another moving job.

What type of insurance and licenses do you have? Avoid doing business with a moving company who does offer you insurance or have proper licenses.

What extra services do you offer? The mover should wrap your furniture, load it into their van, and deliver it to your new home. For an extra charge they can do all of the packing and unpacking.

Small moves are not the easiest things to arrange. Be sure to conduct your research, shop around and ask a lot of questions before you decide what is best for you.

Congratulations on your decision to move! When moving, choosing the correct roommate is a very important task that will affect your happiness in your new apartment of house. There are a number of things that you need to know about your roommate before you can make a decision on whether to share accommodation with him or not. Do not be shy of asking, it is best for both of you to sit down and get to know if sharing would be comfortable.

Listed below are the most important answers you need to get.

1. How will the bills be split?
The usual practice is to split utility and telephone bills equally. However, your roommate may want to keep a separate telephone, or not use it at all if he has a cell phone. Ask before moving day in order to avoid confusion.

2. Smoking, drinking and drug use.
Ask your roommate about his position on the use of these substances. Usually if both or neither one of you smokes or drinks, there won’t be a problem. But if only one of you does, then you may not be comfortable with each other as well as the people that they invite over.

3. Visitors, girlfriends and boyfriends.
If you get irritated by having a lot of visitors, it may be very hard to live with a roommate who invites a dozen friends over for a get together or group activity. You may want to set visiting rules such as certain hours to solve the problem.

4. Work hours.
Choose your roommate according to your work hour preference. You may want a roommate that has the same schedule as you, or you two may want to stay out of each other’s way by having alternate timings. It usually depends on how much you like your roommate.

5. Pets.
Inform your roommate if you have a pet and if he is OK with it or not. Also ask him if he would keep a pet or not. A surprising amount of disagreements later arise because of pets.

6. Diseases, allergies and emotional control.
It’s very important that you know of your roommate’s medical profile and emotional stability. You may not feel comfortable living with a person who gets diseases frequently. If your roommate has allergies, you both will have to take precautions and live more carefully. Information on your roommate’s emotional stability is also important. It is virtually impossible to live with someone with a sharp temper or who spends most of his time depressed.

7. Personal beliefs.
Personal topics like religion, sexuality and other such sensitive issues are also important to discuss. You won’t live with someone who objects or conflicts with your practices and actions.

8. Annoying habits.
Both of you should know the things that annoy the other person, and determine whether you can avoid them. Your roommate may not like loud music, and you may not like him watching TV at a full volume. Make a list of things that annoys both of you and whether you are willing to give up the habits.

If your future roommate and you are happy with the answers to these important questions, then it’s time to start locating a moving company. After that both of you will likely have a comfortable and enjoyable sharing accommodation.