The Moving Quickly Checklist

There are many reasons why you may have to move quickly. Maybe there’s a career opportunity out of state that requires a quick set up, or perhaps the house sold faster than you may have realized would happen. Whatever the reasons for a fast move, it can make you feel unorganized, stressed and not knowing where to begin.

If you are looking to move quickly, see below for some great tips on how to pack, finance and get out the door as fast as possible with less of a headache.

Secure your new housing quickly. Out with the old, and in with the new is the priority on a quick move. If you are unsure where to look, have a real estate agent scope out some potential neighborhoods in your new city and start finding homes as quickly as possible. Traditional mortgages can take several months to secure financing for a house and will require paperwork you don’t have time to gather. Consider a hard money lender who can get you a bridge loan quickly for a down payment on a new home without the hassle. You can pay off the loan within a short amount of time as soon as your previous home sells.

Get rid of anything unnecessary. The less to move, the less time involved in packing and unpacking in your new location. Make three piles when sorting through possessions, such as “keep,” “store” and “trash.” This will help you quickly determine what needs packing, and what can be put into storage, sold or thrown away before the move. You would be surprised at how easy it is to let things go when you are trying to move!

Bring in the reinforcements. Now is not the time to be shy about asking for help. Friends, family and neighbors are usually more than willing to pitch in when you need to get the house packed up quickly. If you can’t gather up enough help there, call in the professionals. There are businesses everywhere that offer services to help organize, pack or clean up after making a mess. Don’t try to do everything alone, and you can be more efficient.

Buy your boxes. You may think it’s more prudent to locate used boxes from a grocery store or another source, but this only works for moves with more time. If you need to pack quickly, it’s best to purchase packing supplies that are specific to moving. They will be sturdier, come in a variety of sizes and shapes and readily available for when you need to begin the packing process.

Prepare for larger items to be moved. If you have a second car or large appliances that are coming with you on the move, remember to count for these things needing special preparations. Make arrangements for these items first, or let a professional mover take care of them. That way you can focus on the smaller treasures you are taking with you and can pack things as carefully as you want.