Back to the Information Center

Making Your Move

A Comprehensive Guide to Moving into Your New Big Sky Builders Home

Woman moving boxes

Moving into your new custom home is an exciting milestone, marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. The moving process can be overwhelming and stressful, but with proper planning and organization, it can be a smooth and enjoyable experience. This comprehensive guide provides helpful tips and advice on how to make your move as stress-free and efficient as possible.

Start Early and Plan Ahead

The key to a successful move is to start planning early. Create a timeline and checklist of tasks to complete before moving day. This should include organizing and decluttering your belongings, researching and hiring a reputable moving company or renting a moving truck, gathering packing supplies, and notifying important parties of your move.

Organize and Declutter

Before you start packing, go through your belongings and decide what to keep, donate, or discard. This not only helps to reduce the amount of items you need to move but also helps to create a fresh start in your new home.

Packing Tips

  • Start early: Begin packing as soon as you know you’re moving to give yourself plenty of time to organize and pack everything carefully.
  • Declutter first: Before you start packing, go through your belongings and decide what to keep, donate, or discard. This will make the packing process easier and help reduce the amount of stuff you need to move.
  • Gather packing supplies: Collect boxes, packing tape, bubble wrap, packing paper, and markers for labeling. Consider using specialty boxes for fragile items or wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes.
  • Pack room by room: Focus on packing one room at a time, which will make it easier to stay organized and ensure you don’t miss anything important.
  • Label boxes clearly: Write the contents of each box on the outside, along with the room it belongs to in your new home. Consider using a color-coding system for easier identification.
  • Pack heavier items in smaller boxes: This will make the boxes easier to carry and reduce the risk of injury during the move.
  • Use clothing, towels, and linens as padding: Use soft items like clothes, towels, and linens to wrap fragile items or fill empty spaces in boxes to prevent items from shifting during transport.
  • Keep essentials handy: Pack a separate box or bag with essentials you’ll need during the first few days in your new home, such as toiletries, a change of clothes, medications, and important documents.
  • Take photos of electronics: Before disconnecting electronic devices, take photos of the wiring setup to make it easier to reconnect them in your new home.
  • Protect furniture and mattresses: Use furniture pads, blankets, or plastic covers to protect your furniture and mattresses from damage during the move.
  • Disassemble larger items: Take apart larger furniture items, such as beds and tables, to save space and make them easier to transport. Keep all hardware and screws in labeled bags, and tape them to the furniture pieces.
  • Pack a moving day essentials box: Prepare a separate box with essentials for moving day, such as tools, cleaning supplies, trash bags, and snacks to keep your energy up.
  • Keep valuables and important documents with you: Carry valuable items like jewelry, passports, and birth certificates with you during the move to ensure their safety.
  • Load the moving truck strategically: Load heavier items first and distribute the weight evenly throughout the truck. Place fragile items on top and secure everything with straps or bungee cords to prevent shifting during transit.

Notify Important Parties

Before moving, make sure to notify important parties such as your employer, bank, insurance company, and healthcare providers of your change of address. You can also complete a Change of Address form with the United States Postal Service to ensure your mail is forwarded to your new home.

Utility Companies

To ensure a seamless transition, you’ll need to close accounts with your current utility companies and set up new accounts in your new home. Contact information for utility companies in the Bitterroot Valley area is as follows:

Moving Day

On moving day, make sure to have a plan in place for loading and unloading your belongings. Designate specific areas in your new home for each room’s contents, and ensure that your movers or helpers are aware of your plan. Keep important documents, valuables, and your essentials box with you during the move.

Don’t Forget:

When moving from one home to another, there are several tasks that people often forget or overlook. Some of these tasks include:

  • Updating your address with various entities:
    • Bank
    • Insurance companies
    • Healthcare providers
    • Credit card companies
    • All subscription services
    • Update your driver’s license
    • Vehicle registration.
  • Transferring or canceling memberships and subscriptions: Notify gyms, clubs, and organizations of your move and transfer or cancel memberships as needed. Update your address for magazine and newspaper subscriptions as well.
  • Returning borrowed items: Make sure to return any borrowed items, such as library books, tools, or dishes, to their respective owners before moving.
  • Collecting personal items: Retrieve any personal items you may have left with others, such as clothing, sports equipment, or dishes.
  • Arranging for childcare and pet care: During the move, it can be helpful to have someone take care of your children and pets, allowing you to focus on the move without distractions.
  • Packing a “first-night” box: Pack a box with essentials you’ll need for the first night in your new home, such as toiletries, a change of clothes, medications, important documents, and chargers for your electronic devices.
  • Creating an inventory: Make a detailed inventory of your belongings before packing, especially valuable items. This can be helpful for insurance purposes and can also help you keep track of your possessions during the move.
  • Forwarding mail: Set up mail forwarding with the United States Postal Service to ensure you receive mail sent to your old address.
  • Cleaning your old home: After moving out, give your old home a thorough cleaning or hire a professional cleaning service to ensure it’s ready for the new occupants.

 

Conclusion

Moving into your new custom home should be a joyous and memorable occasion. By planning ahead, staying organized, and following these helpful tips, you can make the moving process as stress-free and enjoyable as possible. Soon, you’ll be settled into your beautiful new home, ready to create lasting memories with family and friends.

Have Questions?

Get In Touch!