Tips & Guides / Moving Guides

5 Apartment Moving Tips for a Stress-Free Process

By Landing | Aug 9, 2020
Moving apartments and packing up a car

If you were to poll most Americans, moving would probably make their top three list of least favorite activities. But going from an old spot to a new one isn’t really the problem, it’s the whole process of getting there that fills people with dread.

It’s the excruciating task of finding a new place, going through the apartment application process, packing up all of your things, and then practically begging your friends or family to help you move that’s unpleasant. It’s the call you have to make to your one friend who has a truck. It’s the pulled backs because you packed way too much stuff into a cumbersome box. It’s the arguments over your furniture that originally fit going in but somehow no longer does going out.

Let’s face it, moving sucks.

But it doesn’t always have to, especially when you’re moving into furnished apartments. If you follow this apartment moving advice, you can take much of the pain and stress out of your moving day, whether you’re heading for furnished apartments in Atlanta or Denver.

1. Embrace early-stage planning

To move the right way, it’s important that you begin strategizing early on rather than waiting until the last minute. Steps to take in the early phases include:

  • Turning in your moving notice – To get the ball rolling, tell your landlord or apartment office that you won’t be renewing your lease. This will help them prepare to fill the vacancy for a new renter. Ideally, your notice should be turned in 30 to 90 days before the date you plan to move out. Doing so will prevent confusion, auto-renewals, or late charges. It’s best to not rely on the idea of getting out of an apartment lease early free of charge, however, under certain circumstances it is possible.
  • Alerting your utility company – Similarly, it’s important that you notify your utility companies that you’ll either be canceling services or transferring them to a new spot. Most companies will allow you to do this far ahead of time. It’ll prevent you from being double charged by mistake.
  • Starting spring cleaning – Before you pack, look for things you don’t use that could either be donated or tossed in the trash. The less stuff you have to move, the better. Although it may be hard to let some belongings go, if you don’t use it, lose it.
  • Gathering packing supplies – Begin gathering all of the packing materials and supplies you need early on. Stick with similar sized boxes to simplify the loading and unloading process, particularly if you’re using a moving truck.

Should you wait until the last minute to handle all of these things, you’ll only add to the confusion and frustration.

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2. Search for your new spot

Selecting a new place to live can be one of the hardest and most frustrating parts of the move. Even if you’re simply moving across town, there are dozens of factors to consider with any change of scenery, including:

  • Price of rent and utilities
  • Proximity to work
  • Walkability
  • Parking
  • Safety of the area
  • Access to amenities and services
  • Size, style, and quality of the apartment/house
  • The city itself

It’s best if you can tour the apartment and walk through the neighborhood to get a feel for what residence life may be like.

The trouble with finding a new place is that you typically don’t have the option to lock down a new apartmental rental 90 days in advance. The moment a lease ends and a space opens up, complexes and realtors are trying to fill them up. You gotta be quick. Most will want you to immediately start the lease signing process and then move within the month. So you’ll likely need to send in your moving notice before you’ve settled on a new space.

The process becomes even more difficult when you move to a new, unfamiliar city. Although you could use virtual tours, it’s better if you can visit the area in person. Or, consider a short-term rental until you have a better grasp of the area, and where you’d like to live.

As you do prepare for this lengthy process, take the following steps when exploring all types of apartments:

  • Set a budget range – Crank out the numbers and set a budget—with a range that includes both ideal and maximum—so that you won’t get suckered into an apartment that exceeds your financial means.
  • Pricing fluctuates according to season – Peak months such as summertime will always be more expensive to move in. According to one study:

Peak-to-trough (most expensive month versus least expensive month) differences are between 2.0% to 4.7% for 1-bedroom apartments and 1.6% to 7.1% for 2-bedroom apartments across the top 10 metropolitan areas. The dollar savings (depending on city and apartment size) can be anywhere between $38 and $139 per month (for 1-bedroom apartments) and $47 and $176 for 2-bedroom apartments.

Although there are more rooms available, there’s also increased competition. If you have the flexibility, it’s much cheaper to search for apartments during the winter months when people are less inclined to brave the elements or switch spots.

  • Stay organized – When you see a bunch of apartments, they can all blend into one. It’s much easier to create a spreadsheet that contains, all of the information including:
    • Pros and cons
    • Pictures
    • Amenities
    • Rental rates
    • Utility costs
    • Security deposit
    • Contact info

All of this will save you time and prevent confusion.

3. Figure out how you’ll move

It’s not only important to decide where you’ll move, but you also must consider how you’ll do it. Typically, you have one of two options—do it yourself, or hire movers.

Doing it yourself

If you plan on moving on your own, you’ll save some money but it’ll take longer and be more frustrating. Ideally, enlist the help of friends or family to aid you, seeing as most things (furniture especially) require at least two people to carry them. From there, you’ll have to consider how you’ll transport your things. For that your options are:

  • Moving truck or van – Probably your best option, a 10’ to 15’ truck can hold an entire single bedroom apartment’s worth of items, including mattress and furniture. According to Move.org, the average cost of a mid-sized mover is $40-$80 per day and 59¢-$1 per mile driven.
  • Friend’s vehicle – If you have a friend with a truck or a large vehicle such as an Excursion, consider bribing them with dinner in exchange for lending their car. While this is a cheaper route, it’s not necessarily easier. It’ll likely require multiple trips from your old place to your new one.
  • Moving containers – Another option is to pack up all of your belongings into moving containers, which will then get picked up and transported to your new apartment.
  • Hiring movers – If it’s in the budget, this can take a huge amount of stress out of any relocation. There are a range of movers you can get, whether it’s services that pack and unpack all of your items or those that simply move your larger items.

4. Pack smart

Don’t simply throw your things randomly into boxes and just start moving. Pack smart.

When you do your prep work and organize, you can ensure that the process will be less stressful. Steps to take include:

  • Creating an inventory – Keep track of what you put and where you put it. Valuable and fragile items should be given special attention and care when it comes to how you pack them and where you keep them. Either make a list or label each storage box.
  • Keeping Items in Boxes – As mentioned, it’s much simpler to carry, stack, and store boxes of a similar size. So keep them uniform. Additionally, consider upgrading from cardboard boxes to translucent big boxes that have handles and lids. This makes it easier to transport and see what’s inside. For clothing that you hang, consider getting wardrobe boxes so they don’t get wrinkled in the moving process.
  • Store furniture first – Your bulky and heavy items should be the first things that get put away. You can always make trips for smaller items later, but it’s much simpler to take your furniture and bed all in one go.

By taking the time to prepare, you can save yourself from some real headaches.

5. Use Landing for a less stressful move

If you could simply snap your fingers and have you and your stuff instantly transported to your new place, moving wouldn’t be so bad. But alas, moving doesn’t work that way—that is, unless you use Landing.

Landing is a newer, smarter way to move and live. It’s a network of fully furnished apartments across the country. Whether you want to use it as a short-term place to live as you acclimate to your new city, or as your long-term housing option, no matter where you land, you’ll feel right at home.

With Landing, moving couldn’t be easier. With each of apartment you have the following:

  • Fully furnished unit – When you use Landing, there is no moving process. All you have to bring is yourself and your suitcase. That’s it. Every incredible apartment is tastefully designed and fully furnished with all of the things you need to make your new apartment feel like home from day one.
  • Instant approval process – With Landing, there’s no waiting around hoping you got your spot. Nor is there a lengthy approval and paperwork process. Simply click on the place you want to move to, lock it in, and you’ll be set.
  • Flexible leases – There are no long-term leases or deposits required. Instead, we offer month to month leasing opportunities. Stay for how long you’d like. When you feel like moving to a new Landing just click, pack your suitcase, and go.

It’s all of the benefits of a home, without the hassle of a move. With 24/7 concierge services and top apartment amenities, it’s all of the benefits of a hotel, without the cost.

Say goodbye to stressful moving

There you have it. Want to take some stress out of your move? Start early, be prepared for your apartment hunt, pick a way to move, and pack smart.

Want to take all of the stress out of your move? Move into a Landing apartment. With furnished apartments in Dallas to furnished apartments in Los Angeles, wherever you move, we’ll be there.

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Ted may be the world's slowest typist and struggle to hold a pen, but he has mastered how to pursue a more flexible lifestyle throughout his airborne adventures around the U.S. Whether you're looking for more information before migrating to a new city or want to find an easier way to rent a nest—erm, apartment—Ted will always be here to share his best advice for where to live and how to thrive.