In an ideal world, you would have months to prepare for relocation. You’d take your time researching your options, preparing and organizing the move, packing and unpacking and settling in. But we do not live in an ideal world. And that means that sometimes, you have to plan a last minute move. You may be relocating for a job and starting earlier than you expected. Or your lease may be up and you may need a new place to live urgently. Either way, it’s never easy to organize a last minute move. Luckily for you, local movers in Westchester County NY have plenty of experience even with emergency relocation. These are some of their top tips for making last-minute moving easier!
Why is it so difficult to organize a last minute move?
Organizing a successful last minute move is difficult even when you have all the time in the world for it. Unless you have some serious experience with relocation, you will need to do some research into your options in order to make informed decisions. And that’s before you even start on the physical work and emotional labor that is moving to a new home. Doing all that on short notice and with virtually no time to prepare is incredibly stressful. And that’s exactly what makes it so difficult to organize a last minute move.
It turns out that human reaction to stress is less fight-or-flight and more fight-flight-freeze; you can probably guess which one is most common in the face of a quickly approaching move. And you can probably also guess that freezing in panic is a waste of time and the opposite of helpful when moving. So let’s find out how you can counteract that.
The best way to organize a last minute move
If you’re ever in a situation where you have to move on short notice, don’t despair! It’s not easy, but it is doable.
Take a deep breath and calm down
The first thing you want to do is stop freaking out. Yes, moving last minute is going to be difficult. Yes, you’re going to have to make it work in less than ideal conditions. And no, there’s no way to completely avoid stress when moving on short notice. But you can do it! So take a few hours to panic and be a bit dramatic if you need to. Then, take a deep breath, calm down and get to work.
Start to organize a last minute move as soon as possible
It goes without saying that there’s no time to waste when you’re moving on short notice. So don’t put anything off and don’t procrastinate! Instead, get started as soon as possible. Even if the only thing you do on the first day is deciding whether to hire movers or rent a moving truck, you’ll have taken a step in the right direction.
Make important decisions immediately
When you don’t have much time, indecision is not an option. Get informed of your options when moving as best as you can in the time that you have, of course. But make those important decisions quickly. Do you need to rent living space while you look for a new home to buy? Are you hiring movers or renting a truck? When exactly are you moving? How much of what you own are you moving with you? Figure out the logistics early on to make planning easier!
Get in touch with movers to organize a last minute move that’s quick, efficient and stress-free
The best way to make last minute moving easier is to get help from someone who knows what they’re doing. So look into affordable movers in Westchester NY with experience in emergency moving and willing and able to take jobs on short notice. Of course, hiring professional movers (and not doing so in advance) will put a dent in your budget. But movers will make your last minute relocation faster, safer, more efficient and less stressful. So they’re worth the money in the end.
Consider hiring other professionals for help too
There are professionals other than Westchester local movers who can make your relocation easier:
- professional packers to save time on packing
- professional cleaners to save time and energy on cleaning
- babysitters to take care of your children while you prepare for the move
- realtors to help you sell or buy property
If you can, consider hiring these professionals to make your last minute move run more smoothly.
Packing in a pinch: be quick, organized and efficient
As the most time-consuming part of the move, the packing will be your biggest issue when you’re trying to organize a last minute move. Again, the packing and unpacking services offered by your movers can be a lifesaver. If you opt for packing yourself just remember to be quick, organized and efficient.
Get rid of stuff to make packing easier
The less stuff you have, the easier it is to pack. So get rid of things! Sell, donate, gift or throw away anything you don’t need or can replace.
Use what you already have as packing supplies
No time or money to go out looking for packing supplies? Use what you already have lying around the house! Regular boxes, bags and suitcases, clean garbage bags, even Tupperware and furniture drawers can be makeshift packing supplies in a pinch.
Just get packing
This is another one of those moments where you might freeze at the overwhelming amount of work to do. So don’t overthink things. In fact, don’t think at all. Just start packing! You can sort things out later when you have more time.
Most importantly, organize a last minute move calmly and without panic
We know that saying “don’t panic” is not particularly helpful. But it is genuinely the best advice we can give when you need to organize a last minute move. Staying calm focused and organized is the only way to move on short notice without losing your mind!