People often underestimate how complex a process is moving. It is a very common thing and kind of goes with human nature. The truth is, actually, quite the opposite. According to some studies, moving is among the most stressful events in our lives. When you think about it, it should not come as a surprise that it is so. Especially if this is your first time moving. The reason for this is that humans are creatures of habit and when that sense of security is broken, we tend to get upset. Organizing a move is a really complex process and you would do well if you planned it with zeal and focus. One of the most essential things to do when planning a move is to make an inventory list. In this article, we will deal with what is it exactly and how to make a moving inventory list?
This is one of the crucial steps for several reasons. One of the chief among them is a secure feeling that may come with it, and trust us, you will need that. When you move for the first time, you have to leave your home and your childhood memories behind and become a fully grown and responsible adult. So, when planning and executing a move you want to make sure that you did things like packing and choosing the moving company the right way. There are also things like informing the authorities of your address change and moving your medical records to your new city. Also, if you are moving with kids, you are going to have to move their school records to their new school. Things get even more complicated if you have pets for instance. So, where does it fit and how to make a moving inventory list?
First of all, why do you need to make a moving inventory list?
- Sort your things out – You simply cannot just wait for your busy nationwide Florida movers and start packing then and there. Even if you arranged that they are going to pack your stuff. When you make a moving inventory list, you should prepare everything and plan your packing schedule.
- Well, it is your packing list – This one is kind of obvious, but its importance cannot be overstated. You will need it. Firstly, it helps estimate just how much time exactly (or at the least) you are going to have to spend packing. This is very useful in the overall planning task. Secondly, you can pack your things in a logical way since you have a complete list of your belongings. Thus, you can put various things in boxes, making sure that each box is fully used while not getting too heavy.
- You have all of your belongings listed in one place – This can be useful for several reasons. Firstly, you can check all of your things as you pack and unpack them. This means that if any of them are lost or damaged, you can spot these details right away. If you have this list, you can also file a claim against the moving company if they have misplaced or damaged your belongings.
- You can estimate how much the move will cost – No matter whether they are short or long distance movers Florida or New York and Nevada offer, they all calculate the cost of your move in the same way. They take into consideration things that can mostly be found on a good inventory list. So, things like how many items there are, their total weight, the shipping time etc. Furthermore, you can also see how much of packing supplies you are going to need.
How to make it?
Go through all of your belongings before you start packing
It would be best if you could document all of your belongings before you do anything else. You don’t have to do this with everything, but documenting things that are worth applying for insurance is a must. The best way to do this is to take pictures or even make videos of these things. make sure that any serial numbers or other unique labels are clearly visible. This can be very useful. If your moving company damages or loses some of your things, you can make an insurance claim. Make copies of these and stash them somewhere safe in case you lose your first copy.
Organize, organize, organize
If you want your inventory to be as effective as possible, then you will have to put in some effort. There are various ways that you can go about organizing your inventory. The first thing you have to do is to make some sort of a list or a chart. It would be great if you could make this on your laptop or PC, and save on your Google Drive.
- Item (if it has some unique, important characteristics, note them)
- Which box is it in
- In which room does the item belong.
This is extremely useful not just when packing, but when unpacking also, since you can plan it to the fullest. While packing you should mark boxes with numbers on large scale. You should also label them with traditional labels like “This side up”, “Fragile” etc. Next, be as detailed as possible. This means more work, but it will be highly rewarding in the end. Also, if you need an item that you packed, you can easily find it using the list. You can also use colors to mark boxes belonging to different rooms. And we highly recommend putting the estimated worth of your belongings on the list just in case.
Essentials list – yes, there is more planning after you make a moving inventory list
Essentials list is one of the key things to prepare while you make a moving inventory list. Make sure that you prepare a separate list of essential things that you are going to need. What this means is to think about what things you are going to need for your moving day(s). Also, prepare a list of things that you will need during the first couple of days after the move, for until you unpack.
Good luck!
