Are you moving to San Diego soon? Congrats! San Diego is a gorgeous city in Southern California, with beautiful beaches and a large selection of places to go and things to do. With so many people moving around the States (in fact, more than ever), you might be thinking about taking a leap of faith yourself. Without a proper moving checklist established – you might find yourself in the middle of not knowing what to do, where to start and where to go.
With the right sense of organization, a strong plan and a killer checklist by your side – there is no chance that your move can go in the wrong direction. The more work you do before the big day arrives, the easier the moving experience and the aftermath will be as well. Moving to San Diego has truly never been easier – stay tuned for your new favorite local moving checklist!
Moving to San Diego: Your Pre-Move Checklist
Make A Plan
Without a plan, your move is nothing but a chaotic to-do list that you have in your head. A plan is what makes your chaotic transition a smooth one – and a stressful experience a relaxing one. Getting a strong plan in action can result in you knowing exactly what to do each day for how long, and get the job done with ease. Without a proper plan set in motion, don’t even start thinking about starting any packing projects.
Time Management is Key
One of the skills people tend to lack more than have is time management. However, this is one of those things that will make or break your move – so listen closely. It is better to pack for 45 minutes every day for a month, than have to pack for 10-12 hours just a week before your move. Mistakes are far more common during the second scenario, and you don’t want those mistakes to cost you more than you’ve initially budgeted for. Time management can help you handle the entire move without feeling overwhelmed.
Research Tips and Tricks
Going online to find some tips and tricks to help with your upcoming relocation can be a really great way of ensuring you are doing all the right things. There are a lot of common moving and packing mistakes that people make – and we will get to that in a bit. What you want to know is how to prepare and pack each item type for your move in order to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Avoid Common Mistakes
There are a lot of seemingly harmless moving and packing mistakes that can make your move a lot more expensive than you were expecting. That is why you need to prevent them from happening – and the only way to do that is go online and find out which mistakes are the most common. If you are unsure about an action you are about to take and if it makes sense for your move, it might be best to call up someone experienced.
Choose A Date For Your San Diego Move
No matter how simple choosing a date for your move might sound, you might not know the little secret of the moving industry – weekends are usually more expensive than workdays. Not only weekends, but dates around the 31st and 1st, too. You will get a more expensive moving solution during the summer months, while moving during wintertime can save you up a lot of money. Strategize on your date so you can select the best one for your budget.
Your San Diego Moving Budget
Be Realistic About Your San Diego Move
Moving supplies are not cheap – nor are movers. That is why you need to be realistic about your “moving to San Diego” budget and exactly how much you are going to be able to spend once you’ve completed the pre-move preparations. Look up the approximate moving and packing costs and base your budget on that.
Make A Large Supply List
The best way to know how much money you will have leftover to hire professional movers is to create a huge, one-trip moving supply list that will include every single piece you need to purchase to pack up for your move. Creating a large supply list will help you get a better sense of how hard the purchase will hit your budget – and how much room you have left to hire professional help.
Choose The Volume of Moving Help
You can hire movers to pack and move your home, to simply move everything or just load your truck. You can involve them as much or as little as you wish during your move, and that is exactly how you can save up some money, too. Moving everything you can on your own and having your movers relocate only the heaviest pieces of furniture can result in the most cost effective and stress free solution for your budget.
Declutter And Sell Some Items
If you want to accumulate a little more cash for your move, decluttering your home is the perfect place to start doing just that. You can sell the items you no longer use or need to help fund your move by selling them online or throwing a garage sale for example.
Hiring Movers in San Diego
Research Different Companies That Offer San Diego Moving Help
Doing proper research before you start calling anyone for quotes is crucial. You need a licensed and insured local moving company for your upcoming move in order to avoid any moving scam. This is a common scenario that is less common when you do your homework and simply hire trustworthy movers for the job.
Get A Few San Diego Moving Quotes
Instead of going with the first movers that pop up when you Google “movers near me”, taking a bit of time to call up a few other people for opinions and quotes can be the better option for your sanity and budget. Get at least three quotes and make sure to listen to the relocation specialists carefully – you don’t want any unexpected fees showing up on your final bill.
Check Online Reviews
Reviews from previous customers are the best way to figure out if a moving company is reputable. Do research on how they handle issues with their customers, how reliable and responsive they are, etc. Online reviews will give you the best sense of security when it comes to hiring your future movers when moving to San Diego.
Avoid Moving Scams
By verifying every piece of information possible. Licensed and insured is the least your moving company should be – and your standards shouldn’t really end there. An all-inclusive cost and no shady business are something you should expect from every local moving company San Diego offers.
Hire Movers In Advance
At least 3-4 weeks in advance, especially during the moving season is more than advised. Your moving company will be booked up for weeks, and even if there is a spot available – expect to move on Tuesday afternoon instead of that Friday morning you were eyeing. Remember to make your reservations in advance and ask your movers about any canceling policies.
Packing for Your San Diego Move
Give Yourself Time
It’s almost the same as time management – but we are applying this to the packing phase of your move only. This is because your valuables need a lot of caution and care in order to be moved properly, and you don’t want to mess up your entire moving experience by having all of your plates and glasses breaking as you are entering your new residence. There is nothing more frustrating. So, take time to pack everything carefully and diligently. You’ll be happy that you did.
Research Packing Tips
It is never harmful to check out the tips other people might be offering when it comes to packing properly for your move. The more tips you can accumulate, the better. Do some thorough research before you start unrolling that roll of bubble wrap and you’ll be good to go.
Stay Organized
Even if you feel like giving up and throwing a fit in the middle of packing up – don’t. Staying organized and on track can help make everything way easier than otherwise. Keep everything neat during the preparation process, and you’re looking at a swift move with no hassle needed on your end.
Label Your Boxes
Without labels, no one will know where your box is supposed to go, what’s in it and which side goes up. These are very important pieces of information that you should always write down on your box. Label them by writing down:
- The room your box is going into
- Fragile items
- Which side goes up
- A brief description of the contents of the box
Don’t Go Overboard
Overfilling your boxes, packing too many heavy items in a single box or packing lighter items on the bottom are all very common mistakes that you need to avoid. Chill out and pack lighter boxes, stop shoving random items with other item types and be patient. There will be a time where your entire home will be packed up and you will be wondering where the time flew.
Make an Inventory List
Without it – you won’t be able to check items on and off the truck, see if anything is missing or stolen, or report a detailed claim with your moving company. Create a detailed list of items for your move that will be your safety blanket if anything happens to go in the wrong direction.
Additional Preparations for Moving to San Diego
Change Your Address
A lot of people forget this very important yet small task. Change your address everywhere, cancel subscriptions or transfer them – along with any other important records. Take your documents with you during the move and make some copies, better safe than sorry.
Shut Off Your Utilities
Find out when you need to schedule this and do the same for your new home. You don’t want to be stuck paying someone else’s bills or have someone have to do the same for you.
Pack An Overnight Bag
Your essentials will be needed as soon as your items have left the truck. So, pack an overnight bag with all of your most important items including medication, your toothbrush, a change of clothes and utensils for every member of your household.
Take Some Cash Out
You might need it to pay for your move or tip your movers when you are moving to San Diego. Don’t forget to take some cash out before your local movers arrive to help you move – they will be grateful that you did.
Moving To San Diego Can Be A Breeze With The Best Local Movers Near You
If you are moving to San Diego or staying within San Diego soon – we are the perfect team to help you make the transition. We know that we have what it takes to move you with ease and take your moving experience to another level with our personalized moving solutions constructed according to your budget and needs. And if you are planning a move to our beautiful hometown – Mission Bay, you are definitely in the right place.
Get A Free Quote
Request one by filling out our simple form – or by giving us a direct call at (619) 821-2082. Let’s get in touch and start planning your easy, smooth and seamless San Diego moving experience!