Moving after college graduation can be an extremely stressful and confusing process. If you are heading back home or on to grad school, it may be a much easier process, but when you’re moving out into the real world, to a new city far away, it can seem like a complicated process. Fortunately, it eventually makes sense. My parents have moved countless times and have been helping me with my transition from Florida to New York City. I can say that I was clueless about how much work and detail actually goes into moving, until this year, now that I’m in the middle of it. I’m here to break the process down a little bit, so that it will be more understandable when you take that plunge post-graduation.
Where are you going?:
Before you can receive a quote on a moving price, you will need to figure out what city you will be living in. The good news is that moving companies will work with you the month before your move, so don’t worry about this until you’ve got that job locked down and your contract signed with your new employer. This first step is all about you. Figure out where you want to live and the research and moving process will begin afterward.
Do your research:
Before I even knew where I would be working earlier this year, I wanted to figure out around how much money it would cost for me to live in New York City, which was where I had hoped to end up. I went to a website that seemed professional and made the HUGE mistake of putting in my phone number, so that I would receive a quote from someone. This was absolutely awful, and I quickly realized I should have asked my parents for their help before tackling it on my own. What happened was I received calls from morning to night from small moving companies across the country. I had nonstop calls all day every day, and I had to contact the person in charge of the website who was no help at all. After telling different companies after a few weeks, I didn’t need them, the calls eventually stopped. But, I’m letting you all know, so that you don’t make the same mistake as me. It’s also smart to get recommendations from friends who have used moving companies before, because they will tell you about the professional ones that won’t overcharge for a small apartment move because many companies will take advantage of graduates.
The Meeting:
Once you have a few companies in mind, schedule appointments with each one who will give you their company quote. They basically walk into your apartment with an iPad or a clipboard and will take notes of every piece of furniture whether it’s a bed, a painting, a TV or even a lamp. Make sure to let them know about everything because each piece goes into the calculation of the cost. Soon after the meeting you’ll receive an email with the quote, and you can compare those with ones of other companies.
Sell, sell, sell:
Now’s the time to take a good hard look at your furniture, and figure out what you do need and what you don’t need in your post-graduation real world lifestyle. Figure out what the roommates you are living with already have. You may not even need any kitchen or living room supplies or furniture. This will keep the cost of moving down too because you don’t want to have to pay for those extra pounds of furniture. I’m in the process of choosing what clothes I haven’t worn in years and actually selling them online through an app called Poshmark, and women all over the country have paid me for clothing I never wear. You can make much more this way than selling it through a discount store too!
Moving Week:
Grab your family, and get to packing! You’ll want to pack all of your personal items, and figure out what you’ll want with you while you wait for your furniture and rest of your belongings to arrive at your new place! This also makes moving day much quicker since you are already prepared. You can purchase moving boxes at stores like Home Depot or Lowes for low prices. This is what my mom and I will be doing in just a few weeks!
So collegiettes, send out those resumes, find your new home and choose the moving company right for you! Best of luck!
Photo Credits:
helpyoumove.com