Berkshire Home Sale Proactive Packing
Berkshire home for sale. Checklist to begin preparing for the move.
You have listed your home with a great Berkshire Real Estate agency, you are confident your home will sell within a reasonable amount of time and now you need to know where to start the preparations.
We have 10 tips that will get you motivated and going forward.
- Make a list. Write down everything you can imagine that will need to be completed before you close the door to your sold home and climb into the moving van. Everything should be written down even if it seems obvious. After the sale negotiation process begins, activities will speed up and the list will be your lifeline.
- Prioritize. Now that you have your list, it is time to prioritize the tasks. What can be done today and what can wait until the week before the move? Obviously if you will be showing your home, the first thing is to pack personal items that are not used daily. Items such as personal family photos, kid's class projects lovingly cherished, fine china or porcelain decorative items, and other objects that make the house personally unique should be bubble wrapped and stored safely. Remember you are selling your home to someone with different memories and treasures than your own. The goal is to make the buyer imagine his or her own treasures in the house.
- Gather your supplies. If you intend to empty storage rooms then you will need containers to sort what is going with you and what can be donated or sent to the trash bin. Clear plastic containers are great for items that you may immediately need upon arrival at your new home. Cardboard boxes, labels, packing tape, old newspaper print, bubble wrap, and other cushioning items will get you started on decluttering. Remember that extra towels, sheets, and dishtowels can be used as cushion material when packing breakables.
- Keep things together that will be stored together in the new home. Garden tools should stay with garden supplies. Sheets and pillows should stay with other bedding items. If it is summer then pack your winter garments. If it is winter, then pack your summer garments. Either label all containers with a magic marker pen or better still a peel off sticky label. You may need to retrieve an item and knowing what is in the boxes will prevent much aggravation as you search them all.
- Use your luggage for items that are not in use and probably will not be used until you arrive at your new home. Using luggage makes the items easily accessible if you should need something in an emergency.
- Begin with the time-consuming areas first. The garage, the den or home office often are stacked high with items that are not used daily and can be packaged and stored ahead of the move date. Take out all the boxes and items and place them in the center of the room. Create a "keep" and "do not keep" pile. Decide where to send the "do not keep" items and take them either to the dump or to a donation center. Then take another look at the "keep" pile. This is the time to take a critical look and decide whether you really need that 1978 tennis racket.
- Photograph your valuable items before packing them away. Perhaps attaching a photo to the outside of the box may save you hours of search time at your new home. Photographs can also serve as proof of the condition of the item before the move and for insurance purposes if the item is damaged in the move.
- Once the home sale is being negotiated, it will be time to consider address changes for magazines, credit card bills, and mail. Opening a bank account in the target town (if you are moving to a different area) will be required. Start this a month ahead of the anticipated date of closing. Find out about school requirements if you have school age children (have immunization records and other required records sent to the new school). Talk to your physician and get copies of your records sent to your new physician in the target town. Get updates on all your prescriptions and have them filled before moving to the new town.
- Verify what the licensing requirements are for your driver's license and vehicle license by contacting the town or state Motor Vehicle office. Ask your veterinarian what immunizations your pets will need and get those updated before the move. It will take a while to find a new vet.
- Clean rugs before rolling them up to take with you. Check to confirm the date your moving company will arrive and confirm the costs. Check with your insurance agent to verify that your car, health and home insurance will cover any possible losses or accidents during the move. Provide one or two of your neighbors with your new address and phone number in case of emergency. Make sure to have your car serviced if you will be driving a long distance. Arrange for packing and unpacking labor if needed and confirm the dates again.
These are some very simple ideas to get you started on your way to packing and moving your home. The actual moving process goes much smoother if you prepare far in advance for every conceivable problem that might occur. By sitting down and writing out that list before you jump into action you can be sure that you have done your best to make the whole process easier for you and your family.