I am currently in the process, unfortunately, of moving and …it is not fun. Did I secure my electricity to be turned on at my new apartment on move in day? Did I patch up all those holes in the wall at my current apartment? How much am I really going to be spending to move? My brain has been swirling. Then I thought…what better way to tackle this anxiety than writing a list, organizing my thoughts, and figuring out my next step!

Here is what I did to ease my moving anxiety and organize myself for the big move:

Make a List

First order of business; make a list. This is the best thing to do to get organized.  I created a spreadsheet on my desktop with different tabs explaining exactly what I needed to do for the big move. These tabs include the following:

Apartment Fees

            To Do

            Items We Need

            Budget Info

In doing so, I now have a master list where I can track all my expenses while moving, list out exactly what needs to get done, and make sure I have everything I need come my move-in date.

Start by making a list of all the apartment fees you need to pay. This will help when looking at your finances come the end of your move-in month. It can be easy to swipe your credit card for items even as tiny as new Swiffer wipes for the kitchen, but it is important that you keep track of where exactly your money is going. That way, you are on top of everything and no fee can go unnoticed!

Schedule EVERYTHING

You don’t want to be stuck in a situation where you wait until the last minute to schedule movers or move-out inspections. Some apartment complexes will even penalize you for not scheduling items days in advance and will charge you the longer you wait to do so.

Avoid missing important end dates by scheduling everything on your list. Highlight items that have been completed and set reminders in your calendar to alert you when something is due. Staying on top of your to-do list is better than being forced to pay excess money for missing important steps in the move out process.

What do you REALLY need once you move in?

My roommates and I have acquired a lot over the course of two years. I started by going through each room of my apartment and documenting what is actually mine. I also made a tab on my spreadsheet of what I needed to buy once I move into my new apartment now that I won’t be sharing furniture and utensils with two other people.

It’s important when moving to note what you truly need so you don’t go crazy with spending the day you move in. Make this a cost-effective move and stick to what you REALLY need versus unnecessary items. Trust me; you are already broke from the moving fees…you don’t need that $25 plunger.

Stick to Your Budget…Or Else…

I have created a tab in my spreadsheet to write out exactly how much money I need to save in the months before my move. By listing this all out, not only do you get an accurate depiction of your income, but you also gain clarity and realize exactly how much you are spending a month.

This will relieve the money-stress you’ve been feeling throughout this whole moving process and give you a baseline of what you can/can’t do on a monthly basis with this move in the near future.

Moving in itself can be a stressful and trying process. By creating a master plan, you will get through the moving-blues, you will be organized and you will be ready to take on a new project; organizing your apartment once you move in!