The boxes are packed, the house is clean, and you’ve got a great new place ready and waiting for you. It’s almost moving day, but there’s just one hitch; your current home’s location on a busy street might make for a tricky move. Without ample space to park and load your things, you can have a hard time getting your stuff from point A to point B. The same can be said for if you’re moving to a new place on a busy street, where unloading might be just as much of a hassle. Use these tips to make moving day go smoothly despite your location on a bustling city street.
Scout Out the Parking Situation
Before you move, make sure you know exactly where you’ll park on moving day. One of the top tips for moving to a city is making sure you check the parking rules for that area. Are there certain times when no cars are allowed? Will there be street cleaning on the day you move in that prohibits parking on the street? These are important factors to look into before you move.
In addition, you may not even be able to find an open spot during some parts of the day if it’s a particularly busy area. If that’s the case, you may need to park around the block, which will add to the time required to move your things in or out.
Obtain Necessary Permits
One of the best tricks for how to move on a busy street is picking up some parking permits. These permits may allow you to park in certain areas or even put up “reserved parking” signs that are valid on the day of your move. This will help to guarantee a top-notch spot on the big day. Call your local city clerk’s office to get more information.
Schedule Your Move Wisely
Once you have a plan for parking in place, you can schedule your move. But before you take a day off work or give a local moving company a call, think about what dates or times might be the best for moving when traffic is an issue. If your street is busiest during the morning or evening rush hour on weekdays, perhaps a weekend will be the best time to move. If the road tends to be quieter early in the morning or later in the evening, try to time your move during these periods to prevent parking frustration. If you will only be able to move in multiple short spurts, place some of your belongings in storage units and bring them over in smaller batches.
Buy Traffic Cones
A few cones can help you secure a spot for your moving truck on the morning of your move. You could place the cones near the curb to reserve an area, and hopefully, it will still be open once your moving truck arrives. Be sure to leave a little extra room in the parking space; most moving trucks will need to extend a ramp from the back in order to load your possessions carefully and safely.
Cones also help keep you safe while moving on a busy street by alerting drivers to your roadside activity.
Keep Kids & Pets Indoors
Being on a busy street is a major risk for little ones and our four-legged friends who could unknowingly dart into traffic. They simply don’t anticipate moving vehicles the way adults do, and their size makes them harder for drivers to spot. That’s why you should be especially careful with keeping track of kids and pets when moving to or from a busy street.
Make sure all kids and pets are occupied indoors and unable to walk out the door during the move. That’s not always easy since movers are usually going in and out of the house all day, so if it’s possible, have a baby sitter watch the kids for the day at a different location and leave the pets at a boarding facility until the move is complete.
Talk to the Building Manager
If you’re moving into an apartment or renting from a landlord, this is a good time to talk about the logistics of the move. Often, they can direct you to the best places to park and can provide other helpful information to make your move go more smoothly.
If you don’t have a building manager, you can consider talking to the neighbors. They also managed to move in despite living on a busy street, so take advantage of their advice to improve your own experience.
Moving on a busy street is not an impossible challenge. With a bit of planning and preparation, you can make your move an easy transition despite the hustle and bustle of your location. Whether you’re moving to a busy street, away from one, or just from one busy street to another, these tips will help make the experience fun rather than a frustration.
