The Moving Guide for Every Stage

Whether you’re buying, selling, or renting, these tips can help simplify the move.

Moving isn’t just a single day of loading and unloading a truck. It’s an entire process from leaving your old place to making your new home your own. All the chores that come with it can make that moving checklist feel overwhelming. Don’t worry. We’ve compiled this guide to help all the movers out there whether you’re selling a home, switching apartments, looking for flat-rate moving services, or want to find fast help with all your moving chores.

Table of Contents

• Home Selling Tips
• Open House Tips
• Closing Day Tips
• Renter Move-out Tips
• Moving Budget Tips
• Tips for Transforming Your New Home

Preparing to Sell a House

A lot goes into selling a home. Sellers and their real estate agents can keep these tips in mind to make their house stand out from the competition.

1. Create captivating curb appeal. Ensure your house makes a good first impression. A green lawn, colorful flowers, and a freshly-washed exterior help you stand out from the competition. Touch up windows, doors, and trim with fresh paint. Pressure wash windows, the mailbox, deck, and driveway to get them looking good as new. Sweep the front porch and walkway, too. Want to catch a buyer’s eye? HGTV recommends using boxwoods, nandina, hydrangeas and more for instant curb appeal when selling your home. Providers on Takl can deliver potted plants, assist with handyman chores, and tend to your lawn and yard.

2. Make it shine. The exterior gets buyers in the door, but your interior seals the deal. A clean room creates a sense of welcome, inviting buyers to picture your house as a home. Do more than run the vacuum. Dust the undersides of furniture, and don’t forget baseboards and moldings. Clean your windows and replace any burnt-out bulbs to maximize brightness throughout the house.

3. Optimize storage. Clutter signals to buyers that your house may not have the space or storage needed to comfortably fit their belongings. Highlight every inch of your home and get a head start on packing by organizing your closets, attic, pantry, and garage. Haul away any unwanted items preventing your space from looking its best.

4. Stage your furniture. Design does more than convey your aesthetic. The right staging maximizes your home’s appeal, illustrating both function and flow. A report from the National Association of Realtors found that the right staging can increase the selling price of your house. Simply rearranging your furniture or updating the paint color can bring new life to a space.

5. Make small, impactful updates. Replace dated hardware and fixtures with new ones for a small change that makes a big impact.

6. Make repairs before listing. Prospective buyers pay close attention to even the smallest details. Have crooked doors and cabinets set right, holes patched and painted, and other small repairs completed before showing your home.

7. Use same-day service, because time is money. The longer your home is on the market, the more you’ll pay in monthly mortgage costs, utility bills, and other expenses which eat into your profit margin. Plus, the longer a home stays on the market, the more likely it is you’ll have to lower your asking price to incentivize buyers. Finishing the above checklist as soon as possible can help you get the best price for your home. Handymen and stagers can sometimes take weeks to book. Find same-day home services on Takl for small repairs, moving chores, handyman jobs, hourly help, cleaning, yard work, delivery, organization and even custom chores.

Preparing for an Open House

If you’re a real estate agent, an open house can draw traffic to your listing. Turn curious eyes into prospective buyers with these tips.

1. Choose a day people have off. Most open houses are held on the weekend to catch the attention of people out enjoying their free time. Sometimes open houses are also held on holidays like Memorial Day to catch people out and about, including people who may be looking to move to the area.

2. Aim for sunshine. Check the weather and aim for a sunny day when possible. House hunters might not want to venture out in rain or snow.

3. Have the home cleaned. Whether a single room needs to be tidied quickly the morning of the open house or you want the whole house cleaned, make sure the home is ready to welcome visitors. First impressions are everything, and house hunters will be on the lookout for any signs the home hasn’t been cared for.

4. Spread the word. Send an email blast, print and distribute flyers, and send a mail-out so the community knows to put this open house on their calendars. Not only might you attract prospective buyers directly, but you never know whose friend or family member might want a home just like yours!

5. Have brochures ready. Prospective buyers will have questions, plus you’ll want to highlight the home’s best features. Have brochures on hand at the open house so they can learn more about the listing. They can also take this information with them to mull over or share with others who might be interested.

6. Place feedback cards for house hunters. If something can be improved, it’s best to know it early. Feedback cards offer the chance to address any concerns or improve the house for future visitors.

7. Sweeten the deal. Have sweet treats picked up and delivered for visitors. It never hurts to put them in a good mood!

8. Find fast help for this checklist. Open houses are often planned quickly, which leaves a lot to be done in a very short time. Going it alone can overwhelm anyone. Find fast help for household chores on Takl. You choose the time. You can even find hourly help or order a custom job for tasks like preparing mailers, distributing flyers, and delivering printouts.

Preparing for Closing Day

So you’ve got an accepted offer on the house! That’s a wrap, right? Not quite yet. The work’s not done until closing day has come and gone. The buyer may request a list of repairs to be completed prior to closing. Even minor repairs such as doors and windows that don’t open/close properly, rotten wood to be replaced, and change of hardware can add up. When a buyer submits a list of such repairs, the homeowner has only a short window of time in which to complete the agreed-upon repairs or else it could affect the closing.

It’s hard to make time in the middle of a move, and contractors may be booked several weeks out. Use Takl’s on demand home services to schedule affordable same-day repairs and other chores by background-checked Providers.

Most real estate documents are also exchanged electronically these days, but if you ever need to keep it old-school, use Takl’s courier services for fast local delivery.

Preparing to Move Out of a Rental

Moving out can be as hectic and draining as moving in, and often the two go hand-in-hand. If you’re leaving your rental, check these steps off your moving checklist. You’ll rack up good karma points with your landlord and the next tenant and make sure you don’t leave anything behind!

1. Plan for your new space, not your old one. Moving apartments can be especially tricky as complexes and units vary widely. That dining table that fit perfectly in your first place might not work so well in a downtown studio. Whether your complex has a service elevator also impacts the size and scale of the furniture you might want to bring. Cartoons are rife with falling pianos for a reason.

Decide what pieces really fit your new space and plan your décor accordingly. Skip the transportation trouble completely when you have furniture delivered and even assembled right at your new address with Takl. Check out these tips from Better Homes and Gardens for furniture arrangement tips and tricks.

2. Determine what sparks joy. Once you’ve sorted out what’s practical to move to your new home, the next step is to decide what among the remaining possessions you really want to hold on to. Turn on some Tidying Up with Marie Kondo and decide what truly sparks joy for you. You may want to list some furniture on your apartment’s community page to see if there’s anyone in your current building interested in taking stuff off your hands. A Provider can help with onsite moving. If you sell any pieces prior to your move, you can use Delivery/Courier to have it dropped off at the buyer’s address. Have anything else you plan to leave behind hauled away with a junk removal job.

3. Load up the truck. Once your move-out date is confirmed, it’s time to get packing. Grab some helping hands and start loading up boxes. Go ahead and load whatever you can as this will provide an obstacle-free space for cleaning and repairing. Get help for packing, lifting, and moving when you find pre-priced and flat-rate moving services.

4. Patch, paint, and repair. Patch any holes in the wall from mounting a TV, hanging pictures, or anything else. Restore the walls to an approved paint color and make any repairs necessary. You can find a Provider on Takl to help you with handyman work before your move-out, including adjusting crooked cabinets, fixing squeaky doors, and other small but important handyman services.

5. Clean. The last thing you want to do is get fined because you left the place a mess. Do yourself and the next tenant a favor and make sure the place sparkles. This can be more of a challenge than it seems as preparing for your move can leave you super short on time. Good thing a Provider can Takl that cleaning for you!

Budgeting with Flat-rate Moving Services

The costs of moving varies widely depending on how far you are moving, how much you’re taking, and how much help you need. This makes trying to budget for your move frustrating. Getting a quote from a moving company can involve a game of phone-tag or long spaces between emails. When you finally get a quote, the most they can provide is an estimate and not a flat-rate moving price. And what if you already have the U-Haul or other transportation for your move and you just need help doing the heavy lifting? How can you find what you need and stick to a budget?

You can book pre-priced and flat-rate moving services with Takl so you know the total cost up front. Find the flat-rate moving chore that fits your needs or select the appropriate hourly help. You can even create a custom chore with Build Your Own Job. Whatever Takl job type you choose, you’ll see the full cost right in the app before booking, so there’s no waiting for estimates, no haggling, and no surprises. You even choose the time for your job and you choose the background-checked Provider, so you know who to expect and when.

Easy Ways to Transform Your New Home

Now that you’ve moved in, it’s a great time to enjoy a fresh start in a new space that perfectly reflects your style. Takl connects you to fast help for updates and chores that will transform your space. Here are 8 easy updates you can Takl as soon as the very same day.

1. Get a fresh start — Did the previous occupants leave your space less than pristine? It’s amazing what a deep clean will do to make the whole space more inviting. This is your new home, after all. You want to start out your story with it on the right note.

2. Personalize with paint* — Before you unpack all your boxes, take advantage of the open space and bare walls. You’ve got a blank canvas full of unlimited potential. A bright pop of color on the front door creates curb appeal and welcomes visitors each time they come by. Light blues and calming neutrals create a zen environment for study, relaxation, or rest. You can also have furniture painted to create a perfect accent piece.

3. If these walls could talk… — Once you’ve let the paint dry, it’s time to Takl those wall-related chores. Create the perfect gallery wall with your favorite art and décor. Mirrors add character, light, and geometry to a room. Baskets can be used to add texture and visual interest. Have your TV mounted, shelves installed, or create a stylishly organized space with the addition of a coat hanger.

4. The feng shui of furniture — Whether you want to arrange existing pieces, have new furniture delivered, or book furniture assembly, create a space that reflects your style. Think about how you will use the room and find pieces that combine function with personality.

5. Out with the stress! — There’s enough stress involved in moving as it is. Nothing prolongs that stress like leaving boxes unpacked. Find a Provider to help you get everything where it belongs. Use a junk removal chore, “Pick your price — with haul away,” or the +Add Work button to have those now-empty boxes disposed of for you!

6. Handyman chores for the heart of the home — There are lots of easy ways to Takl your kitchen transformation. Find a Provider to deliver and/or install new appliances, change out hardware, or install new fixtures.

7. Create a pet paradise — A simple pressure washing can have your fence looking like new. Planting a garden, mowing the lawn, mulching, seeding, and other lawn chores can transform your yard. Once your outdoor retreat is ready, have a pet door installed so your furry friend can come and go as they please. You can even set up pet waste removal as a Recurring chore, so you never have to worry about a messy yard again!

8. Pressure wash and/or paint the deck — Pressure washing the deck or patio can remove tough dirt and grime. Paint also goes a long way in bringing new life to the house or deck. Have patio furniture delivered and/or assembled to complete your outdoor oasis.

9. Takl it all in one go — Want to knock out multiple chores in one appointment? Try the Hourly Help category or bundle chores together using Build Your Own Job.

Let’s Takl that moving checklist! Visit Takl.com to get started.

*Not all services available in all areas.