5 Tips for FSBO Homeowners Still Trying to Sell Their Homes

Selling your home by yourself can be a difficult endeavor to undertake, and it isn't one that many people opt to do the majority of the time. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) only 13% of homeowners opt to go the FSBO route annually in the U.S. By cutting out the realtor you can save a lot of money, but selling your home by yourself will have a lot of work involved! The following tips really can make a huge difference in selling your home by yourself. 

1. Hold Open Houses with Refreshments 

Selling your home by yourself always involves interacting with lots of strangers, so you might as well try to consolidate the social expenditure by holding open houses frequently. Offering beverages (preferably clear liquids) and small snacks like cookies, help people associate a positive memory with your home.   

2. Let Everyone Know Your are Selling Your Home by Yourself 

According the NAR around 45% of FSBO sales were between two parties that knew each other. If you are selling your home let everyone around you know. Put up statuses on social media, post fliers at work, and tell everyone you run into to make sure if anyone is in the market for home, they may consider buying your home.  

3. De-clutter the House with Self Storage 

One of the best things you can do is keep your house as empty and clean as possible when you are selling your home by yourself. This allows the buyers to envision what they could do with the space. You can utilize self storage to stow away anything you don't need at the moment. Also, throw away, donate or sell any items that you don't plan on moving to your next home before potential buyers start seeing your home. 

4. Professional Photos 

If you look at online home listing sites like realtor.com, you'll notice that a lot of pictures are of low quality, if there is even a picture at all. Modern media has made it so people are very used to accessing images to what they want to see, when they want to see it. Even in the olden days of real estate, it was common to at least have on picture of homes for sale. 

Hiring a professional photographer to get high quality images to put on our fliers and online listings really can make a huge difference when it comes to selling your home by yourself. A picture taken with an iPhone looks a lot less appealing than a picture taken by a professional photographer. Usually this service will run for only around 50-100 dollars, so consider making the investment for your FSBO process. 

5. Make all Minor Repairs 

Loose knobs, hanging cabinets, broken screens, burnt out light bulbs and tiny little repairs really can be an eye sore. What is worse is that they can knock off thousands of dollars when your buyer makes an offer. Make sure that before you show your home you make any minor repairs that you can. People tend to remember more readily what was wrong with a place rather than what they like about it, so make sure they don't remember your home for something like the light bulb being burnt out in the basement.  

Calling all renters! Manage your bills with these 3 apps

Remembering to pay your bills is a thing of the past with new smart phone apps. Using these three apps (that are available for Android and Apple) you'll never have to worry about managing your bills again. Budget, pay bills and pay rent automatically all from your smart phone.

1) Budgeting App

The Level Money is a simple app that allows you track your income and bills, so you know how much spending money you have available. You can track how much you spend every week, so you can know when you are going over or under budget.

• Level Money for Apple 
• Level Money for Android 

2) Rent Payment App

This simple app lets you automatically pay rent to your landlord. All you have to do is sync it to your bank account, and it will pay your rent on the same day every month.

• RentPayment Mobile for Apple and Android 

3) Automated Bill Payer

These two apps allow you to set up your bank account to pay all of your bills. Utilities, cell, rent, student loans, credit cards, etc., can all be easily paid using these apps.

• Pay Any Bill from Apple 
• Pay Bills from Android

Do you have any apps you use to manage paying your bills? Let us know with a comment below! 

10 Quotes about Moving

Moving is a time when we experience a wide variety of emotions ranging from excitement to fear to indifference. We chose a wide variety of quotes to cover the many emotions of quotes that most people experience when setting out to move. If you find yourself feeling down about moving, re-visit these quotes to inspire you about your move. Ultimately moving is a wonderful (if stressful) part of life that opens up a whole new realm of possibilities, so let yourself get caught up in the excitement of a new beginning. Without further ado, here are our quotes about moving! 

We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.

-Walt Disney

“When I was a kid my parents moved a lot, but I always found them.” 

-Rodney Dangerfield

"If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward." 

-Martin Luther King Junior 

"Here's to the future, because i'm done with the past." 

-Unknown 

 "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." 

-Albert Einstein 

Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit.

-Conrad Hilton

Ultimately we know deeply that the other side of every fear is freedom.

-Marilyn Ferguson

Courage is never to let your actions be influenced by your fears.

-Arthur Koestler

The secret to a rich life is to have more beginnings than endings.

 -Dave Weinbaum

The beginning is the most important part of the work. 

-Plato

5 Tips for Moving During the Spring

Spring isn't the most popular time of year to move, but sometimes due to jobs, families, lifestyle changes, etc., we are forced to move when we don't want to. The following are some tips that will help you make the best out of your springtime move. 

1. Watch the Weather 

In some parts of the world spring weather varies widely, especially in the early days of spring. One day it will be rainy and miserable then the next it will be sunny and warm. Make sure to watch the weather forecast closely for moving day. Be ready to get extra supplies that may be needed to handle a damp, snowy or hot day during the spring. 

2. Bargain with Movers 

Moving companies have lots of open dates during the spring and every other seasons besides summer, so you can possibly talk down the price of some movers who are desperate for business. This is especially true during the first two months of spring when the weather still can be bad. By pricing and bargaining with different moving companies you can save some big dollars.     

3. Free Labor from the Kids 

Teacher workdays, spring break and other spring school holidays give you time to utilize free labor from your children. Or if you just want them out of the way during moving day, you can utilize the free babysitting from public schools for at least part of the day.

 4. Spring is a great time for selling homes 

During nice days during the spring it makes everyone feel a little more optimistic. Springtime is all about new beginning, so you might as well utilize people's optimism to sell your home. Open up the windows and shades to emphasize the beautiful weather and lighting that spring provides to help your home appeal even more attractive to buyers.  

5. Take allergy medications 

Pollen season can be a huge problem for some people. Moving requires a lot of going indoor and outdoors, so you will inevitably be exposed to pollen. Make sure to medicate accordingly, so that the  worst of your symptoms are kept at bay during the move. Also, if you are moving into a new area, you may want to figure out if you are allergic to anything in particular in that area. That way you can get the allergy medication before you are going through the stresses of a move. Here is a chart to pollen seasons in different parts of the US.

Moving Safety: How to Avoid Theft When you are Moving

When it comes time to move, theft is probably the last thing on your mind. You have endless to-do lists, and you just don't have time to worry about the worst. Unfortunately, due to the upheaval of a move, it leaves us quite vulnerable to theft. Here are some ways you can ensure the safety of your items when it comes time to move. 

1. Keep Door Locked 

When we move strangers (movers, repair men, etc) come in and out of our houses continuously. We also may have friends, family, etc coming in and out as well. The traffic increases the likelihood that your door will be left unlocked, or perhaps you will forget to lock your doors. The best way to avoid an easy theft is to keep all of your doors and windows locked at all times. It may also be a good idea to change all of the locks when you move into a new home just to make sure there isn't a stray key into your home out there. 

2. Valuable Items 

Jewelry, cash, weapons, etc. should all be stored safely away where strangers cannot easily access them. As soon as you move in you or trusted family member should put these items somewhere safely tucked away. A safe is ideal for such items, but a locked room or hidden storage area can work just as well. Many people will suggest hiding valuable items in closets, so that is an area many thieves will look first when they break into homes. That is why I urge you all to be a little more creative than that. Just don't be careless by leaving these items out in plain view or where they can easily be found by any unwelcome visitors in your home. 

3. Paperwork 

Another major problem these days is identity theft. Tax returns, bills, etc. should all be tucked away in a locked cabinet or somewhere safe. The valuable information on random pieces of paperwork can give a stranger all the room they need to create a huge nightmare for you down the line. Also remember to shred and throw away any unneeded paperwork that has your personal information on it. 

4.  Medications

Any important medications or toiletries should be moved on your person. Pack them in a purse, glove box, carry-on or whatever, to avoid them being swiped during a move or after. If you do not want to bother with this precaution, I suggest packing them in with clothes, book or some other box where no one would suspect to look for such an item. There is nothing worse than not only not having an important medication available when you need it, but now having to go to a doctor in your new area to get a new prescription. 

5. Alarm System 

I suggest installing and activating an alarm system, like ADT, to protect your home from intruders. Installing it before you even move in is ideal. Moving to a new place can be scary, and this extra precaution gives you a little more peace of mind when settling into your new home. 

6. Make Friends with Neighbors

Being friendly with the neighbor isn't a thing everyone wants to do, but it is a good way to protect your home. In the long run it gives you another set of your eyes on your home. This will serve you the whole time you live in this house

Declutter the Garage: Garage Floor Edition

Even the most clean and stylish homeowners often view garages as storage spaces. Considering it is a part of the house most people visit every time they leave their home in their vehicle, it shouldn't be left as an eye sore. Even if you don't mind the clutter, a cluttered garage can result in a lot of time wasted sifting through everything to find a certain item.

If you really want to give your garage an effective makeover- the best way to go is from the bottom up. Most junk and clutter will be addressed when you start on the floor. If you are looking for a quick fix, this may may not be a great place to start. Without further ado here is how you can get started giving your garage a much needed face lift.

Paint the Garage Floor 

Oil spills, dirt, mouse droppings and lord knows what else, all cake on a garage floor over the years making the garage look like scenes from a horror movie rather than an integral part of your home. One way to really spruce up your garage, as well as ensure the long-term integrity of the garage floor, is to treat and paint the floor of your garage. Here is a website from DIY Network that takes you through the process of re-painting a garage floor.

To upgrade your floor even further when you do this, I recommend going for a more non-traditional color. We are all too familiar with the ugly grey of garages, and it has a negative connotation in our minds. Instead browse for colors like rose, sunset or any number of tan-hued garage floor paint colors to give your garage a more warm look. Here is one option for garage floor paint from Home Depot.

Clean the Garage Floor 

If re-painting the garage floor is just not in the household budget right now, considering using a pressure washer or hosing out your garage floor. This will get out oil, dust, nests and all the other gunk that accumulates on the garage floor. Even just a quick sweep will make all the difference in the appearance of your garage. You'll be surprised how much your garage will shine after preforming any of these relatively low budget steps.

Remove Junk off the Floor 

Like any room in a house, all items should have a place in your garage. Items that sit on the floor take up more space than they need to. It also makes things appear a lot more cluttered than they actually are in reality. Invest in shelves, organizers, hangers, bins, buckets or whatever else you need to get all the random items off of the floor. Make sure after you or a family member uses an item, that the item goes back where it belongs afterwards.

Avoid Using Cardboard Boxes as Storage in Garages 

Cardboard boxes are cheap, versatile and great for moving, but when it comes to permanent storage they are not ideal. Cardboard can absorb moisture, smells, dust and can attract mice, so it is best to avoid them as storage items in your home. Not to mention that ugly shade of brown reminds many of us of the horrible process of moving, so it makes look as if you are transit rather than trying to settle in your home.

Instead of cardboard boxes opt for plastic, metal or just about any other material, because these material will last longer than most cardboard boxes will in the elements. You can find great sales on storage shelves and plastic bins a couple weeks after holidays (mainly Christmas and Halloween) when stores are trying to sell off extra bins they have on stock. Also, IKEA often has bargains on these type of items, as well as plenty of attractive options.

Handy Moving Infographic: 7 Insane Stats about Moving in 2013

The two main things a person who is in the process of moving should take away from this infographic:

1. You are just one of 40 million people in the United States whom decide to move every year, so you aren't completely bonkers for wanting/needing to re-locate.
2. When you can schedule your move, so you movers are not overly busy/tired when they move all your precious belongings. Scheduling moves during the winter and early in the week is is a great way to ensure your movers are not harried, but it also gives you some bargaining power when you are negotiating with movers.

Moving Industry Infographic by MyMovingReviews.

9 Movies about Moving!

Want to get into the spirit of moving with movies about moving? You've come to the right place! Here are some of my all time favorite movies about moving. 

The Amityville Horror (2005) 

The Amityville Horror may not make you in the mood to move into a new house, but it is still a fun movie. In this film a family moves into a home to discover it is haunted by the ghosts of those killed in a mass-murder in the house. I like the 2005 version with Ryan Reynolds (who is incidentally easy on the eyes ladies) starring as the main character, but there are about a dozen different versions of this movie from different time periods. 

Homeward Bound 

This is a really fun movie where a cat and two dogs are left behind at an aunt's rancher by a family who move to the city. The family promises to come back and get the pets once the family can find a big enough space for three pets in San Francisco. The three pets escape the rancher to find their family in San Francisco making an incredible journey. The animals do talk to one another in the movie, but their mouths do not move with any creepy high-tech effects. 

Footloose 

A young Kevin Bacon moves to a town where dancing is illegal! He soon has the whole town dancing to realize that a little bit of harmless fun never hurt anyone. This fun film is filled with a fun 80's soundtrack, lots of dancing and love story to boot.

Moving 

This is a classic Richard Pryor film that is filled with great laughs. As you can imagine Pryor is up to his typical shenanigans, and he hires a terrible moving company. This may make you afraid to hire any movers to help you with your move, but remember it is just a movie. Not all moving companies are that bad. This is a great film maybe to watch after the move, so you can remind yourself the move could have been worse! 

Beetlejuice 

A young couple moves into a home, but they don't realize they are dead! They try to haunt the house to make the current owners move out, but the new residents are not impressed by this young couple's spookiness. The couple decides to employ the haunting specialist Beetlejuice to scare the residents away. Michael Keaton plays a very memorable Beetlejuice. Also, young Winona Ryder plays a goth teenager. This is a cult classic film that you will never forget. 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone 

Harry Potter gets a whole new life when he moves from under the stairs of his mean aunt and uncle's to the school of Hogwarts. A great movie to inspire kids that moving can in fact improve life by giving everyone new opportunities in a new home. The book is even better than the movie for all my book worms out there. 

Karate Kid

This a movie that focuses on how difficult moving can be for a teenager. The main character, Daniel, moves in his senior year to a whole different state. He finds it difficult to fit in, but he soon meets new friends that will change his life forever including the famous Mr. Miyagi. Spoiler alert: You will be practicing a lot of wax-ons and wax-offs yourself with all the cleaning and painting that is usually involved in moving.

The Beverly Hillbillies (The Movie) 

This old television series was made into a hilarious movie in the 1990's that is just hilarious, but it also has its tear-jerker moments.In this film a family of hillbillies strikes it rich than moves to the big city, and you get to laugh at the expense of the hill billies as they learn the ropes of urban living. Jim Varney (the actor that played Ernest P. Worrel in so many movies) does a fantastic job playing the job Jed Clampett.

Twilight 

A great movie for tweens who just love romantic movies. In this movie a teenage girl moves to Washington where she meets a cute vampire and major troublemaker. Adventures, romance and such ensue. Teenage girls (and some of their moms) just can't seem to get enough of these books and movies.

5 Tips on Moving your Stuff from the Suburbs to the City

Moving to the city from the suburbs can be really exciting. Unfortunately, it can also be a lot of work. Here are 6 basic things you'll need to get done before moving to the city.

1. Condense

Moving to the city almost always means down-sizing. You are going to need to sell, donate and throw away a lot of your stuff that just won't fit into an urban living space. For those not ready to depart with some of their belongings, self storage units are a great way to keep some of that extra stuff you own. Fortunately, self storage unit ares very common even in cities, so you can get a self storage unit close by if you need to.

2. Car or No Car?

Depending on the public transportation of the city, you may just decide to just get rid of car. It is also a great way to save money to help pay for the higher cost of living that runs rampant in most cities. And with companies like Zip Car that let you rent a car for a small amount of money, so you can access a car when you really need it.

3. Closet Space

The worst thing about moving to a smaller space is the lack of closet space. You don't realize how much you enjoy the extra closets in your home until they are gone. You may want to consider a trip to Ikea or ordering a wardrobe or clothing storage device of some sort to help deal with the loss of closet space.

4. Divide up Space in Apartment

If you are moving into a an apartment or smaller home with your partner and/or family, it is a good idea to set some boundaries before you move in. Setting up dividers to separate his or her office spaces can be one way to create the illusion of privacy. How you are going to manage living in such a small space together is definitely a topic that deserves a discussion among all members of the household. It will still be a bumpy adjustment for most at first, but a little communication will help smooth the transition along.

5. Pets

Don't forget to consider the feelings of your furry friends. Moving to the city is a huge adjustment for all critters. Planning on giving them space to play and run around is important. Also, considering practical things like where the litter box, kennel, food bowls, etc. will help your pet adjust to being a city critter.

Find Self Storage Rates Online

Are you curious about the price of self storage, but you don't have the time to call all the different self storage services in your area? Many people run into this problem when they are considering whether to invest in self storage or not. Unlike most goods, the average person just does not know the cost of self storage units.

Luckily, we have an easy solution for you that requires absolutely no tiresome phone calls. At this self storage website, you can browse through most of the self storage units available in your area. All you have to do is enter your city, state or zip code to see a ton of different self storage options. What is even better is that the self storage cost is listed on the website. Also, you can even reserve the self storage unit without having to make phone call! Although for the record, we do recommend seeing the unit in person before reserving it, but we understand that not everyone has the time to spend on such precautions- especially when you are in the midst of a move.

We preferred the above site, because many of the popular self storage websites similar to this one, like Public Storage, for example, promote their chain of self storage locations instead of offering viewers all the available options. This does not allow for you to see the local competition, so it prevents many people from shopping around for the best self storage unit for their particular budget. However, if you had a particular brand of self storage recommended to you by a friend, the chances are you can find out how much it costs by Googling that brand. Don't you just love Google?

Anyways, one of the easiest tips I can ever give you as far as finding cheap self storage goes, is just research the variety of self storage units that are available in your area. Spending just 15 minutes looking at the different options can save you a lot of money, especially if you plan on using the self storage unit for any significant amount of time.

Good luck finding cheap self storage that works for you!    

10 Things to Do When You Move Into Your New Home

I was inspired by a recent post from houzz.com that asked readers "what do you wish you knew when you moved into your first home?" Loving all the comments from the readers, I decided to create a post based on top things to do when you move into your first home, or third, fourth or fifth for that matter.

1. Consider hiring move in cleaners. These miracle workers will come in and clean your house before you move everything in it. This is especially a good idea if you are buying a used home that may have had a messy owner. It will save you a lot of time and trouble, so that you can focus on moving instead of cleaning right off the bat.

2. Invest in Window Coverings. Before you even move into your new home, purchase or create the window covering you need for your home. Even being prepared to hang up just a sheet over a window for privacy is better than scrounging around for whatever you can find to cover that window.

3. Know Your New Terrain. It is a lot easier now with Google maps available, but it can be helpful to know where all the basic stores and restaurants are in your new area. Do a little research before moving day via Google maps, or even drive around the area yourself if at all possible.

4. Create an Emergency List. The address and phone number of the hospital, police, emergency service, pizza delivery, whatever may be needed, you never know. Create a contact list online or offline to make sure you can easily access these numbers in your new area.

5. Re-Do Things. If you plan on redoing the floors, painting or any of that jazz, it is a lot easier to do it before you've moved all your stuff in the house. You can even consider temporarily moving most of your stuff into self storage while these projects are underway.

6. Set Aside Emergency Funds. You never know when an emergency is going to pop up, so if at all possible it is imperative to set aside at least a little money. This can be really hard to do after a down payment, but try to tighten the belt to make it happen.

7. Be Prepared for Buyer's Remorse. It is not uncommon to move into a place and regret the decision. It is a little too late now to back out of your decision, so don't spend time dwelling on all the negatives of your home. Instead start making plans on all the cool things you are going to fix and renovate in your home to make it really nice.

8. Groceries. Get some basic groceries that do not need much preparation. It can be tempting to just eat out the first couple weeks of unpacking and organizing, but this bill will quickly add up. Keeping around simple food supplies will supply you with meals and snacks that won't cost too much.

9. Set up somewhere to sleep. Have sheets, blankets, pillows, bedding all easily available. You are going to need a good nights rest after moving day.

10. Celebrate. Moving into a new home allows a new beginning. Make sure to celebrate your new home with wine, pizza or whatever it is that makes you happy. Moving is a big pain in the butt, so you definitely deserve a treat after all that hard work.

Is it Worth It to Relocate for a New Job?

New employment opportunities uproot countless people to new homes all of the time, but do you ever wonder what exactly makes it worth it to do so? The New York Times recently chimed in on the topic of how to decide whether to relocate or not, and we thought they came up with some interesting points in their article. This blog is a summary of the main points in the article, plus a couple additional ones that'll help you deliberate on whether to make the move for that new job or not.

Salary

In order for a job to be worth the move financially, it should preferably offer more pay or more future opportunities. Ideally, it will offer enough compensation to pay to enhance your style of life and the mental and financial stresses of a move. Calculating how hard and how much it costs to move can be a bit tricky. This isn't the same as moving out of your dorm room into a new apartment, it is moving your adult self and perhaps a family to a new location. If you haven't moved recently, it may be a good idea to get a bid on how much it will cost to hire a mover. If you plan to do a move yourself, you will need to consider the cost of a moving van, storage, time, etc. will add up. Moving is a complicated and expensive process that should not be taken lightly.

Cost of Living at the New Location 

You may find your dream job with a great salary! Fantastic! What you may not know is that most of your new income may end up just being an adjustment for the expensive cost of living in that location. When you are considering a relocation, you are going to need to research the cost of living of the new area. How much is rent? How much are groceries and utilities? Will you need to consider sending your kids to private schools? Will there be a commute? How much will you spend visiting friends and relatives? All these considerations will help you decide if this new opportunity will actually bring you financial prosperity, because (financially speaking) there is no point in just moving if you do not gain anything out of it.

Contract for New Job 

Find out if your new employer would be willing to compensate for your move. If it hasn't been message, adding moving costs is a good thing to throw in at the negotiating table.  Certain employers will pay a certain amount for people to move. If this is the case, it is important to find out actually how much the  moving package includes, because sometimes companies will give you not nearly enough compensation to actually be able to afford to move. Instead you end up paying the excess yourself, or doing a large part of the move yourself to stay on the limited budget.

Employment for Spouse/Partner

If your partner or spouse cannot find a job in the new location, this can prove to be a huge financial loss for many couples. Every couple has a different financial and personal situation, but this is an issue that must be considered and discussed thoroughly before jumping ship to a new job. Without actually looking it is hard to scope out job opportunities in a new area, so do some research with job listings in the new area. Find out the general employment rate. The transition is sometimes a lot more difficult than one partner than the other, so be prepared for the fact they may be job hunting for a significant amount of time.

Intangible Considerations 

Not everything of course is about money. You will need to consider the pros and cons of moving that go beyond the pocket book. Have you also dreamed of moving to this location perhaps? What will it be like to be away from friends and family? How will this effect your children? There are lots of different factors that you can only consider for yourself. Taking the time to contemplate these and be honest with yourself will help you decide if it is time to move on or not. Many people avoid these topics until it is too late, and they end up regretting the big move. On the other hand, some people begin to think of their new home as the place they always belonged. Everyone is different. Just make sure you give yourself time to think about making such a huge change.

9 Tips for Moving Into an Apartment

Downsizing? Getting your first place? Either way, moving into an apartment has its unique logistical challenge. These tips will help you ensure that the challenge of moving into an apartment doesn't turn into a nightmare by offering guidance, warnings and advice on how to move your belongings into your new home.

1. Prepare to Downsize

Fitting everything you own into such a small place can prove to be quite difficult. It is even impossible for some people. Most people will need to consider donating, tossing or selling a lot of their beloved items. If you can't part with your stuff, you can always consider the option of a self storage unit. 

2. Renting self storage

If you are going to rent a self storage unit, make sure you do so in advanced. This gives you the time to shop around for different self storage units that have the price and quality that agrees with your needs. It also ensures that you don't end up moving items all the way up to your apartment only to have to move them to self storage later. 

3. Measure What will Fit

If you have a bunch of large furniture, you should measure the furniture to make sure you know that it will actually be able to fit into the elevator and through your apartment door. That huge couch from your old house may fit in your apartment, but that doesn't mean you'll be able to get it up the elevator. 

4. Measure Floor Space of the Apartment

It is important to measure out the floor space of an apartment, so you can see around how much can fit. Sketch out where you put things. This way you don't end up moving furniture and other items up to your apartment that just won't fit. 

5. Put Everything in Moving Boxes 

This is more of a safety tip that you can disregard, but many apartments get high traffic of mixed strangers. Do you want to be showing off all your fancy electronics, expensive paintings, etc. when you are moving in to whoever just happens to be walking by? By boxing as many items as possible you give yourself extra privacy, and you can perhaps prevent attracting random theft. You can find a variety of boxes and their prices here.

6. Label Moving Boxes Clearly 

Even in a small moving space, labeling the boxes will save you time. After moving who wants to spend time shuffling random boxes all over the place. Also, in an apartment there is less room to sprawl everything out, so you can figure out things like exactly where do you put that stupid spatula anyways!  

7. Reserve the Elevator 

In order to ensure you aren't waiting for the elevator every time you make a trip up to your apartment, it is important to talk with the front desk or manager about renting the elevator for the time and day you plan on moving into your apartment. This will also ensure you aren't competing with another tenet who just happens to moving in at the same time and day. 

8. Tell Your Movers about the Elevator Time

If you are hiring movers, make sure they know when you reserved the elevator. Or even ask them when the best time to rent the elevator would be on moving day. This will help things go over smoothly on moving day, but as usual, there still is always the chance movers will get stuck in traffic or be late.       

9. Be Prepared to End Up with Too Much Stuff

If you feel at the end of putting everything in its place that there is still a lot of stuff room for in your apartment, get rid of the extra stuff. Clutter in a small space such as apartment will get in your way every time you walk past it, and with apartments you spend a lot of time noticing extra clutter.