Moving with roommate (and hiring movers in Austin)

Moving with roommates can be more complicated than moving alone. That’s because you have to  consider more factors such as splitting costs of moving services and paying for extra trips to the storage unit. In addition, it involves spending long hours discussing how you would transition to your new home in the hopes of coming up with an agreement before the moving truck arrives. That’s why it’s important to know when moving with roommates.

It’s understandable that you and your roommates might feel overwhelmed. That’s why whether you do it yourself or you hire professionals, you need to anticipate that moving is a huge task that you need to plan for.

If the idea of packing and moving is overwhelming, try coming up with a plan on how you can make the best use of your time. Having movers in Austin take care of your needs, on the other hand, will not only give you an extra set of hands but also provide logistical support during this stressful period.

To get a better moving experience with the support of Austin movers, here are some tips that you can do with your roommates.

Talk about rules early on when moving with roommates.

These conversations will help you weed out people who would not fit well into your space, ultimately making it more likely that you find a successful roommate match. If there are no rules established before moving together, arguments are far more likely to occur later on down the line.

Make a list of everything that needs to get moved by local movers.

Thinking of hiring movers in Austin? There’s no better way to ease the moving experience but with the help of a full service moving company. You’ll get a personal move concierge treatment for a stress-free relocation from packing services to unloading your belongings. Other Austin moving companies offer storage solutions as well.

That being said, it’s important to also prepare ahead to maximize the benefits that Austin movers can provide. Write a list of your requirements and the stuff that you’d like to take with you to your new home. Your moving company will ask you to prepare this in advance so that all your moving needs can be catered.

This can also help you avoid rushing through the moving process . To make sure you don’t miss anything, go room by room and write down each item that you need to pack.  Creating a checklist reminds you and your roommate to have enough boxes and packing supplies to move with. And if you have any special requests for items that may need extra care on long distance moves, the Austin mover will be aware of your needs.

Make a copy of all keys.

Each roommate should make a copy of the key to your apartment or house. The best option is to simply take one key with you, and give it to another roommate for safekeeping until they have access to their own copy. However, if you have a spare key outside the home that only you and one other roommate know about, then it’s best that you do not tell anyone else about this spare key or its location. If another roommate wants the extra key to the apartment for emergencies, it’s always better to make a copy of your own key for them rather than taking additional risk by giving out information on a spare set of keys.

Identify your shareable items.

Household items that are shareable with roommates, such as laundry detergent, kitchen paper towels, bathroom essentials (toilet paper, cleaning supplies) need to be planned to save on costs and avoid buying twice as much.

Hire movers in Austin.

How can you keep things under control so that nothing gets broken or lost? The answer is simple: hiring moving services. If you already live in your new home and don’t want to break the bank by calling movers, there are still ways to get help. Check out moving services in your area and have a look at their rates. Call the ones that seem reasonable and ask for a quote.

Create an agreement about chores.

Discussing who does what around the house, how often each task needs to be done is essential. Do not sign the lease before creating an agreement with your roommates about chores. You might just want to avoid having to talk about household responsibilities altogether by subletting the whole unit instead of getting roommates instead. This will allow you to do whatever you want within your rented space without needing another person’s approval.

Agree on bills payment before moving in with roommates.

Payment of bills should generally follow the same rule as chores: whoever uses it most should pay for it. For example, if someone is always using the printer and leaving out reams and reams of paper to drain the ink cartridges, then that person should probably contribute more to the cost. The same goes for things like utilities – whoever consumes more must pay more.

Get roommates on board with all shared expenses.

Make sure everyone can agree on a budget with set spending limits for utilities, and consider adding money into the savings account every month. It’s wise to have a fund you can dip into in case something comes up. This will also prevent awkwardness when everyone needs to chip in for an item like utensils or dishwashing liquid.

Set up a regular review on how you can save on household costs.

Introduce new ways that can help you save on expenses together. For instance, you may suggest using LED light bulbs instead of incandescent lights, or you can share the cost of installing a programmable thermostat to manage the heating and cooling of your home more efficiently.

Keep track of household expenses upon moving with roommates.

Monitor your monthly purchases of products such as cleaning supplies and toiletries. Having a running list will make it easier to stay on top of reordering supplies before something runs out.

Frequently Asked Questions about moving with a roommate

1. How can roommates best split household costs?

   Determine your budget together to avoid unnecessary expenses along the way. You may also create a shared fund so that you have a ready source during immediate costs.

2. How can roommates avoid issues on the shared use of appliances?

   Make sure to talk about ownership of the appliance. In this way, rules can be set so that its use can be regulated.

3. How early should roommates pack when moving into a new place?

   As early as possible. It’s a good idea to make plans regarding the move ahead of time. In this way, you can coordinate your schedules and do your packing together.

4. Should agreements between roommates be put into writing before the moving process?

   As much as possible, you need to draft it on paper and have all parties sign it. This will keep you from arguing over rules when the time comes.

5. Is it cheaper to do the moving on their own instead of hiring professional Austin movers?

   It depends, but most of the time, hiring a moving company will save roommates time, costs and energy from the stressful experiences of transporting their belongings.

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Enjoy a streamlined relocation with expert moving teams no matter where you live with Heavenly Moving and Storage. Book your move knowing you have the full support of the only moving company in Austin on ABJ’s 2021 Best Places to Work and Best of the Best Moving Company Finalist. Get your free quote today or call us at 512-340-0551.