By Ben Weger

Published Mar 5, 2018

Updated Dec 23, 2023

A moving guide is the ultimate tool for organizing your residents’ moving process. Moving is one of the biggest pain points for new residents and a positive move-in experience has been shown to increase resident renewal rates. To help multifamily communities and their site teams make the best moving recommendations, we’ve created a multifamily move-in guide with tips your residents can use to pull off a stress-free move.

1. Give residents a moving task list

The first impression a resident will have of your property depends on their moving experience. Because first impressions are so important, help your residents keep their move organized with our epic checklist for moving. The list outlines all of the moving-related tasks to complete, starting from the eight weeks before moving day through the two weeks after move-in. The sooner your residents can begin planning their move, the better.

2. Be a moving company expert

Finding and booking a reputable moving company is one of the most time-consuming processes for residents. By helping new residents navigate the moving industry, site teams relieve the pressure of one of the most stressful moving tasks. Here are some tips residents will find useful when searching for a moving company:

Help residents find the best moving companies

Finding the best moving company for your residents can be tricky. Luckily, we have partnerships with some of the top moving companies in the business. To assist multifamily communities, we’ve created a tool to help your residents find the right moving company. Feel confident your site teams are suggesting the best moving services to new residents.

Educate residents about moving insurance

In addition to finding a moving company, there are a handful of other moving expenses to determine on moving day. Moving insurance is among the most important. To help your residents, check out these tips on choosing the right moving insurance policy.

Explain the requirements for moving deductions

Moving deductions are determined by the distance of a resident’s move and when they begin employment at their new home. Here’s a helpful guide explaining moving deductions and their tax benefits.

Offer advice on how much to tip when moving

Tipping is a question that comes up during every move. Since each home and move is different, here’s some advice on answering your residents’ tipping inquiries.

Prioritize smart consolidation

Help residents reduce their moving costs by offering tips to consolidate belongings before moving day and advice on how to host a successful yard sale.

3. Deliver the best packing tips

Packing efficiently can make or break your residents’ moving process. Pass along these 50 moving hacks to help them navigate any packing problems. Here are a few more of our favorite packing tips:

Help residents find free moving boxes

Tracking down sturdy, free moving boxes is a challenge for people moving. Before you recommend buying boxes or recyclable moving bins, here’s a list of suggestions for finding free moving boxes. Once the moving boxes are packed, here’s a great system for labeling them.

Enhance the unpacking experience

Unpacking is just as important as packing. Knowing which boxes to open first and where to find them is crucial to make the first week in a new home comfortable. Here’s what to pack in an open-first box.

Encourage proper disposal of household chemicals

Not all items are safe to carry on a moving truck. Certain house cleaners, gardening chemicals, and other toxins must be disposed of safely before moving day.

Advocate for electronics recycling

Recycling used electronics is great for residents looking to consolidate. Here’s where and how they can dispose of their old electronics.

4. Remind residents what services to transfer and when

Keeping track of how and when to transfer utility services, update legal information, and switch service providers is no easy feat. Here’s what your team needs to know to help your residents schedule their updates on time:

Transfer utilities swiftly

Transferring utilities to a new property takes timely planning. Ensure your clients know what information they need to set up and shut off their gas, water, and electric service. Reference this list of documents new residents will need in order to make the switch.

Save when switching TV and internet providers

One of the last things residents want to disconnect and one the first thing they want to be installed in their new home is TV and internet service. Since certain properties offer preferred vendors, educate new residents on their choices and remind them to set their installation date. Pass along these 11 tips for residents looking to save money on their cable bill.

Update state voter and vehicle registration

Keeping voter and vehicle registration up-to-date is important to residents moving in and out of state. Check out this list of information for residents changing their driver’s license and registration and updating their voter registration.

Forward mail at the right time

It’s difficult to know when to forward mail to a new residence so there’s no gap in delivery. To help residents plan their mail-forwarding date, follow this guide to forwarding mail.

5. Help your clients stay organized with Updater

Property management companies and their site teams work extraordinarily hard to provide amazing service to residents throughout their stay. We recognize how much effort it takes to provide a stress-free moving process for new residents and we want to help make things easier. Gifting your residents and site staff Updater helps make the moving process more efficient.

To help site staff, we’ve personalized the moving experience for each individual resident to help them accomplish moving tasks such as booking a moving company, transferring utilities, updating their TV and internet, forwarding their mail, and updating their subscriptions.

Here’s what else we can do for multifamily communities. Plus, our moving tips blog is home to even more comprehensive and quality moving advice.

We hope this multifamily moving guide helps your team provide a superb moving experience for your residents. With information on every step of the moving process from choosing a moving company all the way to unpacking, use this moving expertise to make your team a resource for your residents. Your residents will thank you when you start their moving experience off on the right foot.

Ben Weger

Ben is the former Content Intern for Updater’s Marketing team. The only thing he finds more exciting than discovering a new trend for content is starting his own.