San Diego is swelling! The population grew by 80,000 people between 2010 and 2020, mainly due to new residents moving to the city.

Moving to San Diego lets you take advantage of many resources, including great schools and opportunities to start businesses. Yet you shouldn't rush your move. You need to start preparing to move months in advance so everything goes smoothly.

When should you start your preparations? How can you start packing? How can you get your mail and utilities at your new home?

Answer these questions and you can prepare a perfect moving timeline today. Here is your comprehensive guide.

One Year Before Moving Day

If you are moving to San Diego from another country, you need to plan your move one year out. You should find a moving company that can transport your boxes over international borders.

You should also start saving money for your move. Bringing furniture and personal items abroad can be expensive, but you can reduce your expenses by comparing the rates of different movers.

Make sure you get your paperwork so you can travel to the United States. You will need a valid passport and a U.S. visa. Get these documents well ahead of time, as your passport may need to be valid for six months before you reach San Diego.

Figure out where you are going to live before you start talking to movers. Good neighborhoods for students and young professionals include the Gaslamp Quarter and Hillcrest.

Neighborhoods for families include Del Mar Mesa and Torrey Hills. Take a look at San Diego schools and find a home close to the one you like the best.

If you are moving to San Diego from the East Coast, you may want to prepare a year out as well. A cross-country move is difficult to arrange, especially if you are packing many items with you. Set a date for when you need to arrive in San Diego and figure out how you will transport your items and yourself.

Six Months

If you're moving to San Diego from the West Coast, you can start preparing six months in advance. Set a budget for yourself and figure out how much money you can spend on a moving company.

Find a service that is less expensive than the maximum amount of money you can afford. This gives you extra money you can spend in case you have unexpected expenses.

Be as precise as you can with your budget. Account for your moving boxes and the insurance you will pay for your items.

Start talking to moving companies and examine their different services. You should also look at customer reviews to determine the quality of the companies. Make sure they have licenses and insurance for moving your belongings and ask the company representatives for references from clients.

You can declutter your home to determine what items you do not want to bring with you. Broken electronics and damaged clothes can be thrown out or recycled. Review a packing checklist so you know what to bring with you.

Continue your job and personal responsibilities. If you are moving for work, you should let your clients and coworkers know that you will need to move.

Three Months

You should keep going with the decluttering process. If you have items that are valuable but unnecessary, you can sell them to a friend or start a garage sale. Advertise your sale with fliers and social media posts so you can attract many shoppers.

Put the money you make into your moving budget. You may be able to pay for additional services, such as expedited delivery.

You should hire a moving company sooner rather than later. Set pick-up and drop-off dates that won't be too crowded or stressful.

Moves in the middle of the week tend to work better than moves on weekends. If you're moving for school, you may want to arrive in mid-August, as many students move in during late August and early September.

Two Months

If you can visit your new home, you should do so at this time. Take measurements of each room and each doorway and tell your moving company about them. You may need to dismantle furniture to fit them through the doors, and you may need to place bulky items in rooms closest to your front door.

Figure out what you want the design for your new home to look like. Some people like to replicate their old homes as much as possible. Other people take the opportunity for a redesign, especially if they are moving to a smaller space than before.

You should figure out how you will get to your home. If you need to fly to San Diego, you should book your tickets after looking at a few options. If you are going to drive, you should get your car serviced so it is ready to go.

If you're renting your current residence, you should give written notice to your landlord. You should also inform your doctor and medical providers of your move. Try to find ones in San Diego you can use.

One Month

Buy your moving supplies roughly six weeks before your move. You can use cardboard and plastic boxes of various sizes as well as plastic bags. You can protect your items with bubble wrap, packing paper, and soft covers.

You can now start to pack room-by-room. Put away items you will use but do not need right now, such as seasonal clothing and furniture. Keep similar items together, unless you are running out of space to fit things.

Label your moving boxes so you know what is in the box, what room they came from, and where they are going. You can write on the boxes with a black marker, or you can use a color-coding system to indicate what rooms they should be in.

You should start updating your personal information. Tell your utility and insurance companies about when you are leaving and where you are moving to. Make arrangements with your friends and family so you can spend time with them before you move.

Two Weeks

Start to pack your clothes and other items you will use on a daily basis. If you're running out of room in your boxes, you can try rolling your clothes instead of folding them. You can also slip your socks and other items into your shoes.

Do a deep clean of your home from top to bottom. Vacuum the floors, ceilings, and closets. If you have time, you can paint damaged walls or hire renovators to make small repairs to your property.

Contact your post office so you can forward your mail to your new address. Talk to the IRS and other government offices so they know where you are moving to.

Find your personal documents like your birth certificate, Social Security card, and passport. Put them in a folder or box that you can spot from a distance.

One Week

If you have not packed your glassware and dishware away, you can do so a few days before your move. You can wrap them in bubble wrap to prevent them from breaking. Label the containers with stickers that show there are fragile materials inside the containers.

Remove all of the perishable food from your refrigerator and freezer. Once they're empty, you should clean them and prepare them for removal from your home.

Your final step in the packing process is to make a box for your essentials. Put all items that you will use on your first night in a container, including toiletries and medications. You can also pack a first-aid kit for yourself, especially if you are driving on the road for a long period of time.

Talk to your new utility companies to make sure everything is okay at your new home. You should also double-check with your moving company about the pick-up time for your belongings.

Do a walkthrough of your home to make sure you are not missing anything. You can do this on moving day if you have a little extra time.

Try to relax the night before your move. Get plenty of sleep and enjoy the last few hours in your home.

How You Can Start Preparing to Move

Preparing to move is a long process. For a long-distance move, you should start preparing at least six months in advance. You should do research on moving companies with several months to spare.

After you hire a company, you can start packing. Remove items from your home that you don't need, then start putting items you will eventually need in boxes. Tell all important people and institutions where you are moving to, including your local government.

Find a truly comfortable place to live. Steele San Diego Homes provides great homes in San Diego. Contact us today.