Congrats on your move! Moving into a new Tallahassee apartment is so exciting! I always have mixed feelings about a move – excitement about all the possibilities of my new home, as well as some anxiety about working out all the details of a move.
A key thing that you may not think about is setting up your utilities before you move in you're your Tallahassee apartment. Some places will require you to show proof that you have set up your electric and water, but other places don't – and you many not think of it. Your landlord will be able to tell you which companies you need to contact to have these services set up by the time that you move. They may require some advance notice, so make sure that you get this taken care of in advance!
Another big stress I have experienced when moving is choosing a moving company. There are a lot of options here, and the choices can be overwhelming. You should first decide how much of the moving process you and any friends or family that are going to help can handle, and how much of the process you want professional movers to take care of. You can leave the entire process – packing, driving, and unloading all up to the movers, or you can do all of this yourself, or you can do some and have movers do some.
The more you do yourself, the less it will all cost. However, when you do things yourself, it does require a lot of time and effort, which you may not have. Additionally, when you use a good moving company, they will have insurance to cover anything that may be damaged in the move. Doing things yourself, you won't have that sort of security. What you choose really depends on your budget and the time you have to devote to moving.
If you do hire a moving company to help you with anything, be sure to do your research on the company. Check out a potential company with the Better Business Bureau. The Department of Transportation also has a very helpful website devoted to moving businesses – how to avoid scams and fraud and that sort of thing.
Another potential problem is that of your mail – you will want it to start arriving at your new address once you move to your Tallahassee apartment. The USPS allows you to change your address online (for a $1 fee) or you can go to any post office and do this for free. All you have to do is get a form, fill it out, and your mail will start coming at the date you specify. This won't work for magazines and things though – you need to contact those companies individually.
These are just a few basic tips – there is a lot of information out there to help you choose a good moving company, packing tips, unpacking tips, and more. Hopefully, my suggestions will help you avoid some of the stress that can come with moving. On the bright side, you will soon be in your new apartment in Tallahassee, making it feel like home and all of the great things that come during the settling in period of time.