tips for your short-distance move

5 Tips For Separating Your Furniture From Your Roommate's When Moving

17 November 2015 by Otto Moilanen

Moving out of a shared living arrangement can be more complex than ending your lease and moving out as an individual. While there are several things that you should consider, one of the most important aspects of the move will be separating your belongings. By approaching the question before problems arise, you can avoid conflict and make the process easier. 

Mark Your Furniture As You Purchase It 

You may think that you will always remember who purchases which items, but over time it is easy to forget, especially for smaller items. You may want to decide on a labeling system for larger items, by applying a small amount of colored tape on the bottom of furniture or other items. For smaller items, you may be able to color-code your items by regularly purchasing a certain color for each roommate.

If you cannot mark your furniture, you may want to create an inventory of belongings and add to it as you make purchases. This will make it easy to separate your belongings after years of living together. 

Create an Inventory Before You Hire Movers 

You and your roommate should agree on which items will be moved before you hire a moving company. This way, when your roommate is getting a quote, the moving company will have a realistic impression of which items will need to be packed and moved. Ideally, you should create a photo-inventory of household items. That way you can easily sit down together and decide who owns items that you are unsure about. 

Separate Your Belongings Before Movers Arrive

To help ensure that the movers do not pack things that do not belong to the moving roommate, you may want to separate your belongings before they arrive. This not only saves time (and possibly money, if you are paying for movers by the hour), but also helps make sure that a few of your items do not end up in your roommate's boxes. You may mark large items that should be moved, as opposed to moving them into a separate room. 

For small items, you may choose to move them into a single room or designate an area, such as a drawer or shelf, in each room that should be packed and moved. 

Have All Roommates Check The Moving Inventory 

If you are hiring professional packers, they should make a list of items that are in each box. However, depending on the company you choose, this can vary from a brief description to a detailed list. You should let your movers know that you desire more detailed inventory. All roommates that are living in the house should be there to check the list before the owner of the items signs the bill of laden.

You may want to have all of the roommates in the house during packing and loading. However, this can end up crowding the movers, depending on how many people live in the home. For this reason, you may want to concentrate on preparing before the move and then designate one roommate who will be remaining to oversee the packing along with the roommate who is leaving.  

Exchange Contact Information In Case a Mistake Is Made 

Unfortunately, packing mistakes can be made. If you find that something is missing after a roommate moves out it may be best to assume that it was an honest mistake and not an attempt at theft. Discussing how you will get items back if they are moved before the move occurs is a good idea. Make sure you have the new address and phone number of the roommate who is moving. 

If a roommate is leaving in a rush or because of a negative relationship, separating items may be more difficult, but the more that you can do before the moving date, the easier it will be. For more information or advice, contact a business such as Wheaton World Wide Moving.

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