Here’s How to Stay Organized (With a Pet in Tow)

Own more than one home and a pet? It can be challenging to figure out how to manage all your responsibilities simultaneously, especially when spread across different states. However, there are some easy ways to stay on top of it all and beat the stress of constantly moving – while still keeping your pet happy. Want to learn more? Keep reading as The Scislow Group breaks it down below.

Managing Finances

According to the American Psychological Association, over 75% of Americans are stressed about finances. This worry can be exacerbated when you spend a significant portion of your paycheck caring for your pet and managing two different properties. Saving money will thus be a big part of reducing financial stress. For example, you can save money by registering your cars by spending half your time in one state and the other half in another. You can even get your auto insurance policy in the state with cheaper options. This is similarly true for health insurance and pet insurance too. Other ways to save could be to opt for streaming services over a cable subscription, enabling you to watch whatever you want, when you want. In addition, being mindful at the grocery store can go a long way in saving money – be sure to stock up on nonperishable items and deep freeze food that you can store for later.

Stay Organized

It will be critical to stay organized when living in two different states simultaneously. To begin with, be sure to keep track of your belongings to ensure you have what you need in each home. Johnson Moving also suggests labeling your boxes and keeping a list of what’s in each one will be the way to go. Similarly, when you’re unpacking and putting things away, ensure you follow a specific system that is organized logically and consistently. This will help you stay on top of your different belongings and always feel settled – no matter which home you’re in.

Keep Familiar Items Handy

To ensure your pet’s happiness, you can keep a few essentials on hand at both homes. From their favorite toys to food, cat trees, harness, and crates, these items will go a long way in keeping your pet comfortable. When buying these items, look at as many reviews as possible. While customer ratings are helpful, veterinarian reviews will go the extra mile in helping you feel confident that the products you’re buying will keep your pet safe and healthy. Thus, it’s best to look for websites with product reviews from animal pros.

Factoring in Moving Expenses

Finances are likely the top priority when managing this new living arrangement. Let’s take a look at the average costs for the essentials in different cities:

• Home services: The average cost of home services like utilities, maintenance, and repair starts at $239 in Austin, TX.
• Self-storage options: If you live in Los Angeles, California, you can expect to pay about $121 for these storage options.
• Veterinarian pet services: The average cost of vet services in Atlanta, GA, is $100.
• Food: Groceries and food in New York City, NY, costs approximately $485 a month.
• Healthcare: Healthcare costs will set you back at approximately $465 a month if you live in Miami, FL.

When it comes to multi-state living arrangements, preparation is critical. Keeping your pet’s health and safety will be a top priority, as will following best practices to set yourself up for long-term success. Be sure to invest in basics like a self-storage unit and proper insurance and you should be good to go!

Need help buying or selling a home? The Scislow Group can help with your real estate needs – click here to contact us for more information today!