Packing up your home before moving is no small undertaking which is why I’ve written up this list of useful tips to help ease the process. There are so many variables and things to keep track of that it can quickly become quite the stressful experience. While moving home can become stressful, it’s also an exciting moment as you get ready to move into a new home. By following the steps in this list, hopefully it’ll make the process a smooth and maybe even enjoyable one!
1 – You Can Never Start too Early
Being overly prepared isn’t a bad thing when it comes to planning what to pack and how to move all your belongings. Maybe you’ll need a storage unit or maybe you can move everything without the need of a removals company. All these factors are worth considering to plan how you’ll actually manage the move. The packing can certainly wait until one or two weeks before the actual move date but it’s always a good idea to have some kind of plan to follow during the big move.
2 – Labelling Boxes
One of the most vital tips in my experience has been to label boxes as they come into the new home, it’s great to know what to unpack first and exactly what can be saved until last. Certain items like kitchenware are always good to know what’s inside as you don’t want to reach in and accidentally grab something sharp! Labelling boxes is a quick and easy task that just adds so much benefit to the whole moving process.
3 – Packing Boxes
It’s so important to pack the boxes right without overloading them or having pointy objects break through the cardboard which has happened before. If you do need to pack a lot of heavy items, using tape around the seams or another piece of cardboard on the bottom of the box can really bolster its load-bearing capabilities. Packing paper is another useful item to pad out boxes containing any fragile objects. I would also recommend taping the boxes shut to ensure that your belongings are as safe as possible during transit. You don’t want to arrive to find out that some plates or cutlery escaped the safety of their box!
4 – Declutter
As you begin the packing up of all your worldly possessions, it will probably become apparent that a lot of stuff can actually be gotten rid of or donated to a charity shop and given a second life. This is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for to go through your possessions and declutter them. As everything’s got to go into a box anyway, it’s easy enough to place unwanted items in an extra box that can then be donated or repurposed perhaps. This will also help if you’re planning on doing the moving and loading without professional help – it’ll lighten the load.
5 – Use A Professional Service
It’s definitely possible to manage everything by yourself (especially if you’re not moving too much stuff) but oftentimes it’s best to opt for a professional service that can do the heavy-lifting. Employing a removals company also means that you’re free to concentrate on the other things involved with moving house. It’ll also mean that a lot of the packing is done for you by professional movers who know how to pack and carry heavy-load items without any accidents. At Yeates, for example, we’ve over 100 years of experience in the removals business so you can enjoy peace of mind that your belongings arrive safely and on time to your new home.
6 – Valuables
One tip I learned after moving around a fair bit was to keep a smaller suitcase or bag as an overnight bag, so to speak. What I mean by this is to have an essentials and valuables bag for the first night. So keep important documents and jewellery, for instance, in your overnight bag that also has a wash bag and change of clothes. Having all this ready for the first night/day at your new home just allows for instant access to essential and valuable items and keeps them by your side too.
7 – Finishing Touches
There’s always a few things that can be forgotten but hopefully this list has covered the main areas and in this final tip we’ll look at some of the loose ends that can be tied up. With the increasing need for gadgets at home, there is a resulting abundance of wires and cables running from TVs, computers, fans, games consoles etc. and all these can get horribly tangled if bundled into one box. Despite being a rather time-consuming activity, it really helps to have cables tied up with string, elastic band or whatever to keep them separate and untangled.
Another trick for moving cleaning liquids and dishwasher tabs is to ensure that all the bottles are securely fastened and packed upright. I’ve had laundry detergent spill over within a box which is not something you want to deal with when arriving at your new home! There will always be unique loose ends that need tying but that’s why the first tip is to plan ahead to ensure that everything is considered before the moving day.
Moving home can oftentimes be a demanding experience but with this helpful list, hopefully it’ll be more exciting than stressful!
Infographic Provided By True Friends Moving Company