If you’re planning on a move, packing up your things and getting them to your new home can present one big headache. Thinking about all that needs to be done can be frustrating and confusing, but breaking the process down into steps can help you manage everything more efficiently. As you start the moving process, following these tips can help you make this move easier and reduce the stress you’ll feel throughout the process. Before you know it, your family and your belongings will be in your new home.
Organization is the Key to Packing
Packing is the biggest headache in terms of the physical move, because it requires so much thought. You don’t want to forget anything, but you also don’t want to bury the things you’ll need along the way. While this will take some preparation, it won’t be as confusing as you may think. You should start out by writing out a master inventory list that accounts for every item being packed. Boxes should be labeled, so your inventory list can identify each box and everything that has been packed into that box.
Additionally, you can use permanent markers to color code each box. This will make it easier for movers, such as Platinum Removalists, to know where to put each box in your new home. For instance, you might designate the color blue for boxes that belong in the kitchen and red for boxes that should be left in the living room. This may seem a bit too obsessive, but it will help you ensure your boxes get where they’re needed.
Packing Up Electronics
Preparing your electronics for the move can be challenging, especially if you’re not mechanically inclined. You can help yourself in a couple of ways as far as packing up electronics, such as computers, stereo systems, and television entertainment centers. Before you touch anything, use your phone to take pictures of the backs of your devices. You might also make a video that shows how each wire or cable is connected. This will make it easier for you to reassemble the devices in your new home.
You can also help yourself by keeping everything together. You can use a freezer bag or a plastic lunch meat container to keep spare parts for each device together. On the outside of the baggy or container, use a black permanent marker to identify where those parts belong. You can either pack these containers into a larger box, adding them to your master inventory list, or you can use packing tape to secure the package to its corresponding device.
Preparing Furniture for the Move
Another big consideration is preparing your furniture to be moved and this requires more than simply throwing furniture blankets over each piece. You will want to protect everything against inclement weather, rodents and other pests, and the shuffling that occurs on the road. This means wrapping upholstered items in industrial strength plastic wrap. You will want to wrap each item securely, but not so tight that the wrap will damage any wood pieces in the furniture. You should be able to fit a few fingers snugly between the wrapping and the upholstery.
For antiques and fragile items, you should wrap the furniture in bubble wrap first and add an outer layer of the plastic wrap. These items should be completely protected by the wrap to avoid accidental damage. Where wood furniture is concerned, such as dining tables and chairs, taping cardboard around the wood can prevent rubbing that would otherwise mar or warp the wood. Plastic wrap should be wound around the furniture after the cardboard is in place.
Use What You Have
In addition to being stressful, moving is also an expensive process and, no matter what your budget looks like, you should try to save money where you can. This means packing things into dresser drawers, buckets, and waste baskets to reduce the amount of boxes you’ll need. You can also use your clothing to wrap up fragile items instead of costly bubble wrap. You may find other ways to save on resources as you pack up your belongings as you look around your home.
Reduce What You Transport
This is a good time to eliminate all of the things you don’t use anymore. As you pack your belongings, separate your items into three categories. There should be a list of items you’re taking with you, items that should be sold, and items that must be thrown away in the trash. By compiling this list early, you’ll have time to sell items online rather than conducting a sudden and time-consuming yard sale. Additionally, people expect bigger discounts at a yard sale, so you may be able to make more money by selling online.
Taking Care of the Little Ones on Moving Day
The actual day of the move is going to be hectic even under the best circumstances. Everyone is going to be busy enough with packing up the moving truck without having to worry about young children and pets getting underfoot. Many people have found it worthwhile to leave the children with a daycare service and board the pets on moving day. In addition to giving you the freedom to pack up the truck, you’ll be sparing your children and pets from additional anxiety. They’re already nervous enough without having to watch you empty the house of every familiar piece of furniture.
Plan Out Your Moving Day
There are a few things to consider in selecting your moving day. For instance, professional movers often charge lower rates for mid-week moves, because most people move on the weekends. You can also plot out your route ahead of time to locate the best places to stop for gas, meals, and lodging. Planning out a long-distance move in this way can help you save a considerable amount of money and may help you get to your home faster. In addition to lower rates, you’ll find that a mid-week move will help you avoid higher volume traffic.
Moving is never easy, but taking the time to plan out the move will reduce the problems you’ll face. When you make a list of everything you’ll have to do and check those items off one at a time, you’ll find that your stress levels actually decrease as you get closer to your moving date. This is because you took the time to plan in advance and you’re no longer confronted by dozens of tasks all at once.
