Moving home can be one of the most stressful things we do in our life. It’s likely been many years since you last moved and for this reason it’s important to have a plan of attack in place. Below are a few of the most important things to keep in mind as you get closer to moving day.
1. Start throwing away unwanted items early
Packing is a big job and the only thing worse than packing is unpacking again when you are in your new home. It’s human nature to accumulate stuff and therefore important when moving to sort through your belongings and decide what you still want or need and what you can part with. You don’t want to waste time packing and unpacking items that you will never use again. Why not plan ahead and give away or donate some of the things you never use to someone who might need or be able to use them. This will ease the job of unpacking when you get to your new home and assist you in making a true fresh start with only the necessities in your new home.
2. Organise your furniture
Having a plan of attack will assist your move from start to finish. Measure out the rooms and plan where you are going to put your furniture and ensure that it will fit in your desired space. This will assist you in the actual move as you might be charged extra if removalists need to keep shifting things around. Likewise your friends might not be ‘available’ the next time you need help moving if you make them shift your solid timber TV unit five times to different places around the house! Also this will help you foresee any potential space issues that might arise as you decorate your new home.
3. Book your removalist early
One of the first decisions that you need to make when planning your move is whether to book a removalist company or make do with help from friends and family. At certain times of the year, removalist companies can very busy and book out quickly, especially on weekends. If you decide to use a removalist company to help you move, it is important to book early to avoid missing out on your preferred moving date. This also gives you time to shop around and get the best deal possible to save you money.
4. Round up your family and friends for moving day
We love our friends and family because they are there for us when we need them. On moving day you will need as much help as possible. Round up your friends and family to help you with packing, cleaning, moving, unpacking and minding the kids and pets. The more notice you give, the more people you will have to help you when the time comes. Once you are all settled in you can reward their efforts with a housewarming party!
5. Boxes, boxes and more boxes
It can be overwhelming how many boxes you may actually need. Label them clearly with the contents and also the room they need to go in to speed up the removal process. This will help with the speed of unpacking and also trying to find items when you need them quickly. It is also helpful to label boxes on two sides so that they are easily identifiable even if they are leaning against a wall or other boxes.
6. Update your address
It is important to update your address and it is amazing how many people/departments need to know that you have moved. Australia post offers a service to redirect your mail to catch any mail that you might have forgotten about; like those one a year insurance reminders. At the bottom of this post there is a downloadable moving checklist to help you remember everyone.
7. Keep track of cables, cords, nuts and bolts
There is nothing worse than a missing charger when your phone has run out of battery! During a move, cords/cables/nuts and bolts have a way of getting lost never to be seen again. To avoid this happening use masking tape to stick nuts and bolts to bed legs and keep your cords with the appliance where possible. If you have a lot of cords, roll them up and place them inside an empty toilet roll. You can then stack the toilet rolls in a shoe box to avoid the cords all getting tangled with each other and jumbled up. You can also write on the cardboard rolls to help you remember what the cord inside is for.
8. Clean out your pantry
Plan ahead and make sure the kitchen pantry is one of the first things that you sort out. This way, you can use up as much food as possible, in the days before your move. Throw out any expired food and make sure you put any perishable food in an esky on move day. You will need to defrost, clean and dry your refrigerator the day before your move so it is important to use up as much food as possible to avoid wastage.
9. Have your survival pack on hand
By survival pack I mean the items that you will need access to the day of and after you move. This includes toothbrushes, PJ’s, pillows, sheets, blankets, medicine etc. The last thing you need after a busy day of moving is a sleepless night because you can’t find anything to make up the beds! Remember that most of your items will still be in boxes so you need your survival pack to be accessible, easy to find and include everything that you will need in the first few hours of living in your new home.
I hope this helps give you an idea of some things to keep in mind with the moving process. Below is a little checklist which will give a few extra pointers to ensure you remember to notify everyone of your new address.
Click here to download Mark’s Moving Checklist
