Moving house? Here’s some top tips to help you pack
If you know just how much of a headache it can be packing a few suitcases to go on holiday, you can imagine how difficult it is packing up your entire house in advance of a move! So, to make this job a bit easier for you, we have put together a list of our golden rules for moving house.
Essential Advice For When You’re Moving House >
1. Start collecting boxes and packaging material weeks before moving
A great way to accumulate packaging materials is to ask for spare boxes at supermarkets or shops! If you do this for a few weeks in advance of your move, you’ll make sure you’re not left needing extra packaging on the big day. You can of course buy unused cardboard or plastic boxes from shops that sell storage solutions. You will also need to get materials to cover your furniture such as old towels, blankets and tablecloths. How about volunteering to polish your friends cabinets in exchange for borrowing all their unwanted rags! Remember, the sooner you start collecting items, the less of a fuss at the last moment. Here’s some of the materials you’ll need for your move:
Plenty of boxes of different sizes and thickness
Foam and bubble wrap
Straw or shredded plain paper for wrapping kitchen utensils, old newspapers or magazines for wrapping other items (be careful as newsprint can stain cups and plates)
Scissors, duct tape and some sticky labels for the boxes (you can also write box numbers on the side of the boxes with a pen.)
2. Create a comfortable packing space for yourself at home, and package your items carefully.
Carefully organise items that are to be packaged together into one area. Place them into boxes, and then surround the items with a sufficient amount of filler material (foam, newsprint, bubble wrap etc.)
Heavy items should always be placed at the bottom of boxes, with lighter ones towards the top. Putting heavier items in smaller boxes will be helpful for moving and unpacking, and will better protect items.
Be particularly careful with items which could be easily broken, such as kitchenware and crockery. Always make sure you use plenty of filler and protective materials around these items.
When filling your boxes, it’s handy to plan in advance and make a note of which room the box will be going into in your new home. For example, writing simple notes such as ‘12: Bedroom, blankets’ on your box allows you to easily identify where the box is going, and its contents.
3. Don’t forget to pack essential items into different boxes.
Pack separately some essential items that you will need on your first night at the new home; toothbrush and toothpaste, soap and shampoo, towels, some cutlery, plates, some snacks, some scissors to help with unpacking. You can mark boxes that contain items such as bedding with ‘open this box first’. This will mean you won’t have to stress to find essential items when you’ve just arrived and are knackeredfrom the move. Additionally, you can put aside a couple of days worth of clothes and any baby bottles or food if you have little members of the family.
4. Prepare a ‘moving house’ file for yourself
It can be helpful to have handy a file with important paperwork and documentation, such as your agreement with the transportation company as well as other official documents, some cash, and other important telephone numbers. This will save you from having to dive into your unopened boxes to find crucial information when you need it the most.
5. Use this as an opportunity to declutter!
Going through all of your items and packing them into boxes is a great opportunity to get rid of unnecessary things you no longer use or need. If items can be reused, you can take them to your local charity shop. Empty out the drawers from storage units and comb through to ensure you’re only taking what is necessary to your new home. Also, another top tip - make sure your dishwasher is empty before moving it!
6. Be organised and put aside boxes as you tape and label them
Try to group similar items into the same boxes, such as cables, repair tools and other DIY items. You can even use different coloured marker pens to differentiate between different rooms. This will make it easier when unloading too. Another top tip is to tape together parts of items that you are disassembling e.g. screws / nails. Alternatively, you can put the screws and nails in a small bag including a piece of paper stating where they’ve come from, i.e. table legs. This will prevent you from drowning in screws, nuts and bolts when you arrive at your new home.
7. Make sure all of your belongings move with you to the new house.
As you’re getting towards the end of moving day, methodically tour the house room by room and make sure that everything has been taken from the rooms. Once you’ve loaded up all of your boxes and made sure you haven’t left any valuable items (or piles of rubbish!) then it is time to say an emotional goodbye to your old house, and hello to your new one!
After you’ve packed the boxes, we’ll do the rest. Click below to get free removals quotes from trusted companies:
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