No matter how early you start preparing for a move, or how much you force yourself to think positively about the entire undertaking, moving is a demanding, stressful task. You never know what might go awry during the preparation and the packing stages, or what might happen at the new place, the minute you unload the truck.
From poorly connected utilities to inadvertently leaving some essential belongings at the old place, all the way to completely forgetting to notify key people of your move – this is not a challenge to be taken lightly. Here’s what you shouldn’t forget to do.
Obtaining the right packing materials
Moving your belongings safely across town, or even country borders, requires proper packing. However, this does not mean simply procuring some boxes and hoping everything will fit, instead, there are a couple of factors you should take into consideration.
First, understand that different items should be packed according to their size and fragility. For instance, while a TV set requires its own high-durability box, clothes and accessories can be put in the same, lightweight container. But that’s not all there is to it, as you want to get the right packing materials in order to ensure the safety of every item during transit.
Labeling boxes properly and per room
Many homeowners leave the task of labeling their boxes for later, oftentimes forgetting to do it until the movers have already begun loading the boxes into the truck. To prevent complete chaos and disarray at the new place, consider labeling your boxes as soon as you start packing up each room. Make sure to label the contents and emphasize the room these should go in so that the movers can have an easier time unloading the truck.
Moving all utilities to the new place
One of the biggest problems that homeowners face when moving is organizing the move of all of their utilities. Oftentimes, people will forget about this crucial task altogether, only realizing their mistake when their gas appliances don’t work because the new place has an electrical network.
To avoid this costly and time-consuming problem, make dealing with moving house utilities your no.1 priority from the get go. You can find reputable companies that specialize in utility connections and can help you plan your move down to the smallest of appliances and utilities such as internet, phone, TV, and more.
Packing the right things at the right time
When planning a move, there needs to be order and strategy to the entire project. You can’t simply pack up your house as you go along, you need to have a system that will help you preserve the peace in the household and make packing a breeze. So, instead of winging it, be sure to schedule packing days per room – starting with the least-used areas and packing the high-traffic rooms such as the kitchen prior to the move itself.
Creating an “essentials box”
There are boxes that should go at the back of the truck, and there is a box that should stay at your side at all times. This “essentials” box is where you’re going to put all of your daily and night-time necessities that you might need prior, during, and right after the move before you unpack. To know exactly what to put in this box, divide items into categories such as hygiene, clothing, gadgets, and essential kitchen accessories.
One final walk-through of the old place
Last but not least, you shouldn’t leave the key in the front door until you’ve conducted one final inspection of the interior. This doesn’t mean giving every room a passing glance on your way to the front door, but rather it means examining every nook and cranny for items that you might have missed. Usually, these will be the items right in front of you, such as a wall clock or a picture frame on the commode.
Moving is a cumbersome task that requires proper planning and preparation, and by no means is it a stress-free chore. Nevertheless, you can alleviate some of the pressure off the entire ordeal by knowing that these essential steps are covered.
