Moving house: 10 tips for an easy move

Moving house can be overwhelming. With the amount of sorting, packing and cleaning up to do, it’s no wonder that most people hate this daunting task.

One of the most common mistakes that people make is to just start packing on moving day. To avoid chaos, you must plan ahead. Unsure of what to do? You’re in good company. Here are the top 10 ways to help make the process as painless as can be:

1. Plan ahead

The more you postpone planning, the more you increase your chances of panicking as your moving day approaches. Plan and organise your move. Create a moving checklist and make sure to itemise your task on a week-by-week basis. Don’t forget to make an inventory of all your stuff so you can easily account for every item that leaves your house.

2. Lighten the load

This is a good time to get rid of the stuff that you don’t use. Sort through clothes, toys, books etc., and separate those you haven’t used for the last six months or so. You can either sell them at a garage sale or donate them to charity.

3. Pack early

Don’t wait until the last minute. The best time would be to start packing as early as three to four weeks ahead. By giving yourself plenty of time to pack, you’re likely to do it in a more organised and efficient way.

4. Prepare a moving day survival kit

Get a box and fill it with the essentials. That way, you don’t have to rummage through boxes just to find a towel or some snack for the kiddies. Make sure to include some bedding. It’s always a good idea to prepare your beds first, so you and your family can sleep comfortably even after a long tiring day of unpacking.

5. Keep the essentials

Make sure to pack all your valuables and those of your family members. All important documents and papers such as marriage licenses, birth certificates and the like should be packed and hand-carried by you for safety reasons. If staying overnight in a hotel, don’t leave valuables in the car.

6. Keep it clean

If possible, make sure to move clean. That means clean clothes, rugs, carpets, curtains, linen, furniture, etc., so you’ll have plenty of time to rest once you’re in your new home. There’s nothing worse than unpacking dirty underwear.

7. Pack per room

Packing your kitchen bowls with your bathroom stuff just won’t do. Unpacking is easy when you know that you won’t have to go from room to room just to put things in their place.

8. Get help

With moving, you’ll need all the help you can get. Ask your kids to pack their own stuff. Just put their name on the boxes and list the things that it should contain. Get your friends to help you pack stuff in the kitchen. Better yet, let them have those salad bowls and other items that are collecting dust on your kitchen cabinet.

9. Hire movers

Let’s face it. Packing stuff is hard enough, but lugging your piano down the stairs? That’s too much. Why deal with the hassle of moving heavy furniture when you can hire someone to do it for you?

10. Utilise your garage

Put all the boxes in the garage. This makes it easy for the movers to move them into the truck. Remember, you pay them by the hour, so every moment counts.

Enjoy the benefits of hiring reputable movers. Just tell us what you need and get free quotes from movers in your area.