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Tips for Moving To Keep In Mind
Beginning your relocation is always a strenuous process. No matter how much you try, you’ll probably end up forgetting some crucial tips for moving. The family moving is under the physical and mental strain of figuring out every detail down to the minutest one. Additionally, moving to a new house always takes a toll on the family emotionally as well, for obvious reasons.
However, moving is a part of life and most of us have done it at least once in our lives. Because of this, we all know just how difficult it can be. There are innumerable things that need to be kept in mind and neglecting even one of them can lead to unnecessary hassle and frustration.
To make your relocation easy for you and your family, here’s a checklist of all the tips for moving that you need to take care of. Follow this list and you are in for a much smoother move than you anticipated.
Make an Inventory
The first and most important thing for you to do is to make a list of all your belongings. This sounds like an extremely tedious task but believes us when we say you will thank yourself for it later.
It will help you pack, for example, by giving you a better idea of how many boxes you will need and how much time it will take to get everything done. It will also allow you to determine how long the process of loading and unloading will take.
Other than that, making an inventory ensures that nothing is misplaced during the chaotic day of the actual relocation when everything seems to be all over the place.
Get Rid of All Unnecessary Items
As you make your inventory or even after you are done, start getting rid of the things you don’t think you need. Many people find it difficult to part with even the most useless things and end up hoarding unneeded wires, cables, cutlery, and so on. By doing this, you are just making things harder for yourself in the long run.
Once you’ve sorted through all your possessions, you can dispose of them in numerous ways. Donating them to the needy, giving them away to friends and family who might need them or holding a garage sale are just some of those ways.
Try to get done with this before you do anything else as it will make the packing process a lot easier and way more organized.
Start Collecting Packing Material
By now, you will have a clear idea of how many supplies you will need to start packing and what kind. Start looking for these things as early as you can.
Asking your local grocery shop for unused boxes or friends and family for any spare packing material lying around is a smart way of going about things as it will save you the cost of having to buy the material. You can approach wine stores specifically to get boxes which are made of sturdier material, designed to carry fragile glass items.
Additionally, start saving up newspaper, discarded paper bags, and bubble wrap, all of which will come in handy. Other items such as tape, scissors, etc., are easily available and affordable, but you should not put off buying them until the very last day.
Pack in a Methodical Manner
As you start with your packing, there are many things to keep in mind.
Firstly, ensure that you start with packing the items which aren’t needed in your everyday life. A few basic necessities such as your toothbrush, nightclothes, and house slippers are all things that should be packed in the end and in a bag or box you can easily access.
With the help of your inventory, you can appropriately label your boxes according to the items you are putting in them or the items for a specific room, making unpacking a hassle-free process.
A vital part of the process is to give special attention to your delicate possessions. You need to take special precautions so that they don’t break during the move. Double wrapping them with newspaper or with soft material such as sweaters and blankets will ensure this.
Lastly, remember to take care of all your valuable items such as your jewellery and important documents – you can’t afford to lose them in all the chaos. The best option is to deposit them in your bank or leave them with someone you trust until you can look after them again.
Book a Mover
Now, this may just be THE most important thing that you need to tick off that list. There is no scarcity of professional movers, but finding the right one for your particular needs is a difficult task.
After doing appropriate research, ask for quotes from two or three companies that suit your needs best, allowing you to make the best choice possible. Insurance is something that you need to be very careful about, as going with an uninsured company can lead to you having to pay for any damages that may be incurred.
If you’re moving in the summers, which is peak moving season, hiring a mover beforehand will not only save you from last-minute troubles but will also get you a much cheaper deal.
Check the Dimensions of Your New Home
Before you move into a new place, you need to have a clear idea of how big your rooms are. This allows you to get any necessary modifications made before the move. Additionally, you can decide how you want your furniture arranged which will significantly simplify the process as when your movers are unloading the truck, you can simply tell them to place the furniture where you want it to be instead of having to move it later.
This saves you time and effort, both of which you will need a significant amount of during your relocation.
Take Care of the Fumigation Process
If the house you are shifting to has been uninhabited for some time, there is a high likelihood of there being a host of unwanted guests inside.
Do yourself and your family a favour and get your new house fumigated as soon as you can. This ensures there will be no unpleasant surprises waiting for you when you move in.
Again, handling this issue before you actually move into the new house is something that will save you an unnecessary amount of hassle.
Ensure All Your Utilities Are in Order
Imagine you have reached your new home with the movers’ trucks in tow, only to find that either of your electricity, gas or water supplies isn’t in order. Worse, imagine none of them is being supplied to your new home! That is something you do not want to deal with at the end of the long, tiring move day.
You should tackle this issue a week or two before you move in. People often forget about this aspect of moving but it is very important, so make sure you don’t make the same mistake.
Other than that, you should also aim to examine your new home beforehand and locate any leaks or broken pipes, for example; all issues like these should be fixed before you shift.
Request Leave from Work
As mentioned before, moving is sure to take a significant toll on you. It requires energy, dedication, and most importantly, time.
You may be aiming to get all the major work done with over the weekend, and while it is possible to get the bulk of the work done in two days, chances are you will have to go back to the office on Monday with a lot of unfinished moving business hanging over your head like a sword.
As soon as you know the date of your move, request some time off work so that you can settle in easily and get everything sorted out in one go.
Inform Everyone About Your Changed Address
Again, this is something that many people forget to do or leave until later. However, the best time to get done with this is around the time of your move, because the more you delay it, the greater the chances of you forgetting about it altogether.
Visit the post office and inform them of this change. Additionally, for friends and family, sending out an email or text with your new address is an easy way of getting this done.
Find a Good School
When you move, one of the main things you need to take care of is locating a top school for your children. Do appropriate research and try to involve them in the decision-making process. You should also aim to get them enrolled in a school of your choice as soon as circumstances allow; don’t delay it as that will definitely cause issues later on.
Devise a Budget
While moving is a tiring process physically, there are many other aspects that are just as hard. One of these is managing your finances, which can be quite challenging.
While it is understandable that the major costs, such as those for hiring a mover and buying packing material make up the bulk of the expenses, there is more to it than that. Often, we end up spending on minor things such as tissue paper and toothbrushes because everything has been packed away. Spending too much on food during the move is also common.
While all these seem like minor costs, they can add up to become a large amount. To avoid this, you should make a daily budget and stick to it. Moving is already an expensive process – don’t make it even more expensive by spending unnecessarily.
Ending Note
Moving is tough – we are not doing to deny that. Though you can’t minimize the work and effort that needs to be put into moving, by planning ahead and keeping these useful tips for moving in mind, you can make sure everything gets done without any additional trouble and your move is a success in every way.