The Ultimate Guide for Preparing for Moving Day
It’s 7am. You’re surrounded by a sea of
over-stuffed boxes, the fridge is brimming with soon-to-expire perishables and
the dog is causing havoc in the laundry.
There’s no way around it, moving home causes stress and strain for every
family. If moving day is on the horizon, getting a head start on your
preparations will help set you up for a smooth and successful moving
experience.
1. Assess your current situation
Have you been in your home for many decades? Is the attic overflowing with
mementoes and the garage packed with skis, bikes and forgotten gym equipment?
Consider the size and scale of your home well ahead of moving day, assessing
how many rooms and belongings you’ll need to pack away beforehand. If you need
help consider hiring someone to help de-clutter and/or a home packing company.
2. Set a realistic moving house budget
Although one of the most overlooked steps when preparing for moving day,
setting a clear budget will help you keep tabs of the big and small
expenditures that will arise when preparing to move home.
Sit down and create a spreadsheet that accounts for expenses such as packaging
supplies (boxes, bubblewrap, tape etc.), moving insurance, packing and removal
services.
3. Request time off for moving day
Once you’ve locked in a moving date, make sure to request leave with your employer
to ensure you’ll have full availability for the big day (as well as a few extra
days off to unpack and settle into your new home). People often choose to move homes on the weekends to ensure
they have time to unpack after the move.
4. Create an achievable checklist
With so many things to keep track of, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed in the
lead-up to moving day. Write out a list of every task you’ll need to complete
with clear deadlines to understand what your top priorities are each week,
allowing extra time in case of unexpected delays.
5. Declutter every room
In the words of Marie Kondo, ‘does the item spark joy?’ Simplify the moving
process by decluttering every room of your home, selling or donating unwanted
items to friends, family or local charity organisations. You don’t want to pay
the movers to move items to your new property that you will never use, so this
is a great opportunity to get rid of the things you don’t use or need.
6. Source suitable packing boxes
Consider the shape and weight of each item you’re packing and select a sturdy,
well-sized box to pack your belongings. Avoid overstuffing boxes as this can
cause breakages and accidents during moving day. You could look for a box company
that hires the boxes instead of purchasing them, this can be cheaper and means
they will come collect them after your move.
7. Keep things systematic
Think ahead and ensure you pack similar items into the same box, organising
items by room to make the unpacking process seamless and straightforward.
8. Label your packing boxes
Once you’ve sealed each box, chances are you’ll have a hard time deciphering
the contents! Save time by clearly labelling each box as you go, allowing you
to easily place boxes into their appropriate room upon arrival in your new
home. You could also number the boxes.
9. Arrange day care for the children
Keep the little ones entertained and away from the chaos of moving day by
arranging day care or play dates well in advance. If you have furry friends in
your family, ask friends or family to take them off your hands for the day to
streamline the moving experience. If you have any pets you may also want to
give them to a friend or family for the day.
10. Hire a professional removals company
Investing in a trained and professional removalist company
will ensure your belongings arrive safely in your new home, saving you time,
stress and money. A removalist will take extra measures to ensure your items
are packed and transported safely as they’re trained to pack, transport and
deliver your items efficiently to make moving day a breeze.
Comments are closed.