4 Moving Tips to Keep in Mind
Moving means the start of a new chapter; a new home with new experiences mixed with leaving behind the old memories of a past home. It also means chaos. Packing up all your belongings is no easy task.
If you have to move, we have four tips to make it easier for you. As you’ll read shortly, keeping order is first and foremost.
1. Get rid of everything you won’t need
Too often we stuff our belongings into boxes and boxes without stopping to think about how long it’s been since we actually used them. Moving is a great chance to clean out your personal belongings and get rid of the items you’re not going to use anymore.
If you don’t sort out your things you’ll end up moving more volume and weight than you need to. More likely than not, you’ll just throw them out when you’re settled into your new home because you don’t need them.
You might have clothes, shoes and other objects that you haven’t used recently and certainly won’t anytime in the future. But remember that the garbage can is always the last option. Donate the things that still can be used but you don’t want anymore. And recycle anything you can as well.
Once you’ve done with our first step, only your useful items will be left to put into the boxes. And you move will be well on its way.
2. Label every box
Once you’ve packed everything away, you’ll be left with dozens of identical boxes. Their similar appearance might have you later opening one after another to find what you were looking for. To make your move easier, we recommend labeling every box.
Depending on how many boxes you have, add more information to their labels. If you just have a few boxes, writing down their future room will be enough – living room, kitchen, home entrance, office, bathroom, bedroom– these all might be labels that you could use.
On the other hand, if you have a lot of boxes, add more details to your labels. Specify which drawers, shelf or part of a closet the box’s contents belong in. It’s a simple step that’ll barely take any time but it’ll make a big difference to your move.
As for where the labels should go on the boxes, the sides are the best spot. Sticking the labels on the sides will help you see them easily even when the boxes are stacked.
3. Keep your fragile items safe
No matter who, what or where there’s one thing that always happens in a move: something breaks in the process. To prevent this from happening, or at least to reduce the risk as much as possible, do your best to protect your objects, especially the fragile ones.
Delicate objects require special protection.
We recommend buying protective material such as bubble wrap or boxes for your fragile items. You could also stuff newspaper into your boxes to keep items from moving. We really recommend doing it for silverware, glassware, and dishware. You should also take extra protective measures with decorative accessories like jars, sculptures or paintings.
4. Don’t seal your boxes before moving
There’s always a burst of stress and craziness in any move. What did I pack in this box? What’s in this box or that one? What if it’s not in either? To keep the breakdown at bay, we recommend waiting until the last minute to seal your boxes. That way, you’re free to check what’s inside and what’s missing.
Try keeping track of the things you pack away on a piece of paper. Keep it next to the box so you know what’s already inside without having to move things around.
Follow our 4 steps and your move will be much easier. Start by cleaning out the objects you don’t need, then label your boxes. Take extra care of your fragile objects and don’t seal your boxes until the last minute.