Are you planning to move house soon but dreading the prospect? If you said yes to that question, you are in good company. Most people consider moving house one of the most stressful events of life. And there is a good reason why they feel this way. It is because of the sheer number of stuff we have to organize when we plan to move house. Most of us own vast items, and moving house forces us to attempt to sort these things. That is the source of our stress when we are about to move house.
But is there any way to make the experience of moving house less painful?
Yes, there is. According to Keyrenter Knoxville Management, there are two simple strategies to alleviate the stress of moving house to give yourself enough time and be methodical in your approach to packing your belongings. If you can do these two things, you will not realize when you complete the work of packing your entire home.
How do you do this?
Simple tips for a more efficient move
1. Start early
How early should you start packing? If you begin as early as eight weeks before moving day, you will have enough time to complete your packing, even if you do just a little bit every day. If you don’t have eight weeks, aim for three weeks.
2. Book your movers early
As soon as you have decided on your moving day, start talking to moving companies in the area. This step is crucial if you are moving during the peak moving season. Even if this is not the case, you want to get this out of the way.
3. Choose the right truck
You want a truck that is big enough to contain your stuff. However, it should not be so big your items get thrown around in the empty area inside the truck. Get a vehicle with a loading ramp to make the work easier.
4. Make a moving folder
A moving folder is a place to store the different documents related to the move. Having papers like rental receipts and moving contracts in one location ensures you won’t have to search for things when you need them.
5. Create a moving to-do list
During a house move, there will be a thousand small things to handle. Without a detailed to-do list to remind you of those things, you run the risk of missing important deadlines or forgetting crucial tasks.
6. Create a schedule
Decide how many hours you want to dedicate to packing every day and what time of the day you will do this. You don’t need to set aside several hours. One hour daily will be more than enough to do the work if you start early.
7. Decide how you will pack
You have a choice between packing your things by room or category (shoes, books, etc.). Packing by categories is easier. It feels less overwhelming and makes it easier to sort things.
8. Pack professionally
Follow these tips to pack your belongings. Use the appropriate box sizes; pack heavy items in small boxes. Always put heavier items at the bottom and lighter ones on top. Do not put things that belong in different rooms in the same box. Double tape boxes under and around the sides. Boxes should never be heavier than 50 pounds.
9. Label smartly
Pick a color for each room in the home and color code boxes according to their room. Label boxes on top and sides. If there are special instructions for how a box should be handled, write them on the box.
10. Inventory your stuff
It is advisable to keep track of your belongings by noting each item on a list before you pack them. Create a different list for each box to make it easy to locate things you might need. When unpacking your stuff, tick them off the list as you take them out of the box.
11. Purge your home
Getting rid of items you no longer need will reduce your moving bill (movers charge by weight) and help you avoid transporting clutter to your new home. Sell, trash, or donate your old stuff.
12. Rent some equipment
Having some moving equipment on hand – furniture dolly, furniture pads, and tie-down straps – can make all the difference on a moving day. Apart from the rented stuff, you require box cutters, permanent markers, packing tape, garbage bags, and lots more.
13. Schedule disconnections
One week before moving day, contact your various service providers (cable, internet, electricity, and gas) and arrange to have the services shut off. To be sure you don’t forget, you may need to set a reminder.
14. Change address a week before moving day
If you fail to change your address before moving, your bills, packages, or credit card statements will be sent to your old address. It happens a lot when people move house; this is why you need a detailed checklist with deadline dates.
15. Pack an overnight bag
Pack a bag for every member of your household. These should contain toilet essentials, chargers, sleeping clothes, and extra clothes. A bag to hold your vital documents and valuable items will also be necessary.
