How to be a Moving Magician: If there was any time you would wish for a magic wand, this would be the time. Our best advice is to use your waiting time wisely. Start soonest and save your moving day energy for the joy of unpacking. As soon as you know your bond is approved, your house is sold, and your impending move is certain, stock up on medium-sized and large boxes, bubble wrap, “fragile” stickers, packing tape and a marking pen. This article will give you tips and ideas to take the stress out of moving.
- Your 23 Day Plan
- Taking Inventory
- About the Move and Mover
- Hire a moving company
- What to Pack and Move in Your Car if You are Moving Nearby?
- Some Final Moving Tips
- General Packing Tips When Moving a House
NB: Don’t write “what is in the box”, on the box. It is a sure-fire way to give would-be thieves a clue of which boxes to pick. Label your boxes with numbers and keep a corresponding list of “what is in each box”. This list will also come in handy when preparing your inventory to insure your move.
A Box a Day Keeps the Stress Away
Even if you have a few months to go before you move, there are many things you can start doing on a day-to-day basis. You have probably already decluttered and thrown away or sold anything you no longer want or need when you prepared your current house for viewings. If this is not the case, make it a part of your daily packing routine. So, keep a box or two at the ready to pack away items you already know will not be needed before your move.
You may also want to wash linen, curtains and rugs so they are move-in ready for your new home.
Your 23 Day Plan
With a 23 day plan, you will only spend an hour a day to make moving day a breeze.
Day 1 – Ornaments, clocks and bric-a-brac. If your moving calendar falls anywhere between 26 December and the 15 December the following year, your Christmas decorations can be packed first.
Day 2 – Pictures and hanging mirrors.
Day 3 – Books and photo albums and scatter cushions to lighten the weight of the boxes.
Day 4 – Winter clothes if you are in Summer, and vice versa.
Day 5 – Surplus linen. Use linen to line boxes to protect glassware and balance out the weight.
Day 6 – Vases and glassware.
Day 7 – Seldom-used kitchen appliances.
Day 8 – Everything in a spare room.
Day 9 – Bedside lamps.
Day 10 – Toys that are seldom used.
Day 11 – Home repair tools and equipment. Keep back and handy a set of basic tools that you may need for the rest of your packing. A hammer, drill, screw drivers, Alan-keys, a paint brush, an extension cable and a multi-plug. You will be surprised how many things need dismantling.
Day 12 – Sporting equipment you don’t use on a day to day basis. Bicycle helmets, hockey sticks, soccer balls, tennis racquets and the skiing equipment you plan on needing for your next visit to the Alps.
Day 13 – Things you are unlikely to need from your bathroom cupboards including medicines. At this point buy, or make up, a first-aid kit. Moving day is not immune to bumps, scrapes, aches, pains, upset stomachs and cramps.
Day 14 – Crafts, gift wrapping and stationery. Keep a basic set of reserves for kids’ school projects and your work-from-home needs.
Day 15 – Scatter rugs and loose carpets.
Day 16 – Your more than 1 TV, sound systems, accessories and multi-plugs.
Day 17 – Shoes. If you are anything close to Imelda Marcus, you will have dozens of shoes that you will not wear in the next month or months.
Day 18 – Ballgowns and tiaras. Your red-carpet wear can be safely packed, with the exception of the one little black number should you have an event that coincides with your moving calendar.
Day 19 – Plastic containers and trays. Keep back a bare minimum.
Day 20 – Pots, pans and cooking utensils. As for Day 19.
Day 21 – Crockery and cutlery. As for Day 20. This, unless you are planning on entertaining in the next month or so.
Day 22 – Kitchen draining racks, bathmats, bathroom and kitchen scales.
Day 23 – Curtains. Generally you can live without living room curtains for a short while but would probably want to pack your bedroom curtains closer to your moving day.
Taking Inventory
- Make an inventory of all of your items to be moved. It is best to list this by room with details of the major items first and then the smaller items.
- You can also use this list when obtaining quotes from various removal companies.
- This accurate record will enable you to check off the items as they are moved out of the old home and into the new home so nothing goes missing or gets left behind.
About the move and mover
The mover needs to take the following into consideration:
- The precise appointment time so as to be on schedule.
- The travel and time distance between the old and new home.
- The expected exit time of the seller to ensure a flawless move-in schedule.
The duration of the move will depend on the size of the move, the distance from old home to new home and the expertise of the hired removal company. The removal company should be able to give you an estimate of the move duration when you present them with your inventory for costing purposes.
Hire a moving company
Now that you know what you need to move, hire a moving company. As tempting as it is to save some pennies and move yourself, you will quickly realise the value of a professional moving company. They know what they are doing, and you are far less likely to have breakages and damage to furniture. With your detailed and accurate inventory you can get comparison quotes. Make sure your list is accurate so you procure the correct insurance.
With your 23 day plan done and dusted, moving day will be a “walk in the park”.
Save these items for your final day:
- Garden tools and equipment.
- Cleaning products and equipment.
- Pool cleaning products and equipment.
Once your removal company has departed for your new home, you can leave a cleaner and gardener, or a cleaning and garden service company, to give your property a thorough clean and tidy.
Not every seller will leave you a spotlessly clean home to move into. An empty house is the best house to clean. Hire a cleaning service to do a thorough clean once the seller or their tenant has moved out.
What to Pack and Move in Your Car if You are Moving Nearby?
Even if it requires a trip or two, a helping hand or car from a friend or family member, there are some things worth having within your reach.
Essentials
- Toilet paper.
- Tea, coffee, sugar and milk and a bottle of wine if you so wish.
- Healthy snacks and bottled water.
- Your mini-toolkit. This is the one you created on Day 11.
- Your first-aid kit. This is the one you created on Day 13.
- Petty cash. This in case you need to send someone off on an urgent buying errand.
Valuables
- Jewellery and precious objects.
- TV’s and breakables.
Clothes
- Hanging clothes can be bunched together with a strong elastic band and wrapped in garbage bags. Pack them in your car and rehang in your new wardrobes.
- Use your laundry baskets, backpacks and travelling luggage for clothes from drawers and shelves.
Pets Food and Bowls
- Don’t forget your pets. Getting them settled, fed and watered as soon as you arrive at your new home will make them feel secure and less likely to bother you.
Kids Toys and Goodies
- If you include a selection of toys, change of clothes and even bedtime comforts, which will be easily accessible, you will prevent rummaging through boxes or anxiously waiting for a delayed removal company to arrive.
Pot Plants
- Unless very large, they can be easily moved in your car, and add an instant feeling of home when you arrive at your destination.
Some Final Moving Tips
Having paced yourself, over a period of time, you will break the back of packing long before the last minute unavoidable havoc and mayhem commences. With moving ranked as one of the top three stressful life events, and being one filled with things outside of your control, you will be grateful you have taken charge of the things you can. As a final check;
- Look behind doors and inside cupboards.
- Remember your hosepipes.
- Check plug points for multi-plugs and chargers.
See our next article on Tips for Unpacking.
General Packing Tips When Moving a House
Here are some general packing tips:
- Use your strong boxes for heavier items.
- Put heavier items at the bottom of the box and lighter items at the top.
- Fill up your boxes and don’t leave empty spaces.
- Don’t mix items from different rooms in the same box.
- Label your boxes with a room identifier but don’t list the contents on the outside of the box.
- Ensure the boxes are strongly taped.
- Pack your valuable items separately in reinforced boxes or best transport these in your own vehicle if possible.
Summary
We are committed to empowering our clients with knowledge and appropriate skills that ensure the best possible outcome for their home sale. Hope this process helps you with a good moving experience but do remember that Leadhome can recommend moving companies with a great track record.
For expert advice in buying a house, Leadhome can also assist buyers with completing an “Offer to Purchase”, the Home Loan application and the Conveyancing process and until they are happily settled in their new home. We offer professional step-by-step support and advice throughout this home-buying experience.
