Moving home can be one of the most stressful experiences any of us go through in our lifetime. The search for a new home, and the actual move can give anyone enough stress to resolve never to do it again once the move is over! Packing up your life and moving it from one place to another comes with weeks’ worth of hard work and more headaches than you care to think about.
So here’s some pearls of wisdom that might just save you a few unnecessary stresses you just don’t need.
Table of Contents
First, get sorting.
When you are moving out of your old home to a new place, you get the chance to sort out the things that are worth keeping from those that you definitely shouldn’t be carrying with you. It makes far more sense to have a sort out before you start packing up your belongings than at the other end when you’ve had to lug everything across town to the new location. So get ruthless and ask yourself what you are really going to want to take with you, and what items it’s time to say goodbye to.
Most home removal firms and storage companies will charge you per square foot of belongings you have. Every extra box of things you can part ways with is a little bit less stress, hassle and expense. If you’re really not sure if you can get rid of something, then ask yourself a few questions: Have you used it in any way in the past year? Does it bring you happiness to see it? Does it match the style of your new home? If you answer no to any of these, then it’s time to let it go. Sell, pass on, donate or just bin if the item is not in a condition to give to someone else.
Allow plenty of time.
In our sorting and packing experience, getting ready to make the move takes far longer than anyone ever anticipates. So start as soon as you can. Start decluttering as soon as you know you’re going to be moving. And then make a start on wrapping and packing the items that you know you are not going to need before you leave. The ornamental and decorative items, the books, and out-of-season clothes. You can ask your family or friends to help as this can offer moral and practical support. Not only does asking for help save you the time but also provides the wisdom of selecting what you need and what needs to be thrown away.
Be systematic.
It can be incredibly overwhelming when you take a look at all your possessions – so be systematic when packing. Start with one area or room at a time. Isolate your things into 4 categories: Sell, Throw, Donate and Keep. This task can be challenging to hoarders but remember keeping the stuff you don’t need will take up the space required for packing useful things, and cost you more money to move and store. Try it out and see for yourself how freeing it feels to live life with lots of space around you.
Make use of storage solutions.
Storage units have made moving house so much easier. Whether you just need somewhere to temporarily park your property whilst you are between homes, or you are looking for a place long term to keep items that you can’t fit into your home or don’t want cluttering up the new space, they can be a great solution to the problem of where you keep your belongings. Storage units are safe, secure and can be sourced cheaply and easily. So if you are downsizing, it can save you money in rental or mortgage payments as you don’t need to factor in that extra bedroom just to keep your stuff! And if you only need the space for a short amount of time while you make the move, there are plenty of units that will help you keep your belongings safe for as little or as much time as you need.
Decluttering in storage
Sorting your things whilst in storage can be a great stress reliever. If you’ve had to move in a hurry, you have more time and often more space to really sort through your property before moving only what you really want into the new home. You will often find that once you have the items out of the old home and into storage, you become far more objective about what you should and shouldn’t be keeping. You can work at your own pace without the deadline of moving day looming.
Key storage tips
- Have a plan – It is essential to come up with a plan before placing your belongings in storage. The plan should include specific places you intend to put everything and what kind of packaging and boxes you will need.
- Colour code – Colour coding can be particularly helpful when you are moving stuff to different places. Use different coloured stickers to identify and differentiate different types of objects and where in storage each box is going.
- Keep it clean – Dry and clean your belongings before putting them into storage. If you’ve wiped dusty items down with a wet cloth, make sure they are fully dry before putting them into storage as the last thing you want is to open your boxes up after weeks in storage to find they’ve all gone mouldy! Don’t put items like sofas to close together as they can retain moisture and become rotten without fresh air circulating around them. You will also be preventing mildew or damp that can result in a nasty smell by giving them some space.
- Avoid over-packing boxes – Heavy items in over-packed boxes will give you seriously bad back ache and lots of broken storage boxes. The packing weight maximum should be about 25 kilos per box. House movers give different boxes in which to put different things as per the weight requirement. The boxes you are using should match the things you are storing inside them. A weak box will not properly hold the items you are putting in it. Be careful of books – they are very heavy!
Conclusion
If you really want to avoid the stress, it can be a great idea to let a professional removals company affiliated to the British Association of Removers (BAR) give you a hand. They are the professionals and know what needs to go where, how much time will be needed to pack, and can even arrange and deliver to storage for you. Poor storage can mean you end up with broken belongings when you move into your new home so look for a company who provide a complete racking and packing service, and if your items of property need it, specialist moving and storage facilities. Giving yourself ample time, starting planning as soon as possible and seeking professional help can be the best ways to avoid most of the stress associated with moving day.