Moving houses can be one of the most stressful experiences many of us will have. The difficulty of packing up your whole life, and shifting it somewhere else can often be daunting for people. The team at Aarons Removals and Storage has compiled a list of our tips to make your move as easy as possible.
Create a checklist/timeline
This is an important first step so you can plan your whole move to go smoothly. Create a timeline on what needs to be done first, and what is least important, all of which will be dependent on the notice required to leave your current home, and move into your new residence. List what rooms can be packed up first, containing the items you won’t need, then the rooms you will use can be packed up in the last days before your big move.
Declutter
Go through your house and recycle, donate or dispose of anything you no longer use. Unwanted furniture, clothing or goods can be donated to your local charity store, and anything beyond use can possibly be recycled at your local refuse site. Some councils offer free skips if you have lots of things that need disposing of.
Make a box for important things
Often forgotten about until the last minute due to them usually being in a draw, or safe. However, packing a box of your most important things is vital to have an efficient move. Things such as your passports, birth certificates, childhood possession, family heirlooms, or anything that is irreplaceable should be packed in a separate box from everything else that can be accessed easily if needed.
Packing boxes well in advance
If you are packing your own home don’t leave the packing until the day before you move. It won’t get done. It is a task that everyone underestimates. Get your boxes and materials nice and early and get a start straight away. You don’t need to do all your packing in a day, you can do a room at a time. Or do an hour of packing each day. The sooner you start, the sooner you will be able to see what it takes and time it right to have the essentials packed up just prior to moving day.
Choose the right materials
Most general household items are best packed into standard-sized removal cartons. A good quality two-ply cardboard is recommended for safety. Then there are the smaller book-sized cartons, use these to pack heavy items such as books and wine for ease of handling. Crushed paper is a good filler for empty space and good wrapping material for protection. Don’t leave empty spaces in boxes, this will cause the structure of the box to fail when other goods are stacked in and around it, which in turn can affect other parts of your load. Any space in cartons can also be filled with towels, clothing or linen.
The general rule for packing is, that if it can fit in a box it is best in a box. This makes handling/loading with the risk of damage reduce significantly. Big items like televisions will need to be packed delicately. We recommend using the box the TV came in. If you don’t have that we can supply special boxes. All other furniture and larger household goods will be looked after by your mover on the day.
Use household items for packing
Many of the items in your house can be moved without the use of boxes. You can use laundry baskets, tubs, and suitcases as a great way to move the clothing from your wardrobe or less delicate items.
Label everything
This is an important thing for anyone moving house. Label everything! List what’s in each box in case you need it straight away. When doing so label on the side of the box. This way when are few are stacked on top of each other you don’t have to move them to read the contents.
This process also makes it much easier for the moving team to make sure they are putting each box in the correct room, so you don’t have to move the boxes around when unpacking your house.
Some other good labelling tips:
- Label cables for any computer/electrical equipment that arent clear.
- Bag up and label any screws into zip lock bags when dismantling furniture
- Label any furniture or effects that are not going. Also, point these out to the movers.
Book early
People are selling and using house removals now more than ever, which means you won’t be the only person looking at house removals. That’s why it is important to book your move as soon as possible, so you can move on your desired date or a time that works for you. We recommend contacting us at least 2 – 4 weeks prior to a local move, more for an interstate or international move.
The best advice is to give us much notice as possible. This will ensure that hopefully, you get your preferred dates or are very close to them.
Schedule utility providers
This is less moving, and more preparation, but scheduling the change in utilities is so often forgotten when moving house. You will need to contact your utility providers leading up to the move to ensure that come moving day you have access to electricity, water, gas and even internet.
Also, you will likely need to contact:
- Licensing departments for car regos and drivers licences
- Accountant and Solicitor if you have them.
- Insurance company
- Electoral register
- The Tax Office
- And the post office to arrange a redirection for a period whilst all this info gets updated.
After moving
You don’t have to unpack everything right away. Similar to only packing what you don’t need first, you can choose to only unpack a couple of rooms at a time. The kitchen, your main bedroom and your bathroom are great places to start. This is why labelling each box is important as you will still know what is in each box, without the need to empty everything in one go.
When you have finished unpacking and have all your boxes flattened and ready, get in touch with us and a collection can be arranged to recycle the moving cartons.
Use a skilled and trusted house removalist
If you are planning your next move, then look no further than Aarons’ Removals. Be it locally, interstate or overseas Aarons’ are the experts in everything moving, and are sure to make your move as easy as possible. If you prefer to keep everything under control, we can provide you with moving-grade boxes and offer skilled advice. Aarons’ Removals also offer you the ability to store your items if your new house is not quite ready!