When you are planning to move house, it can be a daunting and stressful experience. Between dealing with estate agents, solicitors, buyers, sellers and the long list of other suppliers before you come to choosing a removals company, the whole process can leave you exhausted. Here at Mr Shifter Removals we understand the pressures of moving house in the modern world.
We are working longer hours, commuting longer distances, socialising for longer than we ever have been before. So trying to cram all of that into a week and still find time to pack for your removals can feel like a mountain to climb, especially if you don’t even know where to start! That is why we have put together this brief guide that might help you navigate your way better to your moving day!
Once you have decided to move house, and have had a offer accepted the ball is in motion, it is best that you start preparing your home ready to be moved.
1. Clear the Loft
The first place to start packing with your non-essential items, belongings that you will not tend to need day to day. For instance, one of the big concerns in any property is how much you may have in your loft! Chances are that 60-80% of what is in your loft currently has been up there for over a year, and 80-90% of it would probably be staying in the lost for the next 5 years if you weren’t moving. So, lets be Ruthless, empty out your loft space and take a look at exactly what you have up there, most councils will offer free drop off to local tipping and recycling centres with proof of address, so you already have a cost free way of getting rid of anything you simply don’t need.
Once the loft is emptied and you know exactly what you will be bringing, get it boxed up and ready to be moved.
2. Thin down the Garden
Another area that can be thinned down ahead of time is your garden sheds, patio furniture etc. If you are aware that you are moving with in the next 6-8 weeks, you can start to have you garden furniture arranged. Start to dismantle your patio furniture and any kids climbing frames etc. That you might have, this will make the moving processes smoother on the day. You can also start to box up and dispose of the content of your shed, be ruthless and decide whether what you have you will need in your new property.
We can recommend using crates to store and transport tools as they are tougher and will be able to take the weight of your tools more efficiently.
3. Streamline your Wardrobes
Next, tackle the clothes in your bedroom’s, you can start to thin down your wardrobes and Chest of Drawers as long as you prepare for the time of year that you are moving. For example, if you are moving in Summer, you won’t necessarily need all of your winter coats, jackets, jumpers etc still out in your wardrobes, these can be boxed up and ready to move weeks in advance of your move date.
As the date draws closer, this will be your opportunity to start thinning down your clothes, but also to label anything you do pack more specifically so that you can get to it urgently when you arrive at the new property. With only 7 days left before your move, this will give you the chance to plan out a weeks worth of clothes and have everything ready packed simply to finish up the night before.
As the day approaches start to streamline your living essentials, consider packing all but 1 plate, cup, dish etc per person. This way you can focus on keeping these clean regularly and will have less to pack at the last minute.
4. Be honest with Yourself
It can be a difficult prospect decided whether or not to keep some of your belongings, for obvious reasons, you invested your hard earned money into them at one time in your lift. We recommend that when organising what you are going to pack, be honest with yourself. Ask yourself:
- When did we last use it?
- Do we need?
- How often will we use?
Often items from lofts, cupboards and under the stairs have been there for years and will likely still be left in the loft for years to come in the new house as well. Moving is a good chance to declutter and remove these unneeded items.
5. Plan your Space
This applies to both your current and new address. Consider dismantling dining room tables and laying the table top up against the wall. This will give you more room to stack your boxes and keep them out of your common living areas.
Dismantle and store spare beds. If you have a guest bedroom dismantle the bed and store it against the wall again giving you a good amount of space and allowing you to store and stack more boxes ahead of your move.
6. Invest in materials
You have spent years investing in your home and it’s content. When it comes to Moving invest in good quality packing and boxing materials. We have a full guide on what materials and boxes to use for every part of your home.
I previously wrote an article about what boxes to use and how to use them.
We would always recommend using good quality double corrugated cardboard boxes from approved suppliers. These are designed for the removals and storage of household goods; the reason for this is, that they are designed to hold their shape and more specifically the weight of what they are being packed with.
They also allows us to stack them higher when we are loading the removals truck, which means we waste less space when organising your truck. Which can reduce complications in the long run. Not to mention reducing the chances of your goods getting damaged in transit because the boxes are not able to be stacked.