The idea of moving house is enough to give most of us a headache with the packing, the planning, and the costs involved – we avoid it when we can.
It doesn’t have to be this way though. With the right preparation and a clear strategy, it can be a walk in the park (almost).
Whether you are moving out for the first time or relocating to a different state, these ten moving tips are designed to help you move house in a way that is stress-free, efficient, and within budget.
1. Gather moving supplies in advance
Seem obvious, but so many of us leave it until the last minute to arrange boxes, bubble wrap and packing tape when moving house. Avoid the stress of scrambling to get it sorted and begin collecting them as soon as you know the date you are moving out.
If you don’t have boxes on hand and don’t have time to buy new ones, you can purchase some from a store like Bunnings, or you may be able to rent moving accessories when you pick up your moving truck hire. Be sure to check with the Thrifty location where you are picking up your rental moving truck to see if they stock these items.
2. Book your own moving truck
Did you know you can save a lot of money by booking your own moving truck, rather than hiring removalists? Don’t stress about going over time and forking out more money by the hour – you’ll be on your clock, not theirs.
SIXT has an unbeatable range of moving trucks for hire, as well as vans and utes. Many of these can be driven holding a standard car license.
3. Pack and purge
Moving house is the perfect opportunity to declutter by selling, donating or throwing away things that you haven’t used for a long time – this includes clothes. It can be an incredibly cathartic exercise to get rid of unnecessary belongings and start fresh in a new home. Here’s a tip: If you can’t remember the last time you wore a clothing item, it’s probably best to put it in the “donate” pile.
4. Label and colour code boxes
This is a fundamental rule of packing. Labelling each box, and/or colour coding it, will ensure everything is packed where it should be and unpacked in the right room. For extra organisation, grade the weight on each box: ‘1’ being very light and ‘5’ being the heaviest.
5. Packing to move – where to start?
The daunting task of packing to move is made simple by having a clear strategy:
- Start by packing the kitchen
- Put heavy items at the bottom of a few boxes, then load those boxes with lighter items to even out the weights
- Use bed sheets, pillows, towels, socks, and stuffed toys in between any breakables to avoid them being damaged. For large artwork, wrap it in duvets and blankets.
- Don’t take clothes off their hangers – wrap them in garbage bags and transport them together (best to do this in a car if you have one)
- Arrange for any new furniture deliveries to arrive on the same day or after the move at the new property to avoid moving those too.
6. Put the boxes in the right room
There’s nothing worse than thinking you’ve unpacked an entire room only to later find a box of kitchen utensils in the bathroom! This can be easily avoided by bringing the boxes into their correct rooms – provided they are labelled correctly (see point #4).
7. Take photographs
Take photos of how furniture is set up and what goes in which cabinet so it’s easy to organise in the new house and anyone can pick up the task. This works really well for electronics set ups as well – take pictures of the outlets and cords in the back of your TV/computer to make sure you can recreate it in your new home.
8. Create a moving day checklist
Include times for pick-ups and drop-offs, driving times to the new home (with a buffer for traffic), at what stage friends or family are arriving for additional help as well as necessary phone numbers, etc. It’s also a good idea to make a list of local stores you may want to visit (such as Kmart, the grocery store, or a hardware store), so you know exactly where they are located for those last-minute trips.
9. Start early
The key to getting a move done in one day is to get started as early as possible to avoid less traffic and prepare for any unforeseen trips you have to make. If you’re moving on a weekend, then the earlier in the day the better. If it’s a weekday, plan your moving truck hire around rush hour to avoid getting stuck in traffic.
10. Arrange for a food delivery
Because no one wants to cook dinner after having just spent the whole day moving house! Treat yourself to delicious takeaway from your new neighbourhood, or head out for dinner if you’re still in the midst of unpacking. Either way, keeping stomachs full is a must!
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