Anyone who’s had to move house will tell you what a pain it can be. Although it is often an exciting time of changes and new beginnings, it’s also one of the most daunting things you can tackle and a few good moving tips go a long way in making the process a bit easier.
Tempting as it may be to leave everything to the last minute and try to do everything at once, a step-by-step approach planned out in advance will pay off when the big day comes to relocate.
You need to consider that things need to be disassembled, compacted and packed along with getting time off work, hiring a moving van, loading everything in, orgainizing your furniture in the back of the truck, securing it properly and making sure everything arrives safely at the other end where you have to start hauling and reassembling furniture all over again to get everything into your new place.
And of course there is relying on your mates who may or may not be all that helpful when the lifts start getting heavy!
We’ve summarised some of our most helpful moving tips for a smooth move in an infographic for easy reading.
We kept things simple and easy to digest for the infographic but we’ve gone into a lot more detail on each of our tips just below. For those of you who prefer your tips in a timeline style, have a look at this moving checklist from our friends at Fantastic Removals.
We’re also adding tips regularly to this post, so expect a few more the next time you visit!
Keep reading!
Then you likely have some bond-money that is being held hostage by your real estate agent! ?
We’re not saying that they’re are evil…but it’s always a good idea to cover yourself, regardless of how good you think your relationship with your agent is.
Request pictures of the property of what the house looked like before you moved in so if there is ever a dispute about any damage, you know for sure if those marks or scratches where there before!
Remember to take pictures of every single room once you have moved everything out and ensure that there is a date stamp on the pictures. Most cameras and smartphones have a date stamp feature in the settings that you can simply be turned on.
If you’re not going straight from A to B, you’ll want to have all of your storage options sorted well before the move and this will mean a bit more planning in advance. Also, save yourself some stress and figure out reliable accommodation for this in-between period sooner rather than later.
If you do need to organize accommodation in between relocating house and the thought of paying hotel prices in Perth scares you, check out some of the options on Airbnb.
This is probably one of the best tips you can get.
There are only a few things that you actually need on a day-to-day basis such as standard kitchen, bathroom and clothing items. As for the rest, start packing everything else up as early as you for saved time later on.
Get in the habit of setting aside a block of time for packing each day. Whether it’s 15 minutes in the morning or half an hour after work, slow and steady wins the race. You’ll surprise yourself at how much you get done. It will also help to make good use of free time on your weekends. It sounds like a drag but will save time and stress down the track!
By packing early, you’ll also find out early on if you’re running short on boxes, packing tape, padding, and any other necessities.
You don’t have to get ‘moving boxes’, as long as they are strong and sturdy, they’ll do the job!
And your local supermarket will have lots of them which they’re only going to collapse them and put them out into the bins, so head down there and ask if you can pinch a few and save yourself a bit of coin on your relocation.
This is the most commonly given moving tip for a reason.
You definitely don’t want to be digging down into boxes to find your shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, soap, toilet rolls, and so on.
Make life easy for yourself and have these essentials packed in an overnight bag.
Cleaning is a big part of the process and there are some items that you will want to get a head start on before you actually begin your relocation.
The bathroom is the big one.
Spend some time well in advance to get any grime off bathroom tiles, rods, and put your shower curtain in through washing machine (use bleach if you have white shower curtains for best results).
Set an afternoon aside to tackle your oven too. This article from Lifehacker shows how to use vinegar and baking soda on your oven to avoid using harsh chemicals which is extremely important if you’ve been renting and your bond money is on the line!
No one likes this part! But moving house can also serve as the perfect opportunity to start culling things that have been lying around well past their use.
A few classic avenues to part with your unnecessary items are:
There’s nothing worse than trying to unpack everything into the kitchen and rummaging through all of your boxes to find plates, cutlery, pans and so on.
Labelling your boxes with the room the items are going into are great for knowing which items are where, speeding up the drama of unpacking. When either you or your removalists are bringing the boxes into your new location, they can place those boxes exactly where they belong, ready to be unloaded with ease.
You often don’t realise how much money you’ve got in your fridge and freezer until you have to buy it all again!
If possible, try and get through all of your frozen items and do smaller shops leading up to the move. As you get closer to relocating it’s ideal that you start buying your shopping daily to minimise waste and avoid hassle.
Have an esky or two ready to transport any food items that you do have remaining in your fridge. You’ll want a pack of ice for this, and fortunately you can pick these up from most petrol stations.
If the thought of packing it into a box makes you cringe, you’ll need to take extra care. When it comes to things like wine glasses, china, and any other usual heart-breakers, take the time to make sure they’re well padded and it goes without saying that you shouldn’t try to juggle too many “delicate” boxes.
Since this is one of the most frequently asked of our moving tips, this YouTube video from Elf Boxes will give you a very good guide on how to wrap fragile items such as wine glasses and champagne flutes.
Mark the boxes extremely clearly that are fragile and ensure that they are placed in the back your van last and are well secured and away from the path of potential movement from other boxes and pieces of furniture. If possible, place them in the foot wells of your car for minimal risk.
If you have any precious items that are of significant sentimental and/or financial value, avoid packing them in with everything else. It is best to leave these things until last, and have them in the car or cabin with you.
This is recommended regardless of whether you are doing the big haul yourself or if you’re getting a professional moving company involved. Best not to leave anything to chance!
Most tuck hire companies will let you hire a furniture trolley for an extra $20 or so which is well worth it (they’re normally at least $150 to buy).
You’ll need a trolley to move a fridge, washing machine, or any other heavy items that would be a strain to pick up.
Most people that are moving house themselves and have hired a van have never really had much experience with a vehicle as big, bulky, and sluggish.
Don’t underestimate how awkward driving a van can be and give yourself the best chance of being accident free by strategically driving the van during non-peak times.
By driving the van at quieter times on the road, you allow yourself more time and larger gaps when crossing intersections as well as better chances of making a quick lane switch when you realise you’re about to miss your turn.
Avoid driving in the evening when it’s dark too as it just makes driving a larger vehicle that you’re not used to a lot harder and a lot more dangerous too. A lot of people drive their vans to drop the van off at the rental place to avoid paying an extra day of hire, and unfortunately this is when most accidents occur.
Moving is hungry work, and unless you’re cool with relying on the Golden Arches for nutrition throughout the day, it’s a good idea to prepare a few snacks that don’t have to be refrigerated.
Snacks such as muesli bars and dried fruits really help to keep you going when you’re trying to get everything done without long food breaks or leaving the scene to get yourself a half decent meal.
Unfortunately, thefts happen.
And it’s really convenient for opportunist thieves to make a quick snatch and dash when doors and garages are being left wide open.
Whilst it’s extremely convenient to leave everything open and unlocked whilst you’re in and out of the house, just be sure that you’re regularly passing by those entry points when they are open.
This includes the moving truck too.
If you’re going back inside the house to pack, disassemble furniture, sort through what to load up next, or you’re away from the driveway for longer than a minute; it’s worth the few seconds it takes to close up the back doors of the moving truck so no one can climb up and “go shopping” through the things you’ve already loaded in.
Have you thought about what you’re going to do about your furry friends during the move?
If you’re doing things yourself, then chances are you’re going to be wedging your front door open and too preoccupied to notice that Pebbles or Spot has run out into the street. There is also the issue of how they will join you on the way to relocating, so make sure if they do travel with you they have enough comfortable space.
It’s probably best to leave your animal compadrés with a friend, relative or trusted kennel whilst you take care of moving. Remember that pets can often suffer separation anxiety and pick up on the stress of their owner, so this may be a bit of a delicate process.
First things first.
Although it’s tempting to try and do everything at once and get settled in, but with work commitments and only so many hours in the day, this isn’t always the reality. The likelihood is you’ll be crashing in your new pad after a long day, so you’ll only need the basics on hand.
On the off chance you do have some spare time on your hands, make sure you’ve got the essential stuff assembled first. By essentials, we mean bedding, kitchenware to cook dinner that night or prepare breakfast the following day, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shower gels and shampoos, and so on.
Of course, this will likely come secondary to hooking up your auxiliary items such as gaming consoles (the stuff we can’t actually live without).
It would appear you’ve moved successfully. Congratulations! But hold your horses for a minute. Just because you’ve finally packed up and shipped out, you won’t be able to relax just yet.
Next up on the agenda will be the nitty gritty business of updating your address with the institutions that you deal with for services, support, and entertainment. (We can’t stress enough just how important this step is!)
Find a spare moment with a clear head and sort through a few things.
Have you:
Not sure you’ve got everything? It helps to check your online bank statements over the last few months to see what has been debited, to make sure you’ve not forgotten anything.
And move!
We’re always looking to improve this moving tips post so if you feel that we’ve missed anything, feel free to add your comments below.
And if the thought of moving home on your own is too daunting and you need professional removalists in Perth, then call the friendly bunch of guys at Able Removals today.
We hope these tips have served you well. Good luck and happy moving!
