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Moving
Tips
Starting
a new life in a new home is exciting but let’s face it, moving is a pain. Even if you hire a comprehensive service,
you still face weeks of turmoil and disruption. There’s not much
you can do to make it a joy but there’s lots you can do to make
it easier.
Getting
Organized.
There’s
three crucial things you can do to minimize the stress of moving.
They are organize, organize and organize some more. The more you
get done before the actual day of the move, the smoother things
will go.
Ideally
your preparations should start at two months prior to the move,
even if you have not finalized your new home.
Get The
Facts
Every
move is unique and no general guide like this can prepare you for
all possibilities. You need to consider special circumstances like:
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The distance and weather conditions.
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Regulations for crossing state or international boundaries,
especially if you are carrying restricted items.
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Delicate items like antiques, plants and pets.
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Dangerous goods like firearms or caustic materials.
You
will also want to:
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Research and book the services
you will need; movers, rentals, cleaning help and set a budget for
the services and materials you will need.
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Cancel or transfer subscriptions, utilities and services.
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Gather and transfer medical, dental, school, legal and
financial records.
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Empty your lockers, safety deposit boxes, drop off your
library books and pick up the dry-cleaning.
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Talk to a florist about moving your plants.
Lighten Your
Load
Do you really
need that twenty gallon stock pot or the antique anvil collection?
Is there really room for two pianos in your new home or just for
one? The more you get rid of the less you have to move. Have you
used it in the last year or two? If not, Leave it behind. Cash
takes up less room than clutter.
-
Have a garage sale but keep it simple. Sell the good stuff
for a fair price and you’ll be done by noon. Clothes, books,
junk, damaged goods; donate them or trash them. Get a tax receipt
for your donations if possible.
-
Sell big-ticket items early so you aren’t stuck running a
desperate “must sell” ads at the last minute.
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Have a “Take Something With You” farewell party (just
make sure that the portable items are clearly marked).
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Consume the consumables. Now’s the time to eat the roast
that’s been lurking in the bottom of the freezer and to get
reacquainted with your canned goods.
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Clean out and clean up. Carefully dispose of hazardous
goods, flammables, pesticides, paints, aerosols, old batteries and
such. Clean and wrap any messy items so they don’t cause
problems on moving day.
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Empty the fuel, oil and other fluids from lawn mowers and
such. Disconnect the gas tanks from your barbecue.
Packing
– Packing is like playing a 3D version of Tetris, except when
you win you get to stop playing.
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Buy a tape gun and a few rolls of tape.
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Plastic sheeting and sturdy garbage bags will help protect
items from dirt and damage. But get bags in two or three different
colors! That way you won’t chuck away your towels and haul your
last trash bag half way across the country instead.
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Get coloured labels for marking where boxes will be going
at the new home and to highlight special instructions like
“fragile” and “this side up”.
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Start hunting for those special boxes to pack those special
items in.
-
For smaller items try to find boxes that are the same size,
these stack easily and don’t waste space.
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Find special boxes that will fit in the spaces under and
inside furniture.
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Keep boxes a reasonable weight. Put heavy objects in small
boxes and lighter things in large boxes.
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Use sturdy drawers as boxes for clothes and lightweight
items.
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Figure out what you need to function comfortably and then
pack everything else!
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Wrap tape around dressers and cabinets with doors and
drawers. Use cardboard strips to protect the finish from the tape
and to guard the item from damage.
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Use clothes, towels, blankets and such to wrap and pad
delicate items. Socks are just made for glassware.
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Take awkward items apart to save space and prevent damage.
Lamp shades, lamps and light-bulbs each have very different
packing requirements.
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Bag screws, clamps and other hardware then tape the bags
inside or underneath the furniture and appliances they go with.
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Consider getting specialty packing materials for dishes and
other fragile items. It’s a little more expensive but then so
are broken dishes. Be generous with the padding.
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Have a packing party.
Get a little low stress help from your friends and a chance
to visit too.
Take
Stock
Make an inventory
of your goods for insurance purposes and for establishing claims
should anything go wrong during the move. Photograph or video your
valuable items, noting their condition. Get sufficient replacement
value insurance based on your inventory. Put visible or hidden
identifying markings on or in valuable items.
Important
documents, computer data backups, small valuables and
irreplaceable items should travel with you, not on the truck. Make
copies of as much as possible and leave the copies with a friend
or relative when you go.
Keep your
important contact numbers and shipping information handy.
Loading
The better you
pack and load the safer your things will be. Supervise the loading,
whether you are using professionals or volunteers to help you.
Pack things
snugly so they don’t rattle about. Use cardboard, paper, plastic
and even cushions to pad and fill spaces. Use cords or strapping
to secure large items.
Pack useful items
last (like the vacuum cleaner, the coffeemaker and the stereo).
One
Last Look
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Check all closets, drawers and cupboards for missed items.
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Make sure that appliances are unplugged and that the fridge
door is propped open.
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Shut off outside water supply taps and make sure no inside
taps are left on.
Stay
Sane
Make sure that
you allow some time to relax and recharge as you prepare. Get lots
of sleep the night before and drink lots of water on the day.
Dehydration causes drowsiness and impairs your thinking. Energy
and wits are going to be essential on the day.
On
The Road
Make a survival
kit for the trip and to sustain you for the first day at your new
home. Pack convenience foods, toiletries, spare clothes, basic
tools (scissors, tape, utility knife, multi-driver, a flashlight,
hammer, light bulbs), utensils (can opener, travel cups, paper
plates, paper towels, plastic cutlery, dish soap}, useful supplies
(garbage bags, toilet paper, toiletries, prescriptions, pain
relievers).
Getting
Settled
Bedroom, bathroom,
kitchen. In whatever order. Take care of the basics and then take
the rest at your own pace.
If you have pets
you’ll want to find some time to spend with them as soon as
possible, when it’s quiet (and the doors are shut).
How
Can Dilla Maids Help?
Getting Your
Own Back
Is if you didn’t have enough to worry about, recovering
your damage deposit can be a battle of its own. Some property
managers routinely charge inflated prices to clean and fix things
you miss. Ten or twenty dollars for each nail hole, five or ten to
replace a light bulb. Give us your landlord’s move out
requirements and we’ll take care of the cleaning and minor
repairs. And we’ll let you know about anything we find that we
can’t fix.
And if you are worried
that your new home might not be in tip top shape when you arrive,
we can be there first. We’ll document any damage we find or
cleaning that’s needed. We’ll prepare your home for immediate,
carefree occupation and do our best to help you recover your costs.
We’ll even bring your groceries in.
Organizing
your move or your new home, Dilla Maids can help ease your burden
and your mind
Independent house cleaners
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