Oh no, moving day is finally here!
In effort to make your moving day as hassle-free as possible, I suggest preparing in advance. There are several key steps you can take, before the big day, which will help to ensure a smoother move. However depending on how you are moving–e.g. rental truck, professional movers, or perhaps portable storage units, will allow you to do some things slightly differently.First, if using a rental truck or a moving company, be sure to have all personal possessions, decorative items, kitchenware, and other household knickknacks boxed-up and labeled pertaining to each boxes’ items and where they belong, and ready to be placed on the truck when the day finally arrives. I can’t stress enough the importance of packing your household items prior to your moving day. Believe me; you will be grateful for doing this in advance.
If using a portable storage unit, you can load it as you pack your items; helping to save time on the official move date. Portable storage units are beneficial and in many ways they are more advantageous than rental trucks.
Keep your valuables–jewelry, silverware, delicate items, legal documents, photo albums, etc.–aside, to be moved yourself. Don’t pack these items, or any other irreplaceable items, on trucks or in portable storage units.
I recommend dismantling, bookshelves, tables, chairs, and other large furniture items, several days in advance. Beds that are not in use can also be taken apart prior to moving, but wait until the day of the move before dismantling your own bed. Remember, a good nights’ sleep will be greatly appreciated towards the end of the big day.
Again, if using a portable unit, you can load it as you break down your furniture. Being able to load portable storage units on your own time is the biggest advantage they provide movers. Many companies that offer this service will even store a loaded unit until ready to be unpacked.
Be sure to keep a few items accessible, including: common tools–multiple screwdrivers, a box-cutter, Allen wrenches of varying sizes, a hammer, pliers, maybe even a small socket wrench set; empty boxes and packing tape; cash for tipping the movers, twenty dollars per mover is recommended; and cleaning products, including a vacuum-cleaner, mop, and sponges for cleaning your old home before the new owners occupy it.
If packing a rental truck or storage unit, place large items in first and fill in open spaces with boxes or bags of clothing. Try to load items all the way to the top of the truck or unit, as it can be deceivingly difficult to judge exactly how much space will be needed to fit an entire household’s belongings.
Believe it or not, loading is two-thirds of all the work; offloading, obviously, would be the other third. Offloading usually takes far less time and removing the final item off the truck, or out of the portable storage unit, is by far the most rewarding accomplishment associated with moving.
If you follow the suggestions of this article, you will have a far better moving experience. Unfortunately, like most things in life, we all learn by doing; and I can promise that you will learn from your next move, as I suspect many of you who have moved before have learned from your previous experiences. Don’t worry too much and stay positive, as the day will come and go, and you will be spending your next night in the comforts of your new home.
Tags: home moving