Whether you’re downsizing and wondering how you’re going to fit everything in or you just want to make sure nothing gets damaged during the move, we’ve got a survival guide to get you through the dreaded process.
Get stuck in
To make moving day as stress-free as possible, preparation is key. When packing, leaving everything to the last minute can make the entire process overwhelming. While you can’t move everything into your new place until you get the keys, you can start packing your non-essentials weeks in advance.
Make sacrifices
Whether it’s a wardrobe full of old clothes or your new place doesn’t have room for your outdated couch, when it comes to moving house, tough choices need to be made. Storage solutions are expensive—particularly over a long period of time—and ridding yourself of clutter can be somewhat therapeutic, so get your Gumtree account ready!
Make life easier with labels
Unpacking all of your boxes and placing everything where it should go is often the most time-consuming task of all. Labelling each box makes this process a lot easier and will also save any confusion if you’re using a removalist company.
Better safe than sorry
When it comes to fragile items, you can never be too careful! Wrap your glassware and crockery in bubble wrap (newspaper can be used as a cheaper alternative), fill any voids with crushed paper, place them upside down in a box and label it fragile. As for expensive valuables or items of sentimental worth, it’s best to transport these yourself for peace of mind.
Safety first
The biggest problem people run into when packing for their move is making their boxes too big. While this does save you on the amount of trips, it can cause the contents of the box to crush, boxes to break and—more importantly—could damage your back. Try not to exceed 20kg when packing a box and always lift with your knees and not your back.
Hiring a removalist
Whether you don’t have the resources to move bigger items or you’re moving a long distance and don’t want to make multiple trips, sometimes it’s better to hire a professional.
