Are you planning to move to another town or country? As much as it may seem to be easy, the process itself can get very tricky. That’s why it’s so important to prepare well. Where to start? What to do at the beginning? When should you start your preparation? Here are some tips and tricks that will help you to get through the removal process step by step, without obstacles.
When should you start planning the removal?
The question above seems to be the most important of all we’re going to ask today. Why so? Because you need to have enough time to get all the things done before the moving van comes to pick up your things.
When to start, then? The short answer is: as fast as possible. It’s good to go through moving house step by step, without any time pressure. From our point of view, it all depends on how big the removal is going to be. For example, if you’re a bachelor who used to live in a rented bedsit and doesn’t have much furniture to move, you can get ready in about a week, packing-wise. But, on the other hand, if you have a large house and your family is big, the process is going to require more work.
But it’s not only about the packing! In most cases, you also need to:
- go through all your things and sort out, whether you want to take them with you, or get rid of them,
- sell, donate or throw away the items that you don’t need anymore,
- pick a removal company that will help you out in the process,
- go through some formalities, such as informing your landlord about moving out (if you have one), giving notice to your employer or terminating the contracts with ISP or other services providers.
How to pack to move house?
The packing process can take a lot of time, especially if you want to save some, once you’ve got to the new place. Furthermore, it’s not about time only. It’s about securing your belongings good enough for them not to break. You wouldn’t want to lose your valuable electronics or glassware while moving houses, would you?
How to get the moving started, then? Let’s go through the process step by step.
1. Go through the rooms in your flat/house one by one
That will allow you to avoid chaos and help you to unpack faster. Which room should you start with? It depends on your preferences. We advise you to go either for the space you use the least first, or… quite the contrary. You can also start from your bedroom or living room – it’ll allow you to make quick progress. Nevertheless, the latter approach might be tricky – especially if you start off a few weeks before the moving itself. Remember to keep all the items you need at hand unpacked until the very day of the removal. It’ll make you comfortable and prevent you from rooting through the already packed boxes.
2. Create an inventory and decide, which items you want to move, and which are to be got rid of
Do it for each room separately. Try to be honest with yourself and don’t take things you don’t really need to your new house. The minimalistic approach is the best you can go for!
Make some time to get rid of the possessions you don’t need anymore – you can sell or donate them if they might be useful to someone else. If they need to be thrown out, figure out whether you’ll be doing it on your own, or having it done by the professionals.
3. Get high-quality packing materials
Basically: you need boxes, and a lot of them. The more you have, the more precise you can be with organizing and labelling your stuff. Furthermore, you’ll need some bubble wrap foil and scotch tape. Old newspapers will be good too – for securing the glassware and such.
If you don’t know where to get those items, you can contact your removal company and ask them for help. For example, in Master Moving, we provide you with a personal advisor – it’s an expert who will guide you through the moving step by step. They’ll help you to pack things properly.
4. Start packing things and label them properly
Start off with the things you don’t use very often and then, gradually, get to those you need on a daily basis. Make sure you categorise each and every box precisely. How to do it? For example, you can write the room where the stuff belongs and its type on the box. It can be something like: “KITCHEN, GLASSWARE”. That way, you’ll find the things you need, when you’re already in your new home.
5. Figure out whether you need to store your things or not
Sometimes you need to leave your old place a few days before you get to the new one. In those cases, you might need storage space for your belongings. In many cases, you can arrange to rent it with your removal company, provided they run a warehouse too.
6. Schedule your removal with the professionals
A piece of advice: don’t plan the removal at the last moment you can do it. If possible, get to your new place a few days in advance. That way, if something goes wrong, you’ll be able to solve the problem before the moving deadline.
As you can see, it’s good to be well prepared for moving house. Make sure you think it through and contact the professionals – that’s the trick that will make the removal as painless and smooth as it can be.