You and your family are getting ready to create new memories in a brand-new home but now that means it’s time pack up all your belongings. No matter if it is your first move, second or third, it can be an overwhelming time, which can add stress to what should be an exciting time moving into a brand-new home.
To help eliminate the unneeded stress and make the move as seamless as possible, we’re giving you a list of tips you can use to make the process a lot more enjoyable.
Pick the method of moving
When it comes to moving, there are many methods to get the job done. To help determine the right one for you, start by figure out how much time you’ll be able to dedicate. Here are some of your options.
1. The do it yourself approach can save you some money but will add some extra time and effort. Before you choose, make sure you take into consideration how much stuff you’ll be moving. You’ll even want to factor in how far you’ll have to haul around in case there are multiple trips back and forth.
2. Hire a moving company will save you time transporting everything to your new home. Start by researching reputable companies available and even ask friends and family for recommendations or references from the company. Also, remember that you’ll have options when it comes to the tasks your movers will be responsible for. You can have them pack, load, transport and unpack your items or simply just load, ship and unload. Talk to your chosen move about their different services.
Some other tips that can help:
- Get an estimate for multiple companies and make sure they are clear about everything they will be including. Make sure to go through it thoroughly or contact multiple businesses for a quote to compare.
- Check to see if they have customer reviews, specifically on Better Business Bureau (BBB). BBB is a reputable source that can help you to find credible businesses and provides both reviews and complaints.
3. Getting help from friends and family is a fun and money saving option. It’s not only a great way to spend some time with them, but it’ll get the job done quickly with the extra hands they’ll provide. You also don’t want to forget to find a way to say thank you after you’ve finished the move. Host a barbeque or treat them to some coffee and donuts in the morning!
Do a full clean
You never want to pack up all your belongings only to leave yourself doing more cleaning when your finally in your new home. Take care as much as you can before you move so you can start relaxing as soon as possible.
1. Create a Toss, Donate, Keep pile for all the rooms in your home. The main advantage to this is that it’ll help downsize what you’ll need to pack and move and create less clutter in your new home.
2. Do your laundry as you pack or take your clothes to get dry cleaned. You don’t want to be packing up dirty clothes leaving you to do a load of laundry when it’s time to hang your clothes in your new closet.
3. Clean what you can before packing. This could mean emptying all the crumbs in your toaster or descaling your coffee maker– anything you can clean before pack will help immensely.
4. Donation drop-offs/pick-up are a great way to give back to the community and potentially save some time figuring out what to do with some items. Some options within the city include:
- Big Brothers Big Sisters (Free curbside pick-up)
Pack the right way
It’s also important to make sure to have fun, especially if you have younger children. It can be an overwhelming time for you kids, so making sure you’re engage your kids in the move could ease them into the big change that’s about to happen.
1. Find the proper boxes to pack. You’ll want to make sure you have enough boxes. You may want to start collecting as many as you can and asking for friends and family if they have any extras. You can use a packing service, such as Frogbox, that will provide you with reusable boxes, which is not only an eco-friendly option but you won’t have you worrying about boxes breaking or getting crushed.
2. Organize what you’re packing to know what each box includes. The first step is making sure to label each box with what room it belongs to and a summary of the items inside. You can take it one step further and create an inventory list of everything in the box. This is also great to do if you’re hiring movers so nothing goes missing.
3. Pack efficiently to maximize space. Packing clothes in vacuum packs, pillows and bedding can save a lot of space in your boxes and downsize what you’ll end up needing to move. Packing your valuables and breakables safely is also important. Use towels or blankets to wrap your items or purchase a roll of bubble wrap from your local package delivery company. When you’re packing heavy items, like books, use a smaller box so it’s not too heavy, a medium box for breakables and larger boxes for clothing, bedding– anything that’s lighter.
4. Move your own valuables or breakables if you choose to go with a moving company. This can include items like jewelry, electronics and fine china that you don’t want to risk getting lost, stolen or broken.
Now that you’ve got a few tips to make the move easier on you and your family, it’s time start packing so you can move into your brand-new home to start creating new memories with your family.