Smooth Moves

It is said that moving house is more stressful than divorce, but relocating doesn’t need to be a nightmare. The trick is in the planning... the more you plan ahead, the easier your move will be.

Here are some helpful hints:

First Things First

  • Make a packing priority list
  • Take photos of all valuable belongings and record the serial numbers of all your electronic equipment
  • Check that your contents insurance will cover damage to your belongings during a move
  • There is no better opportunity to go through your personal belongings and have a clean out. Perhaps setting things aside to give to charity or sell either online or at a garage sale
  • Hire a ute and make a trip to the tip with any rubbish you’ve sorted
  • Consider what size moving truck or van you will need for your furniture and whether you will need one with a hydraulic tail lift or ramp.
  • Book your moving truck along with any moving accessories you may require, such as blankets, ropes or moving trolleys
  • Notify your electricity and gas companies that you are moving
  • Arrange for disconnection and reconnection of telephone, Internet and TV services
  • Arrange to have your mail re-directed at the post office
  • Keep a list of incoming mail and start notifying organisations of your change of address. Australia Post will contact most major companies on your behalf
  • If you are moving interstate or a long distance plan your whole journey ahead. Book accommodation before you set out and ensure that the hotel can accommodate your moving truck
  • Depending on the size of your truck and length of your journey, you may need to get a log book. These are available from most newsagents
  • If you have young children or pets, organise care for them during moving day
  • Arrange for a cleaning service to take care of cleaning your old house, if you’ve decided not to do it yourself
  • Eat all the spare food in your freezer and pantry.

Tools Of The Trade

You’ll need to stock up on these items before you begin:

  • Strong Boxes in various sizes. Freebies can be obtained from major warehouse/building stores, alternatively they can be purchased from Network Car & Truck Rental
  • Wardrobe boxes
  • Packing tape
  • Scissors and box cutters
  •  Bubble wrap or wrapping paper
  • Moving blankets
  • Zip lock bags
  • Zip ties
  • Permanent markers
  • Labels
  • Good music to keep you motivated as you pack!

moving_cartoon

Bag It, Wrap It, Pack It

  • Packing often takes a lot longer than we anticipate, start early to avoid a stressful lead-up to moving day
  • Use good quality, strong boxes in a variety of sizes to suit different items. Make sure they are properly secured at the bottom
  • Pack the items you don’t need on a day to day basis first
  • Be systematic, pack one room at a time and clearly label each box with its contents and the room it belongs in
  • Pack heavy items in smaller boxes to ensure that the boxes aren’t too heavy to carry. Keep the weight of packed boxes minimal to help avoid back injuries
  • Use bubble wrap or wrapping paper to wrap any fragile items
  • Use moving blankets to wrap and cushion breakable items
  • When packing, place the heavier items at the bottom of the box and the lighter items at the top
  • Use zip ties or tape to secure rolled up power leads and cords for electrical equipment. Clearly label each cord with its respective appliance or intended use
  • Use heavy duty garbage bags to pack items like towels or linen
  • Use Ziploc bags for small bits and pieces that usually clutter your drawers
  • Pack important items and documents such as certificates, passports or jewelery separately so you can keep them with you on the day
  • Roll up your carpets and rugs and secure with rope or tape
  • Pack an overnight bag for everyone including a change of clothes, towels and toiletries
  • Pack a box of the essentials you’ll need for the first hours in your new home - include tea or coffee, kettle, mugs and teaspoons, water bottle, snacks, milk, small first aid kit, toilet paper, a torch, spare light bulbs, paper towels and cleaning materials. Also include unpacking tools suck as scissors, box cutters and heavy duty garbage bags.

The Heavy Stuff

  • When you dismantle your bed, bind the frames together with tape or rope
  • Remove the legs of tables where ever possible to allow for easier packing into your moving truck, put any screws or allen keys in a zip lock bag and tape it to one of the legs
  • It a good idea to use a trolley to shift items like heavy whitegoods. If you have stairs, make it a sturdy stair trolley. These are available for hire from Network Rentals.

Packing Your Truck

  • The key to a well packed moving truck is keeping furniture and boxes tightly packed in together. Think of it as a jigsaw puzzle; aim to keep empty spaces between items to a minimum. This will help prevent your belongings from moving and potentially being damaged
  • Start packing the truck from the front and stack things up to the top before you move towards the back
  • Make sure all your belongings are secured, don’t balance anything
  • If you will be stopping somewhere overnight make sure you have a padlock to secure the truck.

In The New Place

  • Avoid ending up with a daunting pile of packed boxes by delivering them straight to their allocated rooms
  • After a long day moving, the last thing you’ll want to do is set up the beds. Unpack beds and bedding first so you wont have to deal it with late at night
  • Approach your unpacking in the same way you packed; your essential items first, then systematically unpack one room at a time
  • Dispose of packing materials thoughtfully. Recycle where ever possible, or return to Network Rentals for a refund.

And finally, try to take any mishaps in your stride and remain Zen in the face of adversity. Because no matter how organised you are, something is bound to surprise you along the way!