Minimise the hassle of moving to a new house with these simple steps
It’s never easy moving from one place to another. It can be tedious, tiring and, if you’re not organised, rather confusing. But all you need to do is take not of a few small things to make the transition smoother.
Moving into a new place is a chore because there are so many things to consider. From planning at the start to when you actually move in, you will need to have a comprehensive step-by-step guide to minimise inconvenience.
1. WHEN YOU’RE PREPARING TO MOVE
First of all, make sure to update your address two weeks prior to moving. You’ll need to do this in order to retain the services – and make sure the transition is smooth – of things such as utilities and cable. Furthermore, your Paypal, credit cards, mail and magazine subscriptions require your new address. Otherwise, these will be mailed to your former home. To update documents such as your IC or driver’s license, you can go to your neighbourhood police post.
You’ll also have to minimise the stuff you’re bringing over. Consider selling your unwanted items online to earn some cash. Remember to do it at least a month before you move, since it might take a while for prospective buyers to respond. But it’ll be worth it as it’ll also clear your inventory and make packing and moving so much easier.For items that you can’t sell, consider giving them away instead – it’s still better than having to pay for the disposal costs.
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You’ll also have to engage movers, which will make things much more convenient. Professional movers will ensure that your items reach your new home without any damages. If you are not going to engage any, consider renting a huge vehicle such as a lorry and van to reduce the number of trips. This will minimise inconvenience of travelling back and forth a few times.
One other thing to do while preparing for the move is to start start collecting or purchasing disposable cardboard boxes. You’ll need these to store small items such as books and decorative pieces, making sure they are easy to transport.
2. WHEN YOU’RE PACKING
Pack an overnight bag containing all your essentials such as toothbrush, face wash and the clothes you will wear the next day. Trust us – you’ll be too tired to unpack everything once you’ve settled down in your new house. Packing things that you need first in an overnight bag can save you the hassle of going through all the boxes for your essentials.
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Be strategic in choice of storage containers. If you’ve got a library of books, consider putting all these in beer boxes. Since these have handles, it will be easier and more convenient for you to carry. Also, wrap your breakables in clothing to save on bubble wrap, killing two birds with one stone. You should also use your baskets, laundry bins, hampers and suitcases for storage, saving you a trip down to Decathlon to buy a bunch of duffel bags.
3. WHEN YOU’RE LABELLING
Categorise your items accordingly, such as clothes and toiletries. and pack them into respective boxes. There are many ways in which you can group your items but make sure to label the boxes for easier reference. Take special care to separate and label jewellery or other similar valuables. Home content insurance may not cover the full value of these items.
Proper labelling minimises the odds that things will go missing. You’ll also know what to check for, when the boxes arrive.
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Use a thick permanent marker to label these boxes according to their categories, such as clothes and toys. Again, there are many ways to label so it really depends on how you want it. It will be easier if you include where you’d want these boxes to be in when move, such as the master bedroom and living room. In addition, you can colour-code your label according to weight so that there’s less of a risk of one of your heavier boxes crushing lighter ones when you stack them up in the vehicle or at home.
4. WHEN YOU’VE FINALLY MOVED IN
The first thing you should do is open your boxes right away to check if you’ve missed anything – you may not be able to go back to your old home and look for stuff a week later. You’ll also need to make insurance claims for lost items quickly. If something is missing, the claims are usually denied if you report it late, which is around a week or more after it’s lost.
This story first appeared in 99.co.
