My moving tips

Having just survived another move, I thought I'd share some of my top moving tips incase any of you soon have to face the dreaded packing up of your life and transferring it all to another location.

1. Use sturdy packing boxes

 

After our move from Sydney to Launceston, we very quickly discovered the difference between sturdy and flimsy packing boxes. Sadly, the ones for which we paid a fair amount of money from Bunnings were far less durable than the free ones we picked up from Dave's work (note: if you can get your hands on Baxter boxes, these are a winner...see if you can hit up any friends who work in hospitals).

2. Start the packing process early

 

You may think you don't have all that much stuff, but it isn't until you get all the cups, mugs, trays, utensils, clothes, books, yoga mats, blankets, camping chairs etc out of your cupboards that you realise just how much stuff there is to put into all those boxes. Not to mention how long it can take to wrap all the fragile items up into bubble wrap or newspaper. If you can, try to start the packing process as early as possible, and just do a little bit each day. I like to divide the packing up into sections, whether that be kitchen cupboards one day, wardrobe items the next, and the linen closet the next, just so you have a clear idea of what needs to get done and when. Making a to-do list of everything that needs to get done definitely helps.

3. If using removalists, do some research into them and read reviews

 

Luckily, our recent removalists (Atkins Removals) did an excellent job of moving our goods to Burnie. Sadly, the same cannot be said for our previous removalists (Grace Removals) who lost a few of our boxes and damaged quite a few goods. I made sure that this time, I researched all the options available and did my best to ensure the removalists we chose had a good reputation and would treat our goods carefully.

4. Flatten and store boxes for your next move

 

If you have used sturdy boxes, chances are they will be in good condition after the move and can be reused for your next move. We like to flatten our boxes and store them in the garage or a spare cupboard so that we don't have to go through the process of searching for new boxes the next time we move.

5. Use linen to protect fragile items

 

When wrapping up fragile items like cups, mugs, plates, vases etc, make use of your tea towels, hand towels, bath mats etc and wrap each of these fragile items up in them. It saves you having to buy extra bubble wrap or newspaper and does a great job of protecting these items.

6. Try to unpack as quickly as possible

 

This tip may not work for everyone, but I find that one of the best ways to make your new place feel like home is to try and get everything out of boxes and into their new homes as quickly as possible. If I have a whole lot of boxes lying around and I have no idea of the location of the kettle, the TV remote or the cutlery, I feel a lot more stressed and unsettled. It may be a tiring couple of days, but the effort of getting everything unpacked quickly will really help you settle into your new home.


Hopefully this has given you a few helpful tips for your next move (though to be honest, I am very envious of anyone that does not have to move in the foreseeable future!).