At some point in our lives, most of us will move house. If that’s coming up for you, read on because Tracey Warren from Professional Organising Solutions shares her packing and moving tips. I thank her for this article.
First:
- Be prepared to accept help from anyone who offers – packing and moving is a big job!
- Choose a reputable, reliable removalist. You need someone who will turn up on time, and who will be careful not to damage your belongings or your home.
- If possible, arrange to have time off from other commitments. The ideal amount of time is 3-4 days prior to moving day, plus 2-3 days after.
- Get as much packing done as possible before the week of the move.
- For a few days before and after the move, give yourself a break in the kitchen. Have some takeaway meals to save time and allow you to pack up the bulk of the contents of your kitchen cupboards.
Packing equipment:
Self-storage places sell a good range of packing equipment and supplies.
- Bulk pack of good quality packing tape
- Packing tape dispenser
- Marker pen for labelling boxes
- Sturdy garbage bags for things like doonas
- Large roll of bubble wrap for fragile items
- Boxes – small, medium and large. Be careful not to make any of the boxes too heavy. Put heavy items into the smallest box they will fit into, then fill the box with lighter items. Try to completely fill boxes so that the contents won’t rattle around and possibly break
- Sticky tape
- Sack truck
- Large stack of clean white paper for wrapping plates, glassware, etc.
- Two eskies for transporting the contents of your fridge and freezer on moving day
- Wardrobe boxes – these are brilliant for packing hanging clothing straight from wardrobes. Your clothes will not get crumpled, and they can be hung at your new home without needing to be ironed. You can also pack larger, awkward items around the edges, e.g. picture frames, anything shaped like a stick.
PACKING PLAN:
Weeks prior to moving week:
- Designate an area of your home to neatly stack everything that is ready to go.
- Allow your fridge, freezer, pantry, bathroom and laundry supplies to run low. Only buy groceries that you need to use before the move. You can do a big shop to stock up when you move into your new home.
- Pack anything you don’t need to use before the move such as:
- Shed/storage items
- Ornaments, photos, prints, books, DVDs, etc
- Kitchen cupboard pre-pack
- Work out a rough plan of how your belongings will be set up in the new home.
- Make up an information pack for the people who are moving into your old home:
- Instruction manuals
- Spare keys (labelled)
- Useful information about the property, e.g. which night to put the bins out
- Organise mail redirection with Australia Post
Moving week:
- Send change of address notifications to all organisations you deal with.
- Continue kitchen pre-pack.
- Pack up the laundry and bathrooms, excluding items you still need to use.
- Pull out the clothing items that you will need before you move, then pack the rest.
- Make up a pack of essential items that you will need straight away in your new home:
- Medication
- Soap
- Towels
- Toilet rolls
- Cloths
- Box cutters
- Cleaning products
- A few mugs and drinking glasses
- Bin bags
- Basic first aid kit
- Fold up chairs
- Kettle, tea, coffee, sugar, longlife milk, spoons
Day before the move:
- Carefully pack up computers and printers
- Remove drawers from their slots in furniture that is going to the new place. You don’t need to pack the contents of these drawers into boxes; when the drawers arrive, just slot them back in where they belong.
- Pack anything you don’t need for the next day.
- Take your pets to stay with someone else or a boarding kennel so that they will be out of the way during the move.
Moving day:
- Pack up the last few things once you have used them.
- Leave the fridge and freezer until last.
- When the removalists are getting close to finishing, have a careful look around the inside and outside of the house to make sure that nothing has been left behind.
- Book a cleaning service to give your old home a thorough clean.
- When you arrive at the new home, get the beds made up as soon as you can. It is likely that you will be ready for an early night!
Based in Adelaide, Tracey Warren from Professional Organising Solutions helps individuals, families and businesses gain freedom from clutter and disorganisation.
Call her on 0423 694 452, or email tracey@professionalorganisingsolutions.com.au
