Moving house can involve a complex and stressful procedure. With so many intricacies and moving parts, there’s a great deal that could potentially go wrong. To minimise stress, and give your belongings the best possible chance of arriving in one piece, it’s worth forming a plan in advance when it comes to organise your house move.
Break it down
Packing up every single thing you own can be a daunting task. But like all daunting tasks, it becomes a little bit easier to manage once you break it down into manageable chunks.
The best approach for many movers is to tackle the problem room by room. This confers several advantages. Firstly, you’ll minimise work when you come to unpack: everything that was packed in the study will generally need to go into the study in your new home. Second, you’ll get the feeling that you’re making progress, as the rooms in your home are packed up, one by one. We should also consider that packing in this way can often be done several weeks in advance, especially if you’re dealing with a rarely-used room.
Pack smart
Let’s think about some basic packing principles. Heavier items should go toward the bottom of every box. The more tightly you pack everything, the less freedom things will have to move about, and the less likely breakages will be. Fill those gaps, where possible, with styrofoam. Fragile items should be wrapped in bubble wrap.
Plan your route
The route itself will also matter. You can cut costs by hiring a van and doing the move yourself. Simply take out short-term van insurance and get yourself covered for the day. Make sure that you have planned a route that’s time-efficient and easy to follow. But try to avoid built-up areas and tricky junctions, especially if you don’t yet have the confidence to handle the van through stressful situations.
If you’d prefer, you might invest in a professional moving company. This way, you’ll be covered against any damage suffered during the move, without having to pay extra to cover your valuables.
Set things up in advance
It might be that you want to be able to settle down immediately after you’ve finished your move. But you might struggle to do this if the gas or electricity isn’t ready. Set everything up in advance, and make sure your providers are aware of the change in ownership.
Give yourself time
If you’re having to rush around at the last minute, then stress is more or less guaranteed. This applies especially if you run out of boxes or other essential supplies. For best results, put together a timetable for your move, with deadlines for packing. Start the process from the moment you have a move in date.