When you’re moving to a new home, it’s not always obvious where to start. To make sure your move goes smoothly, planning is essential.
Categorize your moving boxes
Ideally, you should get some boxes early on and start packing up things you don’t use that often. Consider re-using boxes as well. Instead of buying boxes, try calling grocery stores or pharmacies to find out when they put their boxes out for recycling and go pick some up. This will save money… and a few trees as well. You could then recycle the boxes afterwards or give them to someone who needs them.
Start by getting things sorted. Sell or give away things that you no longer use but that could be of use to others, and recycle what you can. It’s much better to do this before rather than after your move and you’ll end up having less things to move.
Start packing your boxes early on, by room and by category. If you can, use colour-coded cards to mark each box with its contents, the name of the room it belongs in and exactly where it should go. Write everything on at least two sides of the box. Keep packing tape handy and seal the top and bottom of each box well.
Use old newspapers to wrap fragile objects. For glasses, use dish towels, tissue paper or bubble wrap. That way you won’t have to wash everything when you unpack. Think about distributing the weight in your boxes. Use plastic totes for heavy or fragile objects if you can. You don’t want anyone to get hurt or for contents to be broken because a box was too heavy.
For clothing, if you don’t have cardboard wardrobe moving boxes, pack them in large, well-marked clear plastic bags. They won’t take up much space, they’ll be easy to transport and they won’t be mistaken for garbage. You could even keep your clothes on their hangers and hold them together with a large elastic band. Make sure things are clean when they’re packed up: clothes, blankets, towels and dishes.
What to keep handy
It’s always a good idea to have a first aid kit handy. Think about having a measuring tape, screwdriver, hammer, tape, pliers, garbage bags, facial tissues, toilet paper, adhesive bandages, but also cleaning products and supplies. Having these things on hand will save you a lot of hassle.
Pack a small suitcase with the essentials: toothbrush, toiletries, important medications, a few changes of clothes, pyjamas, etc., just as if you were going away for two or three days. Also make sure you keep other important items in a clearly marked box: computers, phone chargers, sheets, towels, utensils, glasses, dishes, etc. That way, you won’t have to go through all your boxes to find them, and you’ll be find things efficiently.
Prepare some snacks and drinks—to be productive, you’ll need to eat! Before you move everything out, put the first aid kit, important boxes and your suitcase in your car so they don’t get lost.
Organize your move-in
Before you leave your old home, be considerate to the incoming residents and clean up. Pack the furniture into the truck room by room. Once you get to your new home, get out your cleaning products and clean the closets, if it hasn’t been done already, before you put things into them. We don’t all have the same standards of cleanliness.
Put your colour-coded cards on the doors corresponding to the rooms you marked on your boxes. Indicate what should go into which closet. This will make it much easier to put boxes in the right place.
All finished?
You’re all moved into your new place and all you have to do is set up and decorate your cozy new space. Take it one room at a time. It’s better to take your time and get things set up right the first time, rather than doing things quickly and having to start all over again.