Life-Saving Packing Hacks from Removal & Storage Experts
It is no secret that moving house can be overwhelming, whether you are moving across the country, upsizing, downsizing or moving in with someone new - there are a variety of anxious feelings that can culminate. Some of these can manifest itself in packing up all of your bits and bobs - which can feel like an arduous task to tackle.
But, it doesn’t need to be this way. Moving house is an exciting new chapter in your life, you can experience new cities and meet you new people, it gives you the chance to redecorate a new space and could be a sign of you settling down to start a family. No matter your reason for moving, this blog will hopefully help ease any concerns about packing up all of your belongings. Read on to find out more.
In the months, weeks and days before the big move you may feel like you up to your neck in packing tape, cardboard boxes, and bubble wrap. Plus, you could feel like you are whiling away your evenings packing things away when you could be socialising or having fun. And whilst we recognise that packing can be a mundane task, there are many ways to make it easier, quicker, cheaper and more fun.
Find out removal quotes - Do they offer extra fees for packing?
First and foremost when searching for removal firms you need to compile together a variety of quotes, as well as breakdowns of the costs. You may find that removal companies will charge extra for helping to pack your things as well as using their supplies. Furthermore, some removal companies may not offer this service at all, therefore keep this in mind. You may want to leave most of the packing till the moving day and don’t mind about the cost, especially if moving house has happened quicker than expected. Yet, being organised and packing pieces away bit by bit will make it less overwhelming overall.
Utilise any materials you have
One of the best ways to save money, as well as limiting your waste, is to utilise any materials that you have. For example, save any cardboard boxes from online orders as well as shoe boxes, use and borrow suitcases to transport small heavy items like books and stock up on old egg and milk cartons to transport small miscellaneous items and jewellery. This is the chance to get creative as this will create more space when packing up various bits and bobs.
Creating a first night box is a fun way to settle into your new home, especially as the first night can feel strange and nerve wracking. Pack a mixture of functional, fun and sentimental items. This can include photos that make you happy, a map of your local area, takeaway leaflets of nearby restaurants, toiletries, a good book, pyjamas, a cosy blanket, teabags, ready meals and so much more. Furthermore, make sure to include activities like card games or board games simply because you may not have your WIFI and electronics sorted - so old fashioned entertainment will have to suffice. Also make sure to have a day bag sorted on the day of the move with purse, new house keys, and refreshments.
Organise and donate any unwanted items
Before starting to pack, or whilst you are packing, you may come across items that you don’t really want or need no more. This is why you should start packing early as it gives you the time to organise all of your assets and gives the chance to donate or sell them. This is a great way to minimise waste as the saying goes - one person’s rubbish is another person’s treasure! Furthermore, this will mean that you end up packing less - meaning that you will end up saving money on materials.
Packing and moving will feel like you are generating a lot of unnecessary waste - especially if you are relying on yards and yards of bubble wrap, styrofoam and plastic coatings to protect your pieces. Not only will these be costly to buy in bulk but they are also detrimental to the environment as they are unrecyclable and end up in landfill. With this in mind, using textiles and clothes to cushion fragile items is the perfect way to save money and help the environment. From duvets, to cushions, blankets, throws, curtains and t-shirts and more, all of these items can save disaster striking to your fine china and electronics.
We are aware that packing away can feel mundane and time-consuming. Therefore, make sure you turn it into a fun activity. Rope in the help of your friends and family, whether that's sorting through your clothes together with a glass of wine, or hosting a dinner party with a hodgepodge of various meals with fresh ingredients that you can’t take to the new home. There are a variety of ways you can make it fun and interesting. If you are packing alone little things like putting on your favourite playlist can boost your mood and make it feel less taxing.
There are a range of packing and organising hacks that you can use during your house move, even if the bulk was done beforehand.
This one may seem obvious, but labelling your packing boxes is a must for moving house. No one wants to be ripping through box after box trying to find items. Yet don’t just simply write the category of items in the box, write what rooms they should go into as this can help the removal men. Furthermore, use colour coded stickers to categorise the boxes. This could simply be for high priority, mid priority and low priority goods - so when unpacking you know what to unpack first. Or, this could be for colour coded rooms. Make sure to number the boxes too and make a note of how many boxes there are as this can limit the chance of losing items.
To save money on hiring a large removal van use your car to help transport goods. Make sure to pack your most sentimental items with you, or pack small boxes and vacuum packed goods in your boot and on the back seats. Though don’t try to fit too much in if it adheres your driving ability.
The first few days after moving house can also feel like a minefield, you can feel like you are spending days holed up in your new home when you could be out exploring the city. Furthermore, if you are starting a new job this can also be stressful. Though many packing tips are helpful before the move, below are a few unpacking tips that can certainly aid you in the days to come.
When you first arrive at your new home, it will look like a sea of brown cardboard boxes but that won’t be for long. Make sure to tackle one room at a time as this is a satisfying way of getting your new home in order. Below is a suggested order of what rooms to unpack first:
●Bedrooms
●Bathrooms
●Kitchen
●Living Areas
Unpacking can feel like messy chaos, so make a pile of unpacked cardboard boxes as well as plastic wrapping and styrofoam, this will limit the mess and disruption that is caused by unpacking.
Before you start unpacking, this is the perfect chance to hoover, dust and wipe all of the surfaces in the house. This is a great blank canvas before you start unloading all of your boxes as well as keeping your new home nice and clean.
Michael Garrett Removals: Removal Firm for domestic and commercial properties
Here at Michael Garrett Removals we can help you move your life across Paignton and beyond. Whether you are moving home or moving your business, our expert removal service can help. We can pack, load, unload a variety of items - as well as offering storage options too. Contact us today to find out more.
