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Moving to a new house can be a challenging thing to accomplish, especially, when you are doing it yourself. You might think that DIY moving will be an easy-going process and that it will help you save precious time and money. However, this is often far from the truth.
DIY moving is not about doing everything at the last minute. You should not be gathering your valuables the night before the moving day and losing your sanity in the process. Cramming things in without proper organization and planning can lead to a time-consuming and costly moving process.
In order to make your move to your new home or office as smooth and efficient as possible, we have compiled a guide to walk you through the DIY moving process.
You should start packing your non-essential items at least a week before moving day. This can include things like furniture, crockery, and other items that are not needed as part of your daily routine. You should also contact a truck/trailer rental service that will transport your household goods.
The early packing of these items will help you clear out the house you are leaving and also give you a sense of accomplishment. It will also help you to remain on schedule and save you from last-minute packing disasters.
This will also help you in clearing out things you no longer need. You can sell them or donate them or send them away to a waste disposal site. This clearing-out session is recommended because it will prevent you from moving things that you no longer need/use. It will also save your new home from becoming a warehouse for these unwanted things.
You should not abandon other important tasks that need to be done before you move. You should mark the calendar and spread the essential tasks over the days leading to that big day. Tasks such as getting your utility service transferred and getting your address changed on important documents are some examples.
You should also make sure that your address is changed on online marketplaces, in case you are moving offices. Also, make sure that you do not have any scheduled deliveries or prior engagements on the day of the move.
The packing techniques employed by moving companies are not that easy to replicate. Packaging goods in a way that does not cause damage can be time-consuming and difficult depending on what you are looking to move. For fragile items always ensure that the packaging boxes are filled in with some form of padding to ensure that the items do not break and have little room to move about.
You should also always keep heavy fragile objects in smaller boxes so they are easier to handle. You should also use sturdy boxes and stay away from boxes that are damaged. Instead, you can use plastic moving bins from Bin-It. They are available for rent and you can return them once you have moved which greatly helps minimize the cost.
Always make sure to layer the bottom of boxes with soft packing material. Make sure that the heaviest object is at the bottom and lighter objects are placed on top.
Wrap and pack every item separately. Also, make sure to label all the delicate objects as fragile. Labeling is hugely important as knowing what box contains what items can be hugely time-saving during the unpacking process.
If you live alone and do not have any help, you can ask for help from family and friends. Offer them a pizza party for their troubles, after all, it would still only cost a fraction of what professionals movers would charge so it’s a win-win for everyone.
On the other hand, if you live with your family and have children then you can assign them tasks to help you in packaging and moving. But remember you might need help with the heavier goods so you should have a backup plan.
You should always make sure that you arrange food and meals for anyone you have asked for help. This way they will not feel as if you have taken them for granted and make them feel appreciated.
As mentioned earlier, you should contact a truck/trailer rental service to transport your goods. You might think that you can save money by transporting your things in your car but it is not efficient. You will have to make multiple trips plus you will not be able to move the larger objects such as a fridge or a sofa set.
Transporting your goods in a truck will prove to be a lot more efficient. The right size truck will take all your goods in one go if packaged properly which is not only a lot more convenient but also much more efficient.
If you follow all the steps, then on the day of moving you will feel a lot less anxious and stressed. All you will be really thinking about is the prospects of a new beginning.
However, before you leave, make sure you check on a couple of things. First, go through every corner of the house to ensure that you have not left anything important behind. You can also take pictures just for your own peace of mind.
Also, make sure that you have fulfilled all your cleaning obligations. Leaving the house clean and unscathed will not only mean you will get all of your security deposit back but also ensure a great review from your landlord.
When you reach your new home, you should wait for all the goods to arrive. You can start unpacking with the most essential goods such as toiletries, setting up the fridge or stove, and installing the TV and HVAC system.
Make sure that you unpack in an orderly manner as it will help you save a lot of time and energy when setting up your new home. Always start unpacking things that you need urgently and then move on to non-essential items.
The choice of DIY or hiring a moving company depends on a lot of factors.
If you are physically not capable of moving yourself then the only option you have is a moving company. However, that is not the only time a moving company may be needed.
Other factors such as the number of family members will also help you make your decision. Large families have more goods so more labor and time are required to move it all. The number of goods will also be a determining factor. So will be the new location it needs to be transported to.
For a move to a different state or province hiring professionals will be your best bet. However, if you are just moving to a new block a DIY move can prove to be a lot more cost-effective and manageable.
In the end, the decision depends on you and your circumstances.