Do you think you have above-average organizational skills? Are you able to stay calm under pressure? The truth is that you may not know how organized and in control you are until you have to organize a house move. There is a reason several people view moving house as one of life’s most stressful events, even more so than getting divorced.
The difficulty of moving house comes partly from the anxiety of leaving a familiar place. The fear of the unknown - making new friends and starting a new job or school - also contributes to the stress of moving. But according to Limehouse, a Virginia Beach Property Management, the biggest source of pressure when moving house, comes from arranging your personal belongings.
Most of us don’t know how much stuff we own until we are forced to arrange them during a house move. The mere thought of sorting through stacks of personal items can be paralyzing. That is why it is easy to find yourself behind in time and emotionally drained when moving house by yourself.
However, even if there is no way to eliminate the stress, moving house does not have to be so difficult. There are things you can do to make it more manageable. It all begins with knowing WHAT NOT TO DO during your house move. In this post, we explain how to make your move more efficient by avoiding common mistakes.
1. Not making enough time for packing
Most people underestimate how much time it will take to pack their house. It is better to err on the side of caution and allocate too much time to packing than too little. Start packing your home at least two weeks before moving day. Spread it across many days and do a little every day. This strategy gives you time to fix any issues that arise along the way.
2. Not making a moving checklist
Without a moving checklist to organize your efforts, you will waste time and energy packing your home. Make a comprehensive checklist of everything that needs to be done during the move. Create a schedule of all tasks and assign dates for each task. Get a notebook while packing your belongings, and enter each item into the notebook, noting the box where you placed them.
3. Failing to de-clutter
Do not make the mistake of transporting clutter to your new house. Some items in your current home will not be needed in the new home. Not all of these items are going to be useless. Most will be stuff you have not used in a long time and duplicate or obsolete items. Separate these items into three piles; for selling, donating and trashing. That way, you will declutter your items.
4. Not having the correct or adequate packing supplies
The right packing supplies make it easy to organize and move your items. You don’t want large boxes that will be too heavy to move, and you don’t want a lot of small boxes either. In addition to boxes, you need bubble wrap, foam, tape, colors markers/tape, crates and other items. One reason to start packing early is to have enough time to get anything that you are missing.
5. Not using the proper packing technique
The three main issues people have when packing their home are; safety, overloading boxes, and not balancing the load inside boxes. Always wrap sharp or pointed objects before you pack them. Pad fragile objects to keep them from breaking. As a rule, it is best to keep each box under 20 kilos (50 pounds). To even out the weight of boxes, ensure the heavier items are always at the bottom.
6. Not labeling your packed boxes
Proper labeling makes your move easier. Intelligent labeling helps to reduce the stress of unpacking in the new house. Labels should be color-coded according to the rooms where the boxes belong. If boxes contain fragile items, make sure the label says that. Label boxes to show which ones should be moved first or last. Label boxes so that it is clear which side is the top and bottom.
7. Renting the wrong size of moving truck
The size of the moving truck you hire matters. It might seem like a good idea to hire the biggest truck you can find, but that can cause problems. While a small truck will force you to perform multiple trips, inside an oversized truck, your stuff will slide around and be more likely to damage. Before you rent a truck, do your calculations carefully. Typically, 10-12 ft trucks are suitable for studio apartments; 14-17 ft trucks for 1-2 bedroom homes; and 20-26 ft trucks for cross-country moves and homes with three or more bedrooms.
Finally, the last mistake is to think that hiring a professional mover is a waste of money. Before you decide to move, talk to a professional mover about how much they will charge you. With that info, you can accurately compare the pros and cons of a self-move versus the pros and cons of hiring a professional mover.
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