Home and FamilyTips To Make Moving Easier
The prospect of moving to new location either across town or across the world can be very exciting, but it can also be stressful. There is plenty to do and people often find themselves pressed for time. If you are moving due to a marriage or the dissolution of one, a new job, or a death that has occurred you will be full of other emotions as well that can make packing the last thing you want to spend your time doing.
It is important to make the moving process as easy as possible for yourself. This way you won’t feel so overwhelmed by the entire process. As you are packing, get rid of things you no longer use. Many of us hang on to things for years that we never use so if you find you haven’t accessed the item in the last six months you will want to leave it behind. Divide those items into three categories – what you want to throw away, what you want to donate, and what you want to sell.
If you will be throwing out old furniture or you have a large home, you may want to rent a large dumpster. This way you will have enough room to throw it all away without cluttering up the alley. Many trash collections won’t remove these larger items for you anyway. Another option is to load these items up in the back of a pickup and take them to the dump. You can easily drop them off without having to break them down into smaller pieces too.
Get plenty of quality boxes to pack the items you do plan to take with you. These can be purchased from various stores or even packing companies for a good price. Pay attention to the weight limits on these boxes so you won’t over pack them.
You also want to have packing materials to prevent damages, good markers to identify what is in each box, and packing tape. In big letters write which room the box needs to go to for the new location. It will make it easier for those helping you to know where to place things. Try to place a number of the boxes such as 1 of 6 so that you will know if you are missing a box. Also mark fragile items clearly so that everyone involved in the moving process can be extra careful with them.
If you are looking for a way to save money, go to retail stores and ask for empty boxes. You can wrap breakables in towels and newspaper to prevent them from breaking in transit. Make sure you get boxes in various sizes to meet all of your needs. Periodically pick up the box you are packing and make sure it won’t be too heavy for you to move.
You can make packing fun if you invite friends and family members over to help you. Set a goal of a certain room to pack or a set amount of boxes. Then treat them to pizza and a movie as a way of thanking them for their help. If you are very picky about how your items are packed though you will find it may be easier to complete the process on your own.
There are going to be heavy items that you will need lots of help for. Don’t be afraid to ask for it because you don’t want to injure yourself or have to replace computers or TV’s. You can also use a dolly, a wagon, or a wheelbarrow to get things moved from one place to another. Make sure you offer food and drinks for those who help you move. They are less expensive than professional movers and they will likely be gentle with your stuff. You can hire some teenagers to move stuff for you as well because the money you pay them will be well worth their energy and their strength.