Packing Top Tips When Moving House
Moving house can be an exciting yet stressful experience. Whether you’re relocating across town or to a new city, planning ahead will make the process smoother and more efficient. From organising your personal storage to packing your belongings safely, every detail matters. At Elephant Self Storage Dublin , we help you keep everything in order during your move. These expert tips will ensure your transition is hassle-free.
To properly pack you need the right materials, get your packing supplies in our box shop!
Packing tips - Contents
Make a Moving List
Knowing when to get things done and in what order will put your mind at ease when the details of a big move threaten to overwhelm you. If you are really organised you can extend your Move Out Checklist to a Move Out Binder and keep all your estimates, your receipts, and an inventory of all the items you’re moving.
Plan Together
Sit down with all members of your family and talk about your move. The best way to get your kids interested and excited is to have them involved in the moving process. Give each family member a job, cleaning, packing or unpacking. The best way to get your kids interested and excited is to have them involved.
Book Movers in Advance
If you have a flexible schedule, play around with potential moving dates . If not book a day of from work, after a long day at the office the last thing you want to do is start moving. Moving companies are busiest on weekends, so if you can skip the Saturday chaos and schedule your move for a Tuesday, you will save yourself alot of stress.
Elephant Self Storage is open six days a week with friendly staff on site to advice you the best way to pack your unit or give you some helpful tips.
Rent a Van Wisely
If you are planning a house or apartment move and considering hiring a van remember to keep your type of driving licence in mind. In Ireland, you can typically drive any vehicle up to a Mini Mover (Transit Luton) van on a normal Class B licence. However vehicles over 3.5 tons typically require a Class C licence.
Be cautious and calm, make sure you are comfortable with the size of the van for you, be aware of any overhead obstructions; trees, bridges and electricity wires. After driving a regular vehicle these are things you won’t be used to looking out for.
Contact Enterprise Ireland or Go Car for more information and special offers.
Pack in all Sizes
When picking out boxes, be sure to get a variety of sizes. Think critically about what you need to pack up. Get a few Wardrobe boxes, many medium and definitely a lot of small boxes. Most people don’t realize the larger the box, the less you can fit! This is because its very easy to over fill larger boxes and they become to heavy to move.
Packing is much more than just throwing your things in random boxes. If you want to make sure your stuff arrives at your new home safely (and is easy to find!), you want to make sure you pack smartly.
Keep It Clean
No matter how tired you are after packing you need to take the time and the effort to clean your old property before moving out and your new one before moving in.Luckily, the task may not be as difficult as it seems at first! Its a good idea to start early on as you will guarantee your deposit is returned and make your property more desirable for potential buyers!
Pack with Military Precision
Pack from the top down, clearing out your attic or loft space, then packing up bedrooms and then finally the ground floor, kitchen, lounge and shed.
- Don’t overload any boxes, they’ll either break or will be impossible to carry
- Label boxes so you know which room they came from and what’s in them
- Wrap valuables in several layers of packaging, bubble wrap should be used for any fragile items
- Keep important documents together, including passports, insurance papers, licenses and property documents together and secure.
Label, Label, Label!
Even though you know exactly what you’re putting in your storage unit now, fast forward a few weeks, months or years, it could be a very time consuming task. Label everything now and save time later.
You can use a simple felt tip marker to clearly describe the contents of each box or adhesive stickers.
Packing Plates & Fragile Items
Pack plates vertically, like records. They’ll be less likely to break.
Also, using lots of packing paper is the key to success when you are packing a dishes.
You can not use too much. The more paper you are using, the more protection your items have!
Secure Powders and Liquids
For powder-based cosmetics, place a cotton pad inside the container to prevent breaking.
For liquid items, wrap cling film under the lid before sealing it to prevent leaks. These tips are handy not just for moving but for travelling as well.
Start Early on Moving Day
If you have hired the right moving company, moving day should be relatively stress free. In the morning get up early, have a good breakfast, then pack away the remaining items before the movers come. Just leave out a few essentials such as kettle, tea bags, milk, sugar, cups ect that can be packed in a box last minute.
Create a Loading Area
Whether you have family or professional movers , be ready for them when they arrive. Inform your immediate neighbours that you’ll be moving and make sure your truck isn’t blocking anyone’s exit. Make sure there’s plenty of room to park the moving truck especially on busy streets otherwise you could slow down your move … increasing your total cost!
Update Your Contact Information
When moving house or apartment, you may need to close some accounts and to transfer others to your new address. You will have to call each service company like water, telephone and electricity and inform them of your change of address so your services can be switched over. A good rule of thumb is to start 3 weeks ahead of your move or before your next billing period.
Donate or Sell Unwanted Items
Your old furniture, electronics, and clothing can be repurposed for a good cause.
Contact the charity of your choice at least a week in advance, certain stores are lucky enough to have their shelves full and cant accept certain items however others are desperate for furniture, electronics or clothing. If you aren’t able to reach the store before hand and have a lot of stuff, call the Charity and explain the circumstances and what you have, they might be able to help arrange collection.
Moving doesn’t have to be overwhelming!
By staying organised, planning ahead, and utilising smart packing techniques, your transition can be smooth and stress-free. Whether you need file storage, art storage, or assistance with removals, Elephant Self Storage is here to help. Follow us on Facebook for more expert moving tips!
