My partner, two kids, and our dog, from the Edwardian home in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, where we lived for 13+ years, have moved to our new home.
Although it is only a short distance away, the journey involved many boxes, bags, and packing crates. These tips and tricks will make your move as smooth as possible.
1. DECLUTTER FIRST
When I made the rooms look good for the estate agent to photograph, I claimed I had decluttered. Who was I kidding? It turned out that I had just thrown everything in the nearest cabinet. After we exchanged contracts, I realized that I could not put off emptying those cabinets any longer. It took several days. It was exhausting. Boring. It is also very time-consuming. Clear your home once and then do it again. You’ll also save money packing boxes and materials since you have already decluttered half of your possessions.
2. KEEP PRECIOUS ITEMS SAFE
Don’t be a fool with precious jewelry or other mementos. Take them out of the house and place them in a safe. My wedding ring, eternity ring, and engagement ring are all hidden in my unpacked bags and boxes. Yes. Yes. They were lost in transit. They were at my old house, but I have yet to see them at my new home. Don’t worry. You can become very fatalistic if you have moved so much stuff in the last year. There is still hope. The other night, I discovered my aunt’s earrings in gold that was also missing from her action.
3. DISMANTLE IN Advance
To disassemble a bed and a cot as well as the heirloom chest with drawers that must be taken down three flights of stairs, it takes more time than you might think. I strongly recommend that you begin the furniture dismantling process as early as possible. A good tip is to slowly move your family into one downstairs bedroom during the week before the actual move. It doesn’t matter if everyone has to sleep on the ground. The removal men will love you at least.
4. SHOULD YOU DO IT YOURSELF
It’s not crazy to hire removalists sutherland shire men but it requires courage, organization, and a steady supply of strong men. Pickfords was my trusted partner in moving me from London to Barnsley with my toddler son 13 years ago. The two young men were so cheerful that they even packed the teapot and the hot water. We did it this time. As I am sure you know, hiring a high-top, tail-lift van to move your home is not an easy task. According to the advice website removal Reviews, the average cost of moving a three-bedroom house is PS900. Professional packing will set you back at least PS300. You can explore cheaper options but not at the cost of dropping china or a dislocated shoulder.
5. PACK YOUR PURSE AWAY
Finally, you are in transit. It’s easy for you to get distracted between the cashpoint, emergency bin bag supermarket, the cashpoint again, and the emergency coffee shop. You will forget where your handbag is, or worse, it could be stolen by an opportunistic criminal if you leave it on your dashboard. I would always leave the bag behind and keep my cash, keys, and credit cards in a money belt or crossbody bag.
6. LEAVE OUT PETS AND KIDS
You may see your children running through your family home excitedly, choosing their bedrooms. They will soon be bored and even murderous in no time. The dog will runoff, and they’ll be bored in no time. I’d board children with friends or family and then send them to the kennels/cattery until you’ve said goodbye to the van and turned on the kettle.
7. TAKE A SUPREMEVAL KIT
You’ll need to have essential supplies. Take a plastic crate – by the time moving day comes, you’ll have many to choose from – and pack a kettle, milk, teabags, coffee, sugar, snacks, toilet roll, a bottle of your favorite celebratory/restorative tipple, and mugs. Bin bags, cleaning cloths and multi-purpose cleaners are all good options. I also recommend packing headache tablets, bin bags, clean cloths, multipurpose cleaner, air freshener, and air freshener. Make sure to pack two packs. Also, a battery charger for your phone, tissues, and tissues in case you have to weep.
8. Don’t be too hard on yourself
Six months ago, we moved into our new home. I now have a confession to share: The basement needs to be dampproofed. We converted the loft to make a master bedroom and an en suite. We are currently short of storage space so we have taken our excess household goods, books, and toys to the local self-storage facility. This is not a luxury and it’s much cheaper than purchasing a large shed. They will remain there until I’m strong enough to get rid of them all. No house-move or house-mover can be perfect.
