Moving Archives - Sandra Meranda

June 24, 2022 by changescapeweb

10 Packing Tips: Great Advice From Professional Movers

Many small and large things can go wrong during a move, but with some planning and preparation, you can ensure it’s as stress-free as possible. If you haven’t moved in a long time, you may be surprised at how long it takes to pack up your belongings. Even a short move across town can be time-consuming and costly.

Between moving vans, fuel, and supplies, the cost of moving can quickly add up. According to data from Angi, the national average for a short-distance move is $1,400 and can be significantly more if you move out of state. It may be helpful to use a moving cost calculator to estimate what a move within your zip code could cost you.

When it’s time to move, you have several options to choose from – you can do the packing and move everything on your own, or you can hire someone to pack your belongings and move them. You can also pack your belongings and hire professional movers to load and unload them. Packing your household items allows you to declutter and will save you money.

Ten Packing Tips From Professional Movers

1. Invest in Good Packing Boxes

Buy boxes designed for moving. These boxes can handle anything homeowners are likely to pack and won’t collapse like free boxes from the grocery store. You can buy packing boxes and supplies online or in most hardware stores. Make sure you have appropriately sized boxes for what you’re packing. Large boxes are for lighter items like towels, clothing, and bedding. Small boxes are for heavier items, including dishes and books. If you only have large boxes, you’ll fill the empty spaces with paper, waste packing materials, and valuable space in your moving van.

2. Don’t Pack What You Don’t Need

If you haven’t moved in a while, you might be surprised at just how much stuff you have accumulated! On average, each American household has 300,000 items, and many of those items are rarely used. Why pay to move things that you don’t need? Moving is a great time to declutter. Donate unused or unwanted items, give them away to family and friends, or have a yard sale, but don’t pack things you aren’t likely to use in your new home.

3. Start Packing Early

Professional movers estimate that for the average 3-bedroom home, you could spend 3-5 full days packing, assuming there are no delays and you have all the necessary boxes and packing materials. Anything you won’t need before your moving date should be packed ahead of time. This includes:

Seasonal clothing
Holiday decorations
Guest rooms
Basements, attics, sheds, and garages

4. Don’t Wait to Pack the Kitchen

The kitchen takes the longest to pack, primarily because of all the breakable items. Always stack dishes upwards, and avoid breakage by using boxes designed for glassware and dishes. Use bubble wrap or packing paper to protect china and other items rather than newspaper to prevent stains.

5. Don’t Leave Empty Spaces In Boxes

Fill in gaps with packing paper, clothing, or towels. Unbalanced boxes are harder to move and are more likely to collapse when stacked in a moving truck.

6. Don’t Mix Items From Different Rooms

Get enough boxes so that you aren’t mixing items from different rooms. It will make both packing and unpacking easier.

7. Use Wardrobe Boxes

It makes little sense to take clothes off hangers. Save time at both ends of a move by using special wardrobe boxes designed for hanging clothes.

8. Clearly Label Each Box

Label each box with the room destination and a brief description of the contents. This will help you, and your movers know where every box belongs in your new home. Number each box and keep an inventory list to track what you’ve packed and ensure everything arrives safely. Label the top and at least one side of the box to locate items more quickly.

9. Take Photos

Before you tape a box shut, snap a photo to keep a record of the contents. If you’re moving valuable items such as antiques, artwork, or electronics, make sure to document their condition before the move. Accurate photos of your belongings prior to the move will increase your chances of being reimbursed for loss or damage.

10. Keep All Important Documents in One Place

If you’re utilizing a professional moving company, it’s best to keep all of your sensitive documents in a safe place and move them yourself. This includes passports, social security cards, marriage licenses, insurance information, and any other personal information you don’t want misplaced, lost, or stolen.

Prepare a Moving Checklist

In addition to packing, there are many other things to take care of before moving into a new home. A thorough moving checklist will help you stay organized and ensure you don’t forget anything. Here are just a few essential things to take care of:

Contact Your Service Companies

Contact all of your utility and service providers to cancel or transfer your services. Have the electric, gas, sewer, water, internet, phone, and trash services placed in your name and new address. Cancel newspapers, cable, pest control, lawn, and other services at least one week before your move.

Forward Your Mail

Go to www.usps.com to have your mail forwarded. It’s best to allow at least two weeks’ notice. Your mail forwarding service will eventually expire, so remember to update your address with all of your important contacts. Contact your banks, credit card companies, doctors, family and friends directly to update them with your new address.

Get Moving Insurance

Accidents happen, so check to see if your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance covers your items during the move. Adequate insurance coverage is essential for long-distance moves. If you’re handling the move yourself or the moving company you hire doesn’t offer coverage, look into moving insurance to protect your property.

Pack a First Day Essentials Box

Fill a clear plastic tub with the essential items you’ll need for the first few days in your new home. This should contain important things such as toilet paper, trash bags, cleaning supplies, toiletries, light bulbs, first aid supplies, pet supplies, and other essential items your family needs. Don’t forget to have water, snacks, and necessary medications readily available.

Hire Moving Help

Hire a moving company or rent a truck if you have much to move. Rental vans and trucks are busiest on the first and last of the month when most rental leases end, so reserve well in advance. If you plan to do it yourself, rent a truck with a ramp to make loading and unloading easier. Hiring a professional moving company is money well spent if you have a lot of heavy furniture and bulky boxes to load and unload.

Enjoy Your New Home!

Moving into a new home should be an exciting time for your family. With some upfront planning and organization, you can alleviate the stress of packing and moving and start enjoying your new home sooner. Your real estate agent is an excellent resource for planning your move. Don’t hesitate to ask for advice.

July 7, 2014 by smeranda Leave a Comment

How to make moving into a new house easier for your child

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You bought a new apartment, got a job in another city, ended up building a house – all the reasons to move. For adults, moving into a new house means a lot of work but for the little ones it is like their world is falling apart. Sudden changes are difficult for children, but unfortunately they cannot be avoided. Here are some helpful tips to help your child deal with their stressful situation and get used to the new place? The key is to take a fair amount of time even with the smallest members of the household, remember it requires cooperation and a positive attitude. It is worth it to well prepare your child for the changes which are about to happen.

Start with explaining to your little one what exactly is going on throughout the entire process. Describe your move, packing process and the arrival into the new house. It’s always a good idea to take the child to the new place before you move to show them where their new room will be. It gives them a chance to start planning where to put shelves for their favorite cars or what spot would be best for their doll house. It will make them a bit more involved and keep their mind occupied during the stressful moments.
Remember that children love to be helpers so involve them in your move as much as possible. Let them pack their toys by themselves and ask for help with making paper balls to secure fragile items. Try to include them when shopping for items for the new house. Let them choose the colour of a new toy box or a new pillow for their bed. Ask for their opinion when you’re choosing the new lamp, curtains or things of that nature. It will make them feel important and give you a bit of the break from the intense time at home.
During the actual moving day try to behave as cool as you can. There is nothing worst for the little ones then parents running nervously around shouting to each other or looking for things. Organization is the key. Remember that your child is observing everything and not always correctly understanding what is happening, that can cause unnecessary stress. Be sure to visit any of your child’s friends in your old neighborhood to say Good Bye, and have them give your new address so they can visit them in your new place. Try to let your child furnish their room according to their suggestions. You probably don’t want to let them decide where the furniture should be, but let them put their toys in new places according to their liking. This makes it a more personal experience for them and will make them more comfortable in their new room.
Once you moved remember to spend a lot of time with your little one. They will need a companion while exploring new surroundings. It’s not just a new house, it‘s new friends, new playground, new neighbors and new favorite places. What’s the best way to discover new things than with your parents? Take your time and be patient, remember that boxes are not going anywhere. With these tips you and your child are sure to make great memories in your new home!

P.S. Summer has arrived and now is the time for sellers to be getting their homes ready for the Summer market & for buyers to start looking for their new homes. This will be another great real estate year! Don’t miss out on lower home prices & good interest rates. Contact me for details today!

August 21, 2013 by changescapeweb Leave a Comment

Downsizing Your Home before Moving

Are you by chance moving to a smaller place? If so, then you already know how much belongings we can accumulate as the years come and go. Eventually we end up with large quantities of possessions stuck in our drawers, wardrobes and closets, necessitating a big change in our home right before a move. Why would you need to downsize your home? The reasons are quite simple, mostly being that the less belongings you have available, the cheaper your move will be and also the faster you’ll deal with all you have to deal with.

Downsizing-Your-Home-before-Moving2-200x300 The following article aims to help you get rid of all those things you won’t need in the future in exchange for a carefree moving experience:

• Consider your needs realistically

For the most part we collect many things that we would love to use, but we simply never get around to. For example, having exercise equipment that has been collecting dust over the past two years is something you don’t want to deal with. Consider things and decide whether you will use it within the next few months. Don’t do any wishful thinking, instead opt for what you absolutely know will happen. You will thank yourself later when the moving fees are smaller and your day goes smoother. Take a good look at your life and prioritize your needs accordingly. Sell or donate what you won’t need in the future and you may even gain some money to counter the expenses you’ll be dealing with.

• Clearing everything

One thing you will have to do is to go through every shelf, cabinet and closet you have so you can take what you plan on downsizing. Leave only the things you absolutely need. This will mean getting rid of anything that doesn’t have a functional purpose and those who won’t have one in the near future or ever.

• Take measurements

It would be a good idea to make a floor plan that allows you to track the dimensions of your new home. This will easily allow you to predict whether your furniture will fit there or not, letting you sell or donate pieces you don’t need well before you have to ship them anywhere. Keep the locations of doors and windows handy as you write down the new home’s dimensions. Without such a plan you simply won’t have a chance to be accurate in your assessments, thus leading you to being stuck with a bunch of furniture with no place around your home.

• Assess your storage areas

If you have moved into a new home and you have found out your storage is limited – well then you are out of luck. Never underestimate the importance of storage, so while you’re getting the measurements of your home make sure you keep the size of your storage in mind as well. For example, having less kitchen space than before will limit your possible chance to bring everything along with you, forcing you to keep it elsewhere. Donate or sell what you don’t need and you’ll have much more space to work with and less expenses overall.

Bio: Ella Andrews is freelancer and blogger, who has rich experience in home maintenance and home renovation projects. Therefore these topics are some of her favorites to write about. Visit: https://www.movingservicesremovals.co.uk/removals/SS16-movers-basildon.html and obtain some valuable ideas for your own household.