Storage Tips for Moving Home
March 25, 2014Everyone who has ever done it knows how stressful moving home is. Even after all the legal negotiations are finalised, the pressure builds as you get into the round of notifying utility companies, switching phone, broadband and TV services, and notifying authorities of your pending address change. Packing also has its stresses, so here are some tips on how to organise your packing and storage to make things a little less stressful:
Give Yourself Plenty of Time
Packing takes longer than you think it will. Starting early is vital if you’re not to pile on the stress as moving day creeps closer. Arm yourself weeks ahead of time with packing boxes and start as soon as you have a completion day by packing away the things you can live without for a while.
Items such as books, craft or hobby equipment, spare crockery and ornaments are things you can do without but which take time to pack safely. While you’re in the early stages of packing, take advantage of this enforced time of handling everything you possess to have a declutter at the same time.
Get kids involved. Give them their own boxes and invite them to pack up their toys. Doing their bit can help ease the stress they also feel at the prospect of moving house, and will help them feel more in control of their situation.
Store boxes in the room where you packed them so you know what’s inside. Before you move them, clearly label the outside with which room they belong to and what they contain. There’s nothing worse than arriving at your new home with 10 boxes labelled ‘kitchen’ but no idea which one holds the kettle.
Taking Advantage of Self Storage Options
There are times when putting items into self storage makes sense when you’re moving home:
- You need to store larger items so you can prepare or decorate your house for sale
- You’re moving into temporary rented accommodation because there’s a delay in the new house being ready and you don’t want to lose your sale.
- You’re downsizing and don’t have room for everything in the new house
Self storage options make these, and other, situations easier to cope with. You’re not faced with having to sell items you’d rather keep, and you don’t need to bother friends or relatives to store items for you. Many people don’t realise that self storage can be a very short term arrangement, even as short as one week. Flexible terms mean you can keep a storage unit for as long or short a time as you need, with no long contracts to tie you in.
Working With Your Removal Company
Having taken care of the packing and arranged for storage of things that aren’t going with you on the day, turn your thoughts to your removal company:
- Stay in touch with them and keep them up to date on any possible changes in your schedule. If you communicate with them and give them as much notice as possible of any changes, they’re much more likely to work with you as far as possible without you incurring additional fees.
- Make sure you know whether you’ll be expected to help carry boxes or furniture. Smaller removal companies, or a man and van arrangement, may not have the staff to do all the work for you. If you need extra helpers, make the arrangements as soon as possible.
- Let neighbours know your moving date, informing them when the removal van will be parked outside, and make sure someone is around to keep an eye on the van and your belongings while you’re busy fetching and carrying.
It’s easy to feel at the mercy of a hundred and one outside factors when you’re moving home but, with a little forethought, it’s possible to stay on top of everything. Allowing plenty of time and organising effective storage during the move are the two key elements in reducing house-moving stress.
Drew writes for Big Yellow Self Storage. For more information on the moving process, see their useful Removal Guide.