Moving a large home will always be manageable. Besides packing your belongings, searching for a relocation company, or making arrangements to do the move yourself, there’s also the risk of damaging items in transit. Even with the best of intentions, things can go wrong.
Here are the best practices for moving large homes to ensure the move occurs smoothly and efficiently. They also mitigate the risks of transporting furniture and valuables.
Buy Proper Moving Boxes
Refrain from using old boxes or broken totes. Buy proper moving boxes and supplies, i.e. packing tape, a marker to label each box, something to wrap fragile items in, etc.
What Packing Materials Do I Need?
Dozens of packing materials can protect your most valuable items. Bubble wrap, packing peanuts, air pillows, packing paper, linens, and towels will work. If you can, have them in abundance.
Wrap Furniture with Shrink Wrap
Wrap desks and dressers in shrink wrap to keep them together. This will prevent drawers or loose pieces from falling out in transit. When you get to your new home, this wrap will be easy to cut and remove.
Hire a Moving Service
A large home should either have a moving company to help, or you should rent adequate transportation to ensure all your items can be safely carried to their new home. If hiring movers, compare quotes first. If you’re DIYing it, get a few quotes on truck rentals before settling on any one company.
Use Portable Storage Containers
Need somewhere to store your clothes, furniture, and valuables for the move? Rent portable storage containers. Make moving stress-free with a mobile storage unit. Set up the needed space, fill it, and unpack on your schedule. No rush.
Leave Clothes On Their Hangers
Clothes left on their hangers will be easier to set up in your new home. Wrap them in large garbage bags, 5-6 hangers per bag, or opt for a wardrobe box holding several hangers of clothes.
Set Aside Four Weeks To Pack
Packing a large home can be exhausting. This is why it is recommended to start at least four weeks in advance. Many people take even more time than that, beginning at six or eight weeks. This keeps packing low-stress.
Eliminate Clutter
As you pack, consider each item. If you don’t need to take it with you or don’t believe it will be used in your new home, set it aside in a ‘Donate’ box. Remove clutter from your packing to reduce what you’re taking with you.
Pack By the Room
Pack them according to their room and label the box to ensure like items remain with like items. This way, boxes can be moved immediately into your new residence and to the correct room.
Grab a Few Friends
For the move, if you’re doing it alone, always grab a few friends to help you pack and unpack. It’ll cut down on your time significantly when you do.
Pack an Essentials Bag
Pack a separate ‘essentials’ bag for moving day. It should contain everything you need if there is a delay, such as toiletries, charging cables, a spare set of clothes, and similar personal items. This way, you can access what you need when you arrive.
Provide Lots of Padding
Fragile items should be carefully wrapped and boxed. Expensive materials, such as glass, marble, and the like, should be given special care. A box with such materials must be adequately addressed. Feel free to use as much as possible to keep everything inside at low risk.
Label and Number Boxes
Label each box you pack by the room they’re in and assign them a number. Have a list with each numbered box and a brief description of no more than a dozen words of what’s inside the box.
Give Yourself Lots of Time
There could always be delays or problems on a moving day. It will only stress you out if you’re trying to move in a tight timeframe. Give yourself an entire weekend to complete your move and get things from property to property.
Call Utilities In Advance
Ensure that your old residence’s utilities are cancelled and your new home’s utilities are on when you arrive. Advise your utility company of the move-in date so they know when to turn services on at the property. Do this before your moving date so you can take a couple of hours of work off your list.
Get Your New Address
Please write down your new address, including the postal code, and put it in your wallet. Call the post office and forward your mail. You’ll have information ready for any other calls regarding your address.