As moving day approaches with a complete moving checklist at your disposal, you may think that you have perfectly covered everything because you have already prepared for this for months. You’ve taken all the necessary steps such as changed addresses, transferred utilities, and checked off must-have packing and moving supplies.
If you’re moving out for the first time, you may be wondering what else you might need to have a smooth and stress-free move. Save time and go through these amazing and inconspicuous moving tips that we’ve prepared. This will help you get everything in order – and your life easier!
Your circumstances might result in you needing to stay in a hotel or short term apartment before you move to your next house. In these situations, it’s best to consider securing storage for your items for a while. Whether or not you need short-term or long-term storage, this is very helpful and ideal in the process of moving house. Short-term storage is great for storing things temporarily during a move or in the transitional period.
For extra peace of mind, ask your potential removalists what short term storage options they have if an unexpected delay presents itself last minute!
Long-term storage is useful if there are things you can’t seem to part with but currently don’t have room for. For instance, if you’re moving to a smaller house or moving interstate etc.
Determine which storage option you need that is the most economical and convenient for you. Create an inventory list of what items you plan to store and keep it in hand as you start getting at least a few quotes. Doing this months before your move can help you make the best decision for you and save money. Just remember that it costs more to get climate-control storage, but it will prevent the changes in temperature that may damage your belongings over time. Items such as wooden furniture, leather lounges, wine, and artwork are particularly vulnerable to climate related damage.
It wouldn’t hurt to get all the information regarding any moving requirements that you may need to comply with from the local authorities as early as now. Get detailed information about parking and access restrictions, or lift protocols for the new building or traffic management precautions that will be needed.
By doing this early, you will already get answers to questions like “How do I arrange a parking space for my moving truck along the road?”, or “Where are the loading zones?”, or “Which parking areas have or don’t have a time limit?”, or “How long can I park in this space?”.
Likewise, if you’re moving into a building, you have to know how to reserve the service elevator and how long you can reserve it for, as there may also be a time restriction involved. Get a copy of the building’s moving in guidelines as well as forms you may need to fill out so you can coordinate it for the move.
Knowing important information like these can come in handy, so you can prepare and organise a plan to make your moving day successful and stress-free!
Imagine your car breaking down in the middle of the road, what an agonizing situation, right? It would be even worse if it does break down on the day of the actual move!
If you are driving a long distance for your move, make sure your car is in good working condition and has undergone preventative maintenance before your schedule. Bring it to your local auto repair and have it serviced.
Before you leave, check the battery, lights, oil, water, brakes, and tire pressure. Don’t forget to save your trusted auto repair’s contact number on your phone.. just in case it does break down.
Babies and kids require constant care and attention, and it will be seriously hard for you to handle when you’re dealing with lots of things – and I mean lots of things. Keep in mind that without a babysitter, you will need to pay full attention in keeping the children away from potential safety hazards on the day of your move. Think in terms of trucks in the driveway, men carrying heavy furniture through the walkways, and the general chaos that moving day can bring!
Find and hire a trusted babysitter to look after your young ones and keep them safe so you can focus on the task at hand when the movers arrive. Besides, you will have too much work to do on the day, even if no last minute stressors present them self. By hiring a babysitter, it will relieve a lot of stress right there and then, allowing you to focus on moving into your new home.
One of the ultimate ways to ensure unpacking will be effortlessly smooth, manageable and a breeze when you arrive in your new home is to know how to manage and organise your boxes meticulously. Plus you certainly wouldn’t want your valuables and things to come out of their boxes wrecked and in bad shape.
In a nutshell, your tasks won’t run out from the moment you plan the move, pack the items and organise the boxes; up to the moment that the moving truck is on its way. The tasks, no matter how minor and well prepared you are, will be never-ending. There are so many things you need to remember that it would be easy for you to forget the minor things, and that’s absolutely guaranteed. The question now is how will you overcome the moving day chaos once it finally arrives?
Nothing is better than creating a step-by-step checklist for moving day. Here are some things you can add to your list.
Nothing adds that extra degree of pressure quite like having a rumbling truck clogging up your street as you frantically grab keys and get the cars out of the driveway.
Your neighbours exchange frustrated glances, some obnoxious drivers who have been inconvenienced for 30 seconds decide this is a pristine opportunity to show their lack of satisfaction by using their horn.
Heaven forbid it is bin day, and there is another truck that needs to get through!
If you have available space on your lawn, that can be a great place to tuck the cars away during the load up; it keeps them close enough you can still get to your vehicle to place smaller personal items in it.
A few days before moving it may also be a good idea to check if there are any height restrictions for your driveway;
This can include branches of trees, power lines, carports, and verandas. The average height of a furniture removals truck is just over 4 meters.
Remember: Even if the truck isn’t going to fit in the driveway, it is still essential to have it cleared; this allows for a wide well-surfaced path that the furniture can be moved down.
If your house is in North Adelaide, the CBD, Norwood or Glenelg (or other similarly built-up areas) there is a good chance that parking will be limited outside your place.
It can be a very frustrating experience for all involved when a removals truck is sent to loop the block time and time again hoping that a parking space will become available.
One option is to contact the council and arrange to have a car park set aside; some councils, however, will try and capitalise on this request!
Another option is to use your own vehicle to claim the park early, remember you will have to park in such a way that you are blocking multiple parks, due to the extra length required for a truck.
Other times our customers have been super prepared and organised some orange witches’ hats with which to block off certain parking areas near their homes.
Screen doors almost always have the little metal toggle that can be slid up the hydraulic mechanism which stops the door from closing.
It is not uncommon for these toggles or mechanisms to stop working properly; in this instance, you are best off securing the door or propping it open with something heavy.
Having your doors stuck in a fully open position saves quite a bit of time and is one very simple step you can make to get the ball rolling on move day.
Remember: Even though the front door will most likely be the closest door to the truck, there will be times when your removalists will opt to use a back door or side door. It all depends on the type of access that they get and which door they decide will be the easiest to maneuver the furniture through.
This section only really applies to apartment and unit moves in which the items need to be brought up or down by using an elevator.
When asking many clients if they have secured the elevator key for their move I am often given a rather odd look.
Frequently I am told that I don’t need a key – the elevator will work without one; other times I am handed the swipe card which unlocks the certain floors.
Many people do not realise that elevators have the capacity to be ‘locked off’ and essentially reserved.
Once the elevator is locked off the doors will not close unless the ‘close door’ button has been pressed, and best of all no one can summon the elevator to a different floor! Locking it off will give your removalists full and unabridged use of the elevator.
The key is obtained by speaking to the building’s maintenance supervisor; often this will be the same person that hangs canvas sheeting up in the elevators in order to protect their interiors.
Before moving into your new home, take the opportunity to take photos of every corner of the house. So you’ll have plenty of time to walk around and visualise where you want your furniture and appliances to be placed and what handyman work needs to be done.
Is the electrical system flawless? Are there plumbing leaks? Are the roof and windows well-insulated? Keep an eye out for dripping faucets and running toilets. Knowing these setbacks beforehand saves you time and money and keeps you from being stressed. Schedule a handyman repair ahead of time.
It’s also a perfect time to get rid of pests and prevent them from moving with you by hiring a professional pest control service before moving into your new home. Plus, pest control treatment in an empty property is way more effective.
Don’t let the movers get confused and struggle around your new home figuring out where to put multiple boxes, large furniture, and appliances. Considering you already have an idea of the new home when you took photos and walked through it, sketch a floor plan and Include all room measurements in your new home to ensure all the pieces of furniture fit, giving you enough time to replace furniture pieces that don’t.
If you’re computer-savvy and hate drawing, don’t worry, there are a lot of user-friendly floor plan software where you can just input these dimensions and elements like rooms, walls, and doors.
Before Moving Day
Aside from getting all your tasks in your checklist done, have you finalised your moving day? Have you sealed the deal and found a reputable removalist? Do this straight away so that you can have a fixed and scheduled date. Everything is less stressful when you have a timeline that you can work with. After all, you might need some more time to run through the following tips were about to lay out for you.1. Secure Storage
Your circumstances might result in you needing to stay in a hotel or short term apartment before you move to your next house. In these situations, it’s best to consider securing storage for your items for a while. Whether or not you need short-term or long-term storage, this is very helpful and ideal in the process of moving house. Short-term storage is great for storing things temporarily during a move or in the transitional period.
For extra peace of mind, ask your potential removalists what short term storage options they have if an unexpected delay presents itself last minute!
Long-term storage is useful if there are things you can’t seem to part with but currently don’t have room for. For instance, if you’re moving to a smaller house or moving interstate etc.
Determine which storage option you need that is the most economical and convenient for you. Create an inventory list of what items you plan to store and keep it in hand as you start getting at least a few quotes. Doing this months before your move can help you make the best decision for you and save money. Just remember that it costs more to get climate-control storage, but it will prevent the changes in temperature that may damage your belongings over time. Items such as wooden furniture, leather lounges, wine, and artwork are particularly vulnerable to climate related damage.
2. Investigate Regulations
3. Have your Car Serviced
Imagine your car breaking down in the middle of the road, what an agonizing situation, right? It would be even worse if it does break down on the day of the actual move!
If you are driving a long distance for your move, make sure your car is in good working condition and has undergone preventative maintenance before your schedule. Bring it to your local auto repair and have it serviced.
Before you leave, check the battery, lights, oil, water, brakes, and tire pressure. Don’t forget to save your trusted auto repair’s contact number on your phone.. just in case it does break down.
4. Hire a Babysitter
Babies and kids require constant care and attention, and it will be seriously hard for you to handle when you’re dealing with lots of things – and I mean lots of things. Keep in mind that without a babysitter, you will need to pay full attention in keeping the children away from potential safety hazards on the day of your move. Think in terms of trucks in the driveway, men carrying heavy furniture through the walkways, and the general chaos that moving day can bring!
Find and hire a trusted babysitter to look after your young ones and keep them safe so you can focus on the task at hand when the movers arrive. Besides, you will have too much work to do on the day, even if no last minute stressors present them self. By hiring a babysitter, it will relieve a lot of stress right there and then, allowing you to focus on moving into your new home.
5. Organise Boxes
One of the ultimate ways to ensure unpacking will be effortlessly smooth, manageable and a breeze when you arrive in your new home is to know how to manage and organise your boxes meticulously. Plus you certainly wouldn’t want your valuables and things to come out of their boxes wrecked and in bad shape.
Pack Boxes By Draw
It’s a no brainer that it’s more efficient to pack items together by room and everyone knows that. But here’s a tip, organise your boxes by putting all the things from your top drawer into box1, all the items from the 2nd drawer into box 2, and items from the 3rd drawer into box 3. It will be effortless to unpack and place them in the same drawer when unpacking day comes. It’s pretty useful, too, when you do the same exact thing for kitchen drawers, living room drawers, kids’ drawers and cabinets.Label Every Box With a Number or Colour
It is essential that ‘high priority’ boxes are easy to access, clearly marked, and that the removalists are aware of them so they can be loaded last and be the first off. You may label the boxes using a designated number code or colour for each room in your new home. In this way, removalists will be able to place each box in the right room without having to ask you every time. For example, all tables that are marked with red could mean they should all be placed in the living room and so on, depending on their priority (number coded with 1, 2, etc.), like yellow for things in the baby’s room or blue for stuff in the kitchen and so on. Don’t forget to label each box on all four sides and as well as on the top, so that anyone can immediately see and read the label.Create an Inventory and List of Items for Each Box
Make a list of boxes and the items contained in each box to help you keep track of your belongings comfortably. Once you get to your new home, check off the boxes as they are carried inside the rooms by the removalists. This will also help you spot the items you will unexpectedly need. The more detailed and comprehensive your list is, the less time-consuming it will be. You will thank yourself later on.Have An Essentials Box
Everyone’s essential items will be different, so think on that and make a plan. Set aside things that you will definitely, or might need on the day of the move as well as immediately when you arrive at your new home. You definitely won’t be able to unpack everything on the first day, so it makes practical sense that you have an essentials box where everything you need is within your reach. Here are some overlooked essentials that you’ll probably need on your moving day. [ezcol_1half]- Emergency first aid kit
- Prescription medicine
- Bin bags
- Broom and dustpan
- Basic tool kit
- Scissors or a heavy duty box cutter
- Toilet paper and paper towels
- All-purpose cleaner
- Disinfectant spray
- Small or handheld vacuum
- Handsoap
- A change of clothes for each family member
- Coffee and tea
- Disposable cups, paper plates, and cutlery
- Bottled water
- Fresh bed sheets and towels
- Corkscrew and wine (to celebrate when you’re done!)
On Moving Day
In a nutshell, your tasks won’t run out from the moment you plan the move, pack the items and organise the boxes; up to the moment that the moving truck is on its way. The tasks, no matter how minor and well prepared you are, will be never-ending. There are so many things you need to remember that it would be easy for you to forget the minor things, and that’s absolutely guaranteed. The question now is how will you overcome the moving day chaos once it finally arrives?
Nothing is better than creating a step-by-step checklist for moving day. Here are some things you can add to your list.
- Take out the last trash bags.
- Charge your phone’s battery.
- Pack the cooler with drinks.
- Pack any last-minute items from the shower.
- Tidy up rooms and do a final sweep – there may be some items left somewhere.
6. Clear your Driveway
Nothing adds that extra degree of pressure quite like having a rumbling truck clogging up your street as you frantically grab keys and get the cars out of the driveway.
Your neighbours exchange frustrated glances, some obnoxious drivers who have been inconvenienced for 30 seconds decide this is a pristine opportunity to show their lack of satisfaction by using their horn.
Heaven forbid it is bin day, and there is another truck that needs to get through!
If you have available space on your lawn, that can be a great place to tuck the cars away during the load up; it keeps them close enough you can still get to your vehicle to place smaller personal items in it.
A few days before moving it may also be a good idea to check if there are any height restrictions for your driveway;
This can include branches of trees, power lines, carports, and verandas. The average height of a furniture removals truck is just over 4 meters.
Remember: Even if the truck isn’t going to fit in the driveway, it is still essential to have it cleared; this allows for a wide well-surfaced path that the furniture can be moved down.
7. Arrange Parking for the Truck
If your house is in North Adelaide, the CBD, Norwood or Glenelg (or other similarly built-up areas) there is a good chance that parking will be limited outside your place.
It can be a very frustrating experience for all involved when a removals truck is sent to loop the block time and time again hoping that a parking space will become available.
One option is to contact the council and arrange to have a car park set aside; some councils, however, will try and capitalise on this request!
Another option is to use your own vehicle to claim the park early, remember you will have to park in such a way that you are blocking multiple parks, due to the extra length required for a truck.
Other times our customers have been super prepared and organised some orange witches’ hats with which to block off certain parking areas near their homes.
8. Prop All Doors Open
Screen doors almost always have the little metal toggle that can be slid up the hydraulic mechanism which stops the door from closing.
It is not uncommon for these toggles or mechanisms to stop working properly; in this instance, you are best off securing the door or propping it open with something heavy.
Having your doors stuck in a fully open position saves quite a bit of time and is one very simple step you can make to get the ball rolling on move day.
Remember: Even though the front door will most likely be the closest door to the truck, there will be times when your removalists will opt to use a back door or side door. It all depends on the type of access that they get and which door they decide will be the easiest to maneuver the furniture through.
9. Moving To or From an Apartment? Arrange Elevator Access
This section only really applies to apartment and unit moves in which the items need to be brought up or down by using an elevator.
When asking many clients if they have secured the elevator key for their move I am often given a rather odd look.
Frequently I am told that I don’t need a key – the elevator will work without one; other times I am handed the swipe card which unlocks the certain floors.
Many people do not realise that elevators have the capacity to be ‘locked off’ and essentially reserved.
Once the elevator is locked off the doors will not close unless the ‘close door’ button has been pressed, and best of all no one can summon the elevator to a different floor! Locking it off will give your removalists full and unabridged use of the elevator.
The key is obtained by speaking to the building’s maintenance supervisor; often this will be the same person that hangs canvas sheeting up in the elevators in order to protect their interiors.
For your New Home
Before moving into your new home, take the opportunity to take photos of every corner of the house. So you’ll have plenty of time to walk around and visualise where you want your furniture and appliances to be placed and what handyman work needs to be done.
Is the electrical system flawless? Are there plumbing leaks? Are the roof and windows well-insulated? Keep an eye out for dripping faucets and running toilets. Knowing these setbacks beforehand saves you time and money and keeps you from being stressed. Schedule a handyman repair ahead of time.
It’s also a perfect time to get rid of pests and prevent them from moving with you by hiring a professional pest control service before moving into your new home. Plus, pest control treatment in an empty property is way more effective.
10. Create a Floor Plan
Don’t let the movers get confused and struggle around your new home figuring out where to put multiple boxes, large furniture, and appliances. Considering you already have an idea of the new home when you took photos and walked through it, sketch a floor plan and Include all room measurements in your new home to ensure all the pieces of furniture fit, giving you enough time to replace furniture pieces that don’t.
If you’re computer-savvy and hate drawing, don’t worry, there are a lot of user-friendly floor plan software where you can just input these dimensions and elements like rooms, walls, and doors.
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