Moving houses or even cities can be an exciting time for everyone involved, but it is no easy task. It involves lots of planning and forethought and even then, many last-minute problems may crop up, making your move a stressful experience, to say the least.
The big day itself when you plan to leave your old home and move into the new one can be full of chaos if you don’t plan. You need to have an organized game plan in place beforehand for your moving day to be a stress-free experience.
Here are some tips to avoid that mayhem on your big day.
Plan ahead of time
Like I mentioned earlier, always plan ahead of time and avoid leaving things till the last minute. It will be no fun if your moving van is at the door and you are busy stuffing the last few things into bags and boxes. Always ensure that everything is packed a day before. Even your clothes and personal accessories should be packed in duffel bags, ready to be picked up when you leave. So leave nothing till the last hour if you want to avoid regrets. This is the chaos we want to avoid.
Label everything
Label or color code your boxes so you and your movers know which box goes where. You will waste a lot of time if you try to open each box at your new place to find out what things are inside. So stick labels everywhere. Or color code them to differentiate between each box on your moving day. Make sure that the boxes are placed in the individual rooms where their things are supposed to go. This will save you the hassle of dragging heavy boxes or furniture around later.
Keep your essentials on hand
Pack essentials for each person in your family. These things could include a couple of changes of clothes, toiletries and other essentials you might need immediately upon arrival at your new house. There will be a big chaos if every person opens boxes for a change of clothes or some other small thing. So pack individual bags for each person. Also, don’t forget your first aid kit. It does come in handy.
Water, gas and other essential utilities.
This is something you should always do ahead of time. Arriving at the new house and having no electricity is definitely not the best feeling. In fact, it will lead to the worst chaos ever. So make sure all these lines are installed and working plus they have been transferred over to your name from the previous owners.
Pack fragile items carefully
Pack all your glassware and dishes carefully. They should also be labeled with fragile stickers so the movers also handle them with care. You must also wrap them in bubble wrap or old towels/bed sheets then put them in boxes. You don’t want to find your favorite glassware shattered when you arrive at the new place. With the ensuing chaos, this would also mean that a lot of extra money must be spent to get new things.
Get to know the rules of your new place
If you are moving to a new apartment, always check out whatever rules and regulations they might have. For example, there might be rules on how to use the elevators, plus moving of heavy boxes in these elevators might not be allowed. So make sure you know about all these things well before the moving day so any trouble can be avoided. This might also be a good time to introduce yourself to your new neighbors and get friendly. This will ensure you have friendly faces and helping hands ready to greet you on your shifting day.
Distract kids
If you have kids, your moving day might be full of chaos and disorder if you don’t plan some things ahead. You must keep their water bottles and lots and lots of their favorite snacks on hand. Also, have a charged iPad with you so you can distract them with their favorite cartoons. For once, screen time restrictions don’t matter. Try to involve them in small mundane tasks if your kids a little older so they also feel useful. Promise them candy or chocolates as treats if they behave and carry some of their toys like a beloved doll or bunny so they remain comforted. You could also keep a coloring book or a small puzzle so he remains distracted during the move.
Get rid of stuff you don’t use
The rule of thumb is to get rid of stuff you haven’t used in more than a year. Remember, extra stuff means extra hassle. So sort your stuff into piles and then get rid of the pile that you never use. Set up a yard sale, or donate all your extra belongings. You will be grateful that you don’t have extra, useless stuff to pack and then carry over to your new place. Remember, less is more when it comes to maximizing space in your new home. Do all this well before the moving date.
Remember, if you are moving to Connecticut, isn’t such a difficult task to avoid chaos as you might think. With the right amount of forethought, sensibility and some planning beforehand, your move can definitely be a stress-free experience. Just follow these tips and leave nothing till the ninth hour. Keep your temper in check and your patience intact. You should be good to go.