The search is over, you have found the ONE. The house that you have been looking for to meet the needs of you and your family. The place that you will call home. Before you can start making memories, you have to make the big MOVE. Moving into a new home can be quite a headache, but here at De Young Properties, we want you to have the best moving experience you can, which is why we’ve put together eight tips and tricks to help make your big move as smooth as possible!
Moving is a time to go through your things and ask yourself “Do I really need this?” If you quickly answer “no” or are even hesitant about saying yes, chances are you could do without it. A new home is a new start, don’t be afraid to let go of some things that you once thought you would use all the time but really haven’t looked at since Christmas 1998. Make “sell”, “donate” and “toss” piles in each room and arrange with a charity beforehand to come pick your giveaway items on the day of the move, you’ll be doing yourself, and several others a favor.
Of course no one expects you to go through a move alone, you’ll definitely want the help of friends and family. However, for the day of the move, we recommend hiring professionals. They should come with insurance and their own muscle power! Look to requesting estimates from several different companies before deciding on one and be sure to read the fine print for any strict rules they might have to avoid paying extra packaging fees.
Packing up your things is like a giant game of Tetris, you don’t want unpacking to be a mind game too. Using the floor plan of your new home, label each room with a color code and post a few copies around the new house. Put corresponding names and colors on each box as you’re packing so the movers know exactly which box goes to which room. Keep a small notebook with you while you pack to jot down any reminders to look back when moving and unpacking!
Packing can be a trip down memory lane, but if you try to reminisce on every item you pack, you’ll never put anything in the box. Tell yourself you’ll save time for that after the move when you’re unpacking things, we guarantee it will make things go a lot faster. Also, dust as you pack. You’ll probably find lots of things are covered in dust – clean it off now so you don’t have to worry about those little nuances in the new house.
When packing fragile items such as plates, glasses and other such things, there is a right and wrong way to do it. When stacking plates, place them in their box horizontally – this reduces the pressure on the bottom plates and makes them less vulnerable to breakage. Remember to always pack the heaviest items on bottom. When packing anything that is fairly fragile such as your kitchen goods or grandma’s glass candy dish, don’t be afraid to use extra packaging – there’s no such thing as too much packaging paper. Also, go out and buy a roll of newsprint packaging paper, it’s great for filling in loose space in boxes so items don’t shift and it won’t leave any black marks on your items they touch – especially in the summer when the ink might transfer.
Think of the day of your move like a flight, pack only the things you absolutely need for the week in a suitcase that you can live out of until you are situated in the new house. Keep your toiletries, bedding, and any other essentials in a suitcase that you take over in car and take right to your room. Also, you don’t want to be sleeping on a dirty mattress the first night, be sure to have the movers use a mattress bag before carrying your mattress into their truck.
When packing your clothes, you have a couple options. For socks and undergarments that are folded in your drawers, you can just place Press ‘N Seal (think saran wrap) over them to hold them in place without unpacking the drawer, or you can pack them in a box. With your other clothes, however, the best method is to use the wardrobe boxes from the moving company. This keeps your clothes wrinkle-free and easily-accessible until you’ve set up your closet.
Don’t buy any new cold food within the week prior to moving day. You’re probably already going to have to throw out some foods, so why let it be something you just bought that week. Also, if you are moving your refrigerator, turn it off at least 24 hours prior to pick-up time to allow time for it to defrost and for you to wipe out any excess moisture. In the pantry, only allow yourself to take one box with you. You probably have a lot of food that’s been sitting in there for longer than you’d be willing to admit, so use this is as time to dispose of all that, or give it away if it’s still good, and start fresh in your new pantry.
De Young Properties offers homes up to 3,899 square feet with seven bedrooms, allowing you to enjoy your spacious surroundings. These EnergySmart
homes with up to four car garages, offer a wide variety of selections to flex your floorplan including Multi-Generational Designs and a first floor bedroom suite allowing you to personalize your De Young home to your lifestyle. To learn more, visit a De Young Welcome Center today!
AUTHOR: Ashley De Young, De Young Properties
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