Moving houses and shifting furniture can feel overwhelming, but with a bit of planning and some helpful tips, it doesn’t have to be stressful. I’ve learned a few tricks over the years that make the process much simpler. Let me share some easy steps to help you tackle your next move smoothly and without the hassle!
Tip 1: Pick a removals company early on
It’s best to start looking for a removals company well in advance of your move. This ensures they are free to do the job when you need them. It also stops you from getting caught out at the last minute when all of the good firms are booked up. you can contact F-Movers the best movers in Abu Dhabi
Ask friends and family for recommendations and research companies online before making a final decision. It’s important to check out independent reviews as these give a more accurate picture of how the company performs.
A quality removals company will arrange a visit to your current home to make an assessment. This helps them plan the day more effectively and it gives you a chance to discuss any access issues with them in advance, such as stairs or tight turns.
It’s also a good idea to check that the company has adequate insurance for your goods in transit. If they don’t, you should consider arranging cover with your own insurance provider.
Tip 2: Make a moving checklist
Whether you’re hiring movers or doing the work yourself, it’s a good idea to make an inventory of your possessions. This is a helpful way to prioritise what you need to pack up first, such as that fine China in the loft or those winter clothes in the cupboard.
It’s also a handy way to double-check you’ve turned off or transferred your utilities and recorded final meter readings. Then, you can rest easy knowing that the movers and your new home have electricity, water, gas and so on.
You’ll want to start ticking items off your moving checklist at least two months ahead of your move date. This gives you plenty of time to get the ball rolling, so you don’t end up feeling overwhelmed by all the small tasks that need completing. A clear and accurate labelling system is also crucial – it will speed up the unpacking process and make sure that everything ends up in its right place.
Tip 3: Declutter your home in advance
Decluttering before a move is crucial for making the process more manageable. It can also help lower your moving costs, because fewer items equals less stuff to pack and move. It’s a good idea to visit every room and decide what you’ll take with you, as well as what you want to get rid of. If you’re unsure what to do with unwanted items, you could always have a garage sale or list them on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist apps. Alternatively, you can donate them to local charities or furniture stores.
If the decluttering feels too much, start with contained spaces, like a drawer, cupboard or nook. If you’re struggling to decide whether something should go or stay, try using the one-year rule (that is, if you haven’t used it in a year, get rid of it), or the five-second rule (“Can I recall the last time I used this?”). Lastly, make sure all your rooms and cupboards are empty, with no contents left behind.
Tip 4: Make a packing plan – and start packing
Start packing items that you don’t use on a daily basis first, such as books, ornaments and seasonal decorations. This will make the process less stressful and give you more time to deal with the more important things that need to be packed up.
Next, tackle the closets and cupboards. Get rid of anything you don’t want to move or you haven’t used in a while, and donate it or put it on eBay or freecycle.
Then, once you’ve got your supplies together, start by packing up the rooms in your home that you don’t need until your move day, such as the spare room, loft or garage. Be sure to label up the boxes so you can easily tell your movers which rooms they should go into. Labels with both the room name and a number help to speed up the unpacking process, too.
Tip 5: Think about what you can't move
Some items simply cannot be moved from one home to another, like perishable food and chemicals. If you have a lot of these things to get rid of, try organising a garage sale or listing them on the Facebook marketplace or Kijiji/Craigslist apps.
If you plan to move on a workday, be sure to file for time off in advance and notify your employer of the date. This will help reduce the stress of moving on a day you need to be at the office.
Consider giving the movers a walkthrough of your new home while it’s empty to indicate which boxes contain fragile items and where certain furniture pieces should go. This will save them from having to ask you later, and could even make the whole process faster and less stressful for you. You should also take the opportunity to measure doors and rooms to check that large furniture pieces will fit before you start packing them up.
Tip 6: Dealing with paperwork
There’s a lot of paperwork involved in house shifting, and you should start dealing with this well in advance of the move itself. This will help you keep track of all the information and also save time (when looking for a particular piece of paperwork) and money (if you’re buying a new property, you may need to provide proof of funds before the mortgage company will approve your loan).
It’s worth creating an official ‘moving binder’ to hold your documents, so that they are easy to locate. You’ll also want to remember to update your address on all your bills and credit cards, as well as online shopping sites.
Paperwork to be dealt with during house moving includes professional paperwork such as offer letters, references, and education certificates, property-related paperwork like leases and mortgage documents, and general documents related to the move itself, including invoices and receipts.
