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If you are moving house but struggling to start packing because you don’t quite know where to start, this post is for you. Today we are sharing some of our best moving tips and tricks to help you ensure a smooth and stress-free move into your new home:

  1. Create a Checklist and Set Your Budget

Start by getting a pen and paper out or opening your smartphone notes app and write down all the items you need to move from one house to another so that you don’t leave anything behind. Do not forget to state your deadline for moving all your stuff, in order to keep track if you’re ahead or behind of schedule.

After you have a moving house checklist, you can start estimating the cost of the whole process. Take all the costs of the packing materials and transportation into account and settle a budget you’re comfortable with.

  1. Categorise all the stuff you’ll be moving

While you are writing all your items into your checklist, arrange them into categories or identify them with different labels, for instance, kitchenware, linens, electronics, etc. This will come in handy for sourcing your different boxes.

Having all the details written down will save you time, money and your mind, by assuring you will have all the packing materials you need instead of risking a stressful run around at the last minute to buy more.

  1. Pack only what you need

Before getting your hands dirty and begin packing, have a look around and consider all your things. Try to rationalise what you actually need and have been using recently and what you don’t. Don’t lose time packing irrelevant items, instead consider donating or selling your old stuff.

You must also take into account the dimensions of your new house. If a piece of furniture or appliance won’t fit, don’t bother packing it because you won’t have a suitable place for it. Consider selling it or directly trading it with friends or family members for similar items that do fit.

If you still wish to keep those belongings that you can’t take to your new home, consider renting a Self-Storage Unit. U Store It is one of the top self-storage providers in Ireland and can help you with keeping your possessions safe. You will have your items safely stored while being just at a few minutes reach, freeing your home space. So, pack your prized belongings and transport them to the U Store It facility closer to you.

  1. Pick up quality moving boxes and pack them properly

Purchasing high-quality packing boxes can save you from undesired situations. Reusing grocery boxes or buying cheap quality packaging can end up costing you much more in damaged items.

Reused boxes might already have some wear and tear, accumulated moisture or been exposed to bugs, thus lacking the structural integrity needed to keep your belongings safe during transport.

To guarantee smooth transportation, avoid another common mistake most first-time house movers fall for: stuffing excessive items into each box. Use right-sized boxes and take your time carefully filling the boxes so that you avoid predictable misfortunes.

For easier transport, select all the heavy objects and place them on the bottom when filling a new box. Additionally, try to fit heavier stuff into small boxes and light objects in bigger packages. You won’t want to be moving a big box full of heavy equipment. Any box that has free space should be filled with stuffing paper or foam for added protection.

Do not forget, when loading the moving truck, to place all the heavier boxes at the bottom and stack the lightweight ones on top.

  1. Split all your packing into steps

Breaking down the packing process into steps can also be an excellent method for packing up for moving and not rush it all at once. If you have used the categories tip, then pack up by categories, if not then follow room by room or similar objects, like boxes of lamps, boxes of chargers, etc. Again, the key here is good planning and assuring you have the right boxes for each step.

  1. Use packing labels

Labelling boxes by colour and writing the contents on the side will save you time and stress, making it possible to check for items without having to strip tape and opening boxes every time you aren’t sure where something is.

  1. Pack fragile items together

Packing fragile items can be nerve-racking. But no need to panic, just ensure you have enough padding material, be it foam, newspaper or ideally bubble wrap. Cushioning will protect breakable objects during transport.

Spend a bit more time carefully packing fragile items so that they will be well protected during transportation and in one piece when you unpack in your new house.

  1. Be creative when packing

Think about all the items you can repurpose for packing your items. You can and should employ suitcases and laundry bins for transporting items inside, such as clothes or books.

Clothing can be very time-consuming to pack but since you’ll already be spending some time on it, make it count and save space. Clothes can be very puffy, so you can list the help of vacuum sealing bags and reduce their volume. Shoes and boots can take underwear and socks inside for optimum space savings.

  1. Keep pictures of larger items

Larger items such as electronic appliances and furniture are better to be photographed in their original configuration and packed together with their corresponding accessories. This can be very useful for future reference when you need to re-configure everything after unpacking. You will have the accessories close-by and know exactly how to set them up.

Pay special attention to those items that are generally intricate such as, computers and their peripherals or big furniture pieces that have many drawers and other removable parts.

  1. Recruit the help of professional movers

No, we didn’t just give you all these tips to tell you to get professionals to do it all for you in the end. But expert help will come in handy, particularly if you’re moving all by yourself.

Hiring a professional service for heavier tasks can take a representative portion of your budget, but the help and transportation will make it worthy. You can still do all the preparations and bring in the professional movers for harder dismantling or heavier carrying.