Truck Rental at How to move house

It’s a fact that relocating is one of life’s’ biggest stresses. Although it can seem a daunting task, a few practical steps can get you moving in the right direction.
We’ve scoured the moving industry for the best advice to save you time and hassle. These life-hacking tips for moving house up, out and into your new home as easy as possible.
Some vital supplies that will help to organise and pack:

Moving boxes – must-have(s)

Coloured marker pens or stickers – for organising rooms ahead of time
Newspaper – saves your glassware from scratches
Small plastic bags (like sandwich bags or freezer bags) – can keep jewellery or any small items safe and tidy
Bubble-wrap – for protecting anything that is fragile and precious
Cling film – keeps spillage from any bottles and toiletries
Bin bags – for clothing, bedding or anything soft

• Have a clear-out

As you are packing you might come across things you no longer want. Here are some ideas to help get rid and lessen the load of your move.

• • • This might prevent any “last-minute cancellations” when it comes to moving day.
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    • If friends and family are going to help you move, let them have first-dibs on anything you no longer want.

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• • • If you don’t want to just give something away, you can sell it online. Selling on an auction website like eBay, or listings like Craigslist, may take some time. If you don’t have much time to spare, reach out to your Facebook friends. Facebook also has second-hand pages in most areas that you can subscribe to, which can be very handy for quick sales.
    • Putting ads up in your local supermarket or post office is a decent alternative.
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    • Sell it online
    • Charities are always looking for donations and most local charity shops are willing to pick up any items they can sell for a good cause. Doing this will also work wonders for your karma.
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    • Donate it to charity
    • Recycling items can be a hassle but it is a far more ecological option than throwing it away. Should there be paper, plastics or other materials that can be reused, another karma boost can be yours by recycling.
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    • Recycling
    • Anything that isn’t wanted and can’t be sold or given away should undoubtedly end up as landfill. It is ultimately a better option than to take it with you.
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    • Trash
  • Packing up

Strategizing the way you pack up can be a godsend when it comes to loading the van, and later, can save a lot of time and effort when unpacking at your new place. Before getting into it, consider these tips to make life easy.

• • • An overnight bag with essentials will keep you going. Once you’re moved, if you can’t find the energy to discover where things are (and perish the thought of unpacking completely), then a change of clothes, toiletries, snacks and plastic or paper plates and cutlery can make all the difference. It can also be handy to keep your mobile phone or laptop in there.
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    • Pack an overnight bag
    • A clear plastic box or bin is perfect for storing unpacking essentials. Items like a sharp knife or box-cutter, toilet paper, tools, eating and cooking utensils, a torch, chargers, gloves, medication and anything else you’ll need to unpack easily. Having these in the plastic box makes them easy to find between the hordes of other boxes you’ll have.
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    • Use a plastic storage bin for your unpacking essentials
    • • If you invest in some bubble-wrap this may not be necessary. A cheap no-nonsense alternative is to use chunky clothing (like jumpers, sweaters etc) to wrap any breakables, like glass or porcelain.
      • You can also add extra padding by using socks. Store fragile items inside clothing

• • • They’ll be far less likely to break. Also, avoid over-packing any boxes with plates and glasses. It’s better to pad out any space with bubble-wrap or socks (as mentioned above) or even tea towels. Pack plates vertically (like records).
    • • This will keep your toiletries from leaking if they should break open during the move. Cover the bottles and open lids of toiletries and similar items with cling film. Then put the tops back on.
  • Use small plastic bags (such as sandwich bags, freezer bags etc) for holding any small parts, screws, power chords, wiring and similar items (such as the mountings for flat screen T.Vs).
    • • Tape the bag to the back of the item they correspond to. This keeps them safe and secure, and prevents any frustration when it comes to finding them.
  • Take a photo of how your electronics are connected
    • • Especially handy for complex home cinema or stereo systems. It can save hours from the setup time (especially in conjunction with the above).
    • Books and other media such as DVDs, video games or documents can be very heavy, while clothes for the most part, are not. Use suitcases to pack these heavy, durable items and make them easier to carry (or roll) to and from the van.Pack roll-able suitcases with books
  • Pack clothes into bin liners, laundry hampers or baskets
    • • To save on boxes, pack clothing items into fresh black bin bags. These are easy to carry and can take a weight of clothing without breaking. Any unused hampers or baskets can also be used for clothes.
    • • If you have a vacuum sealer, it can vastly reduce the space taken up by your clothing too. You’d be surprised at how much room air can take!
  • Colour code your boxes
    • • Use a marker or coloured stickers and denote a colour per room in your new house. Label each box or bag with the corresponding colour of the room they are moving to. This makes the unloading (and unpacking) far more efficient.
    • • Make sure to label each box on the SIDE rather than the top. You’ll know where each box should go without having to unstack them first.
  • Use cotton balls to protect your mirrored cosmetics
    • • By placing a cotton ball inside the powder cosmetics, you protect the glass from breaking.
  • Defrost the fridge a few days before
    • • If you have no ice build-up this can be done the day before. An easily forgettable action that could result in a soggy end to your move.
  • Moving out

Once you are all organised and packed, you might want to think about how to load your van. Check our expert guide for steps to loading your van.

Below are a few tips to help the move go without fault.

• Make sure your packing is complete before your movers turn up.
  • • It will add to the chaos if you are still left with last-minute packing. Try to have everything ready for when the time comes.
• Use your colour coding at your new home
  • • Use stickers or non-permanent marker to colour-code each room in your new home. This helps your movers to know where to put your boxes and items.
• Renters – take pictures
  • • Landlords can sometimes be unscrupulous when it comes to returning a deposit. To avoid unnecessary cleaning or repair fees take some photos of your old place.
  • • It is also a good idea to take photos of your new place, especially if there are any unsanitary conditions or damage before you have moved in.
• Change your address
  • Another easily overlooked point when it comes to moving home. As well as the usual utilities like television, internet and the bank, also consider subscriptions, eBay, Amazon and of course, your new local council.