How to Move (with Pictures)

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Moving can be both one of the most exciting adventures and one of the most stressful experiences of your life. The secret to a painless move is to prepare a bombproof strategic plan well in advance and follow it faithfully when the time comes to start. Organization, efficiency and foresight will help you to remove any fear and prevent any inconvenience that could derive from the move. If you want to know how to move without too much stress, and maybe even have fun doing it, follow these simple steps.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Preparing to Move

Step 1. Get rid of the items you don't need

First, go through all the things you own to get an idea of what you intend to take with you on the move and what to leave behind. There can be a number of compelling reasons for giving up taking some things with you. For example, your new home may be smaller, or maybe you're moving in with someone who has a better version of your stuff, or you may finally be ready to get rid of the junk you don't use and don't need. Here's how to do it:

Take measurements of the spaces available in your new home. Measure the dimensions of each room in your new home and then take the measurements of yours mobile to get a better idea of what can enter each environment.
Sell your stuff on Craigslist or eBay. You should start selling your stuff a few weeks - or rather a few months - before moving to allow those interested to buy (and possibly come and collect) the items. If you have some nice posters or paintings and a few useful items to sell, it will be quite easy to find someone interested, and you may be amazed at how quickly your things will be bought. For this reason, it is best not to list the things you need most too early, or else you may find yourself without a table in the kitchen for a full month, although a solution might be to specify in the ad that the item would only be available from a certain date onwards.
Remember that mattresses are difficult to sell. You may have a nice latex or sprung mattress in perfect condition to put on the market, but you need to understand that generally people don't really trust themselves to buy a mattress from a complete stranger. So be prepared to have to give it away for a very low price, or else let it be known that you have one to sell to your friends and family and to people who know you quite well.
Take part in a flea market or organize a private one in the garden. This can be a great way to get rid of a lot of your stuff in one go.
Give away your things. You may not like your old shoes and your discarded clothes anymore, but many people might be useful.
Throw a party before the move, put in a corner the things you don't intend to take with you, and invite your guests to take what they like. You will be surprised how quickly the guests make them disappear.
Sell your old books at a used book store.
In the weeks leading up to the move, try to consume as much of the food in the fridge, freezer and pantry as possible so that you don't have to move with pots, boxes and jars full of food that may be difficult to move. without making a mess or that could deteriorate or liquefy.

Step 2. Prepare the moving boxes

While packing all of your stuff into boxes will take a long time, it won't consume your days entirely if you are organized and planned well in advance. You should start filling the boxes at least a few weeks before the move, so that you can put everything away quietly, but not so early that you find yourself living in the middle of a pile of boxes and constantly moving things in and out of the boxes. that you need every day. Here's what you need to do:

Prepare your boxes. You will probably need more boxes than you think you need. You may be able to get some for free by asking in small supermarkets, shops and bars or by contacting a friend who has recently moved or owns a small business, or else you can buy them for little money to save time.
Mark all cartons carefully using labels. It's best to write the room in your new home that each box will go into on both the sides and top of each box, so you always know where they need to go even if they're stacked on top of each other.
Set aside a box to fill with the items you need for everyday life. This should be filled in the morning or night before the move. In the box you should put personal hygiene products, such as toothpaste, shampoo and soap, but also towels, rod and shower curtain, and everything you need to sleep, such as blankets, bedspreads, sheets, pajamas and pillows. If you can't live without caffeine, throw in your mocha and coffee jar, or some tea bags and a kettle.
Put all the items that go into the same room in one box. Don't start separating books from documents and notebooks if you are going to put them all together in your study or office anyway. Simply put everything that goes into the same area of a certain room in a single box, so you can empty the boxes easily and faster.
Choose an area of your home and use it as a box deposit. Instead of messing up every room with boxes scattered here and there, choose a room to put away all the boxes ready for moving.
Keep your tools close at hand. Make sure your toolbox is close at hand when you move, so you can start putting your furniture together without any problems. You can choose whether to put it in the box of everyday objects, that is, together with the blankets, the shower curtain and the rest, or keep it with you on the seat of your car or the van that you will use to move.
Keep important documents for the move to hand. Keep the documents relating to your old home, your new home and moving operations aside. Don't put them away along with the other papers that will go to your desk, or you won't be able to find them if you need them quickly and are in a hurry.

Step 3. Ask a few trusted friends to help you early enough

Whether your friends are heroically available to help you move all your boxes, or decide to come and give you moral support, let them know that you are moving a few months or weeks in advance. Call or email them asking if they'd like to help you when the big day of departure arrives.

Don't forget to reward them for their help. Although they are offering to help you out of sheer kindness and friendship, it would be rude not to take them out to the restaurant or offer them beers and a good pizza when the job is done

Step 4. Request the connection and activation of services for your new home sufficiently in advance

If everything has not already been arranged by the landlord or the previous tenant, make a few calls to the offices of the Municipality and the main service providers a few months in advance to make sure you have water, electricity and heating in your new one. home, or your moving experience could start in a very unpleasant way.

The connections and services to be requested include gas, electricity, water, telephone, television, Internet, waste collection and possibly private security.
You will have to communicate the change of residence to your bank, your insurance company, the Municipality and the Civil Motorization.
Find information about the area where you are going to live and find out where the nearest hospital, the local police station, the town hall, the fire station, the post office, the municipal offices, the library, the park and possibly the veterinary clinic and schools.

Part 2 of 4: Moving Out on Your Own

Step 1. Rent a moving van

If you intend to move on your own, then you will need to make arrangements to book and pick up a van on the morning of the moving day. Book well in advance, or it may become difficult to find a van available on the exact scheduled departure date at a reasonable price, perhaps even during a time when all vans are often busy.

Compare the rates of the different van rental companies in your area before making your decision

Step 2. Make your way to the company headquarters to pick up your van on the morning of the day of departure

Try to arrive early to avoid having to wait in line if there are a lot of people renting a van that day.

Step 3. Load the boxes and furniture into the van

Loading your stuff into the van won't be much of a problem if you've planned everything in advance and can count on the help of a few trusted friends to do it. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind as you load your stuff into the van:

Remember that you will need at least two people to handle everything better, as well as to lift and carry the heaviest and most bulky items. These people will have to tidy up the things that need to be loaded, keeping full boxes ready for loading close to the door and within easy reach.
Take apart your furniture. Disassemble all the lamps, tables with removable legs, bookcases and audio and video systems.
Protect your furniture. Wrap all your items and furnishings in wrapping paper and tape it as you load them into the van.
Load the heaviest things first, placing them at the bottom of the cargo area near the cabin. These include the refrigerator, dishwasher, washing machine and other bulky appliances, as well as heavier boxes.
Load the heaviest boxes. Stack them like bricks to form layers of "wall" that will fill the bottom of the cargo area. Use a T-pattern to increase the stability of the structure: make sure that the center of each box of the top layer is aligned with the edge of the boxes of the bottom horizontal layer, just like the bricks of a house. Avoid stacking many crates of the same shape and size in a column. To optimize space, it is necessary to stack the boxes right from the start so as to form high and very stable “walls”.
At this point, load the longer items into the van. These will likely include your bed and shelves. Place them against the walls of the van.
Load the remaining boxes into the van. Create three horizontal layers of boxes, placing the heavier ones on the bottom, the medium-sized ones in the middle, and the lighter ones on top. Once each layer is complete, tie the boxes together with packing tape.
Upload everything else. The secret to getting everything into the van is to try to use all the space and fit things together, like in tetris. However, remember not to pile everything together so forcefully that it looks like the van is about to explode.
If your van is equipped with a ramp and you are using a trolley like the one shown, make sure the ramp is well in place: once the ramp has been pulled out of the van and is fully extended, you will find two hooks or teeth which are inserted into two holes located on the rear of the van, on the edge of the load compartment. By hooking the ramp, you will make sure that the edge and the ramp are in contact and that everything is stable, so you can use the trolley without any problem. This is often something that is not taken into account.
Make sure the cart is one of the last things that are loaded, so you can use it immediately when you arrive at your destination.

Step 4. Drive the van and drive to your new home

Drive very calmly and carefully, from your old home to your destination. To get around with the van you will have to drive slower and more carefully than you would drive a car. Driving a moving van requires a much more cautious driving mentality.

Remember to go slow and stay calm, as travel can be stressful

Step 5. Unload your belongings from the van

If possible, reverse the van until you can reach the porch or front door with the ramp. Ask all friends who are with you to check that you are not hitting any obstacles while maneuvering. When you're close enough to the porch or door, pull out the ramp and hook it to the edge of the van while someone else lifts it on the opposite side. Check to make sure it's stable, as many ramps won't hook well if they're not sloped enough and the other end isn't close enough to the ground. Once the ramp is in place, here's how you can unload your stuff from the van:

Decide exactly where to put larger objects and furniture in the rooms. Take a tour of your new home with your friends and show them where you intend to put the larger furniture, such as the sofa, tables, wardrobes, beds, dressers, nightstands, etc.
Choose the places in the rooms to put the boxes and smaller items based on the arrangement of the larger furniture. This way you can put the boxes so that they are not in the middle when you bring in the bulkier furniture. You also won't have to move them again when you're done. You can stick sticky notes on the wall to remind you of the furniture arrangement if needed.

Step 6. Return the moving van

Depending on the arrangements made with the rental company, you will have to do it the same day or the morning of the next day.

Part 3 of 4: Moving with a Moving Company

Step 1. Do your research to find the right company for you

If you decide to rely on a moving company to make the move, you will have to spend a lot more money, but you will save yourself the stress of loading your belongings into the van, driving it to its destination, unloading your stuff and bringing it home. Finding the right moving company is no joke at all, so do some thorough research before making your decision.

Avoid searching the Internet, at least initially. Some offers can be very tempting but misleading, and some may even be scam attempts. Instead, find the right company for you in the Yellow Pages, or by asking a real estate agency or friends who have recently moved for information.
Choose a company that is willing to send an employee to your home to understand how to organize the move and to make a quote. If they tell you that they don't make this kind of visits, say hello and end the conversation.
Make sure that the company itself carries out the move and that it does not subcontract to have other companies do it.
Make sure your chosen company provides you with a document explaining your rights and responsibilities regarding the move.
Try to find as much information as possible about the company you have chosen. Try to choose a company that has been in business for at least 10 years. Ask which services are included and request a contact list for reference.

Step 2. Once you have narrowed down your alternatives to two or three companies, search the Internet to see if they are viable

If they have a website, it will be easier for you to find a lot of information, including rates and terms of insurance coverage. This way you can check if and to what extent you are protected in case of problems.

An excellent source of information are the reviews of those who have had direct experience with the company in question. In addition to allowing you to decide if the company is right for you, reviews can also allow you to take precautions and prevent some problems

Step 3. Request a free visit and a quote

The company will send one of its employees to make an inspection and check how many and what things need to be transported, and will give you an estimate of the total cost of the move. The employee will be able to give you a more accurate estimate of the cost based on what they will see during the inspection. Visits and estimates are generally free and without obligation.

Do not rely on a company that calculates your quote based only on the cubature.
If you really want to find the best company, you can request a visit and a quote from two or three companies and then choose the one that offers the best service at the most convenient price. This, however, could take a long time.

Step 4. Agree with the company of your choice and set the date of the move

Choose the service and rate that suits you best and sign a detailed contract that meets your requests and needs. Never sign a pig in a poke. With this agreement, you can decide the date of the move.

Step 5. Leave with the workers

Now that you've chosen your moving company and agreed on a date, it's time to get ready for the big departure. While you will obviously not be required to move anything heavy, it would be good to be there when the laborers transport and unload your belongings. This clearly does not matter if the agreements made with the company provide that the removal and unloading are carried out independently without you being present.

Try not to get too in the way while the laborers unload your stuff. Giving them a little help can be polite, but don't offer to carry more than a few items or give advice if they don't need it.
Reward the workers. Once they're done with their hard work - or even while they're doing it, if it's time to eat - offer them lunch if you want to be nice. If they've done a really good job, you can also leave them a good tip.

Part 4 of 4: Enjoying Your New Home

Step 1. Empty the cartons and remove the packing material from the furniture

After you've downloaded and taken your stuff to your new home, chances are you'll feel a little despondent at the sight of all that stuff to fix. Arm yourself with patience and don't force yourself to put everything right immediately, rather focus on what is prioritized. If you organize and arrange everything a little at a time, you will tidy up your new home in no time and without stress. Here's what you can do:

First, get the items you need most out of the boxes. Open the box of everyday life items that you had set aside. Set up the shower and hang the curtain in case you need to wash up and relax a bit, and tidy up the bed if you want to get some sleep.
Try not to wait too long to get your kitchen utensils out of the boxes. Even if, upon arriving at your new home, you should relax by going out to eat or ordering something from home, you can't keep doing it forever. The sooner you set up your kitchen, the sooner you can prepare food and have more control over your diet.
Put back the larger furniture. Make sure you reassemble them in the rooms they need to be in.
Only fix the amount of stuff each day that is reasonable to fix in a day. While it would be best not to wait months to finish emptying boxes, you will likely be under a little pressure after the move, so empty any boxes you can empty until you need a break. Get some rest, and then, if you feel like it, start over. Remember to take some time out to enjoy your new home and the new place you live.

Step 2. Go shopping

Once you have started tidying up your home, it will be time to go outside and buy whatever you might need. Among the things you may need, there can be fruit, vegetables, meat and any type of food you want to put in the fridge or pantry, any piece of furniture you miss or need and some object that may have been lost in the move.

Shop a little at a time. If you really need a lot of new stuff, you can take a day to just shop, but if you just need a few things, you don't need to buy them all at once

Step 3. Get to know your neighbors and look around for a bit

Once you've gotten along enough with emptying boxes, or just feel like taking a break, it's time to get to know your neighbors and take a stroll around. This is a great way to feel more comfortable in your new environment and to reassure yourself that all the effort and stress of moving will eventually pay off. Here's what you can do:

Take a walk. This will help you not only relieve stress and get some exercise, but also get a feel for the area, get to know your neighbors and find out where the nearest parks and shops are.
Check on the Internet or in local newspapers which bars, restaurants, attractions and cultural events are in the area. Find out what your new city has to offer.
Let your Facebook friends know that you have moved. Ask if anyone has any places or events, or even any shops, to recommend. Even the contacts you know little will be happy to help you and give you suggestions about it.
Make friends with your new neighbors. Be open and kind to the people who live in your neighborhood. This will help you make other friends in the area and get some tips or news about the local community.

Advice

Take a deep breath. No matter how hard you work, moving will still be one of the most stressful experiences of your life. While being well organized and having the support of a few friends helps a lot, be prepared to run into some difficulties and shed a few tears. Many people throw themselves into a move headlong and are surprised at how cumbersome and complicated it is to move, so scale back your expectations to be ready to deal with the unexpected and protect your sanity. Just keep in mind that things will get better fast. At first, the move will be stressful, but imagine how wonderful it will be to arrange a house exactly the way you want it and think about all the great experiences you can have in your new city!
If you have small children, remember that during the first night in a new home they may be afraid. A new environment, strange sounds, a lot of confusion. Make sure you pack a night light or their favorite blanket in your suitcase, so you know where to find it. This is an important thing.
Empty the fridge in your old house by putting all the food in a cooler. If necessary, also slip in a bag of ice or eutectic plates (also known as "siberini") to keep everything frozen long enough to make it into your new home and turn on the refrigerator before the food spoils.
If possible, check or ask if it is permissible to carry delicate items by hand that break very easily. Vibrations in a moving van are a danger to the most fragile objects, no matter how slow you go. Even wrapping them in newsprint or packaging, unfortunately, only helps up to a point.
If you have a cat or other pet, and if it is possible for you to return to your old home after the move and you haven't moved too far, it's best to leave it in your old home until the last moment. Taking your cat with you, in the midst of the hustle and bustle of an eventful journey, would cause him a big fright, and the cat could end up hiding in fear under your furniture for days on end!
Remember that the more people who can help you, the better. If necessary, to better manage space and access to rooms, you can ask some friends to take care of things in the basement or garage, while the others think about what is in the house. But remember to make sure that the most careful and reliable people load your stuff into the van.

Warnings

Always do a thorough research on the moving company you have chosen to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Water mattresses are bulky, break very easily and are difficult to transport. Be very careful if you bring one with you during a move! It is definitely worthwhile, in case, to rent a small suction pump to make sure it is emptied as much as possible.