Moving house and too much stuff? How to take the stress out of moving and storing your possessions
It’s amazing how many things we tend to accumulate over the months and years. When the time comes to move house, it can be something of a surprise when you open up the attic and see just how much stuff is lurking up there!
As experienced Master Removers, we know that the thought of packing up and moving all your worldly possessions can be stressful – so we’ve put together this handy guide to help take the strain out of moving and storing your things.
First, get sorting
Moving house offers us an opportunity to sort through the things we don’t need, and start afresh in our new home. It makes sense to get rid of any items you no longer want or need, before going through the hassle and expense of storing and transporting them. However, if you don’t want to get bogged down in all those bits, bobs and boxes, there are some key rules to consider.
Allow plenty of time
In our experience, sorting and packing your things invariably takes longer than you think. Start decluttering as soon as possible before your moving day. Asking a friend or family member to help can offer both practical and moral support, not only saving time but also offering an objective eye when it comes to deciding what’s coming with you and what isn’t.
Be systematic
Just looking at all those possessions can feel overwhelming – so start systematically, tackling one room or area at a time. Sort your things into four categories: Keep, Throw, Sell and Donate. If you’re something of a hoarder, this task may be a particular challenge. Remember that having too many possessions can actually become a burden – this process is going to make your new life in your new home a freer and simpler one!
Use it, love it – or lose it
As the artist and designer William Morris put it, ‘Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful’. While sorting, ask yourself: Do I really need this? What does it add to my life? Can I live without it? If you’re emotionally attached to something, such as your children’s artwork, consider keeping a representative sample and perhaps framing some favourite pieces to hang on the wall of your new home.
Make use of storage solutions
If you have a lot of possessions, you may well need to put them into storage for a while during the process of moving house, especially if you’re downsizing. Using a storage facility can have a number of benefits – not least of which is the ability to declutter at your leisure!
Decluttering in storage
Having your things moved into storage and sorting them from there allows you extra time to deal with them at your own pace, and without the added pressure of moving dates.
This is a particularly useful option if you are downsizing, as it offers a less stressful and more objective environment than your own home and will give you a good indication of what you can realistically live without. (Chances are, having spent some time in storage, you will find that you actually don’t need all those boxes of old DVDs after all!)
Choose the right removals company
There’s no denying that modern life often comes with more than its fair share of stuff, but a good BAR-approved removals company will be able to handle your things professionally and efficiently, with a minimum of fuss.
Make sure your company is capable of catering to your specific requirements, from providing storage solutions that suit your individual needs, to dealing with added complexities such as delivering to multiple locations.
It’s important to choose an experienced and reliable removals company, such as a Master Remover, who can offer expert help with all aspects of moving, from packing, storing and transporting your things – however large, awkward, or fragile they may be – to helping to get you safely established in your new home.
Key storage tips
- Make a plan – When putting your things into storage, first you should draw up a plan of where everything is going to go, especially if it’s complex!
- Colour code – If you’re moving your possessions to a number of different locations, for example some into storage and some to a new property, use coloured stickers on boxes and furniture to indicate what’s going where.
- Keep it clean – Make sure everything that’s going into storage is clean and dry. Avoid placing items such as sofas too closely together, as this will then allow the air to circulate and help to prevent any problems with damp or mildew. Any white goods should be fully cleaned and stored with the door slightly open.
- Don’t overpack boxes – Don’t overpack boxes with too many heavy items such as books. Health and safety standards say you should not put more the 25 kilos of weight in any one box. Master Removers provide different sizes of box for this reason, include smaller ones for books.
- Make sure boxes are strong enough – Proper removal boxes used by removal companies are ply cardboard. If you use cheap cardboard boxes from the supermarket in self-storage, you may be storing up trouble!
- Label boxes clearly – Label on the sides as well as the tops
- Be smart when arranging boxes carefully – Don’t stack boxes too densely, and leave clear pathways so you can safely navigate around your things – and don’t forget to place those items that you are likely to need first close to the doors!
Remember, an established BAR-approved removals company will be able to provide a range of secure and readily accessible storage options to suit your needs, complete with packing services, racking and other specialist facilities – offering a hassle-free solution at a good price (which is often considerably lower than the typical self-storage options).
So, there it is – you’ve done your bit and sorted through your possessions, and what’s going where. Now it’s time to let the professionals take over! As Master Removers, we’re used to moving all manner and kinds of objects, to any number of locations – remember no job is too big! Contact us for a quote here.
