How to Deal with Moving Day Chaos: Tips for a Smooth Transition

Moving house is stressful. No matter how much time you have to prepare and if you have to move without much notice, those stress levels could go through the roof. If you have a move coming up, the best course of action is to plan and prepare as much as possible before moving day arrives.

This article highlights some practical tips and ideas to ensure your move goes smoothly, so you can avoid headaches and potential chaos.

Write out a checklist

Writing up a checklist of the things you need to do will not only get you organised, but it’ll also stop you from forgetting anything important. Start compiling your list well in advance of your moving date if possible. This will allow you the time to think, as no doubt it won’t be a complete list from day one. You’ll need to add to it as you go.

The entire preparation and moving process will be broken down into smaller, more manageable steps, and you’ll also be able to prioritise your tasks.

Declutter

Moving house is the perfect time to trim down your possessions by decluttering. If you’ve been living in your current home for some time, no doubt you will have hoarded a bunch of stuff that you simply don’t want or need anymore.

Throw out anything that is of no value. Other items can be given away or even sold to bring in a little extra cash. Go from room to room and be ruthless in your decision making of what to keep and what to get rid of.

A valuable outcome of decluttering is you’ll have fewer things to pack and haul on moving day.

Buy boxes and packing materials

In order to start getting organised as soon as possible, you’ll need a good supply of strong moving boxes or sturdy boxes.Packing materials include rolls of packing tape, scissors, marker pens, notepad and pens, wrapping paper, bubble wrap, filler and so on.

Start packing early

While you won’t be able to pack everything early on, you’ll certainly be able to pack some things. In each room of the home, decide what can be packed now and which things you’ll still need to use between now and moving day. Another handy tip is to clean everything as you pack it. This way, everything will be clean and fresh when you unpack at your new place.

Label boxes and keep a list

As you pack your boxes, you’ll need to make a note of what’s in each box in case you need to find something in particular. Labelling also serves as a way of knowing which box of belongings goes in which room when you move to your new house.

You could simply write bedroom one or kitchen on the outside of each box, but an even better idea is to give each box a number and then keep a list of everything that’s packed into each numbered box. Writing down the item in a notepad each time you pack something is the easiest way. If you discover you really need something you packed before the big move, it’ll be easy to find on your list, and you’ll know exactly which box it is in.

Organise a reliable furniture removalist

Never leave this step until the last minute, as your chosen removalist might be booked out by then and won’t be able to take on the job. Search for a removalist with experience and a positive reputation and book early. Once booked, you’ll have more peace of mind as you tackle other tasks leading up to moving day.

Changing your address

While you won’t want to start changing your address with your banks and utility providers too soon, it’s also not wise to leave this until the very last minute. Perhaps a week or two from your moving date, you can start switching things over to your new address.

In order not to forget anything important when it comes to address changes, it’s an idea to write out a to-do list for this task as well, noting every single place where your address needs to be changed.

Arrange care for kids and pets

Ideally, you should arrange for someone to look after the children and pets on moving day, as things can get hectic and having little ones and dogs and cats running about isn’t going to help. It can even be dangerous when furniture and other items are being hauled and loaded on one end, then unloaded and carried on the other. It’ll make life easier on the day, and your kids will be happier as well.

Move things closer to the doors

In the days leading up to the big move, start piling boxes in the living room closer to the front door. Another alternative is to put them in the garage. The same goes for any furniture that you don’t need to use. Also, disassemble any items of furniture that can be flat-packed. This includes things like slat beds. Doing all this will speed up the process on moving day and make it more stress-free for everyone involved.

Get help from family and friends

In the lead-up to the move and especially on moving day, the load and stress can be lightened for everyone if you get some extra helping hands from friends or relatives. Having some help packing boxes, cleaning, moving boxes closer to the doors and even carting some of the smaller stuff to your new place can make a huge difference.

Clean as you go

To avoid being faced with a massive clean-up job once the move is complete, it’s a good idea to do some cleaning as you go. As each room is packed up and vacated, give it a clean. The same can be done for tidying up the yard and gardens. Once you have completely moved out, all that will be required is a bit of a touch-up to your old home, and it’ll be left in great condition.

Keep updated on the weather

In the week leading up to moving day, keep your eye on local weather reports, either on the news or online. You’ll want to know what the weather is going to be like on the day you move house. For example, if rain is likely, you may want to make some extra preparations, such as gathering sheets of cardboard and rags to put on the floors and wiping water from furniture and other items. Investing in some plastic wrapping might also be necessary.

Photograph valuable items

Keeping a visual record of your fragile or valuable items is very useful if you need to make an insurance claim in the unlikely event that something is lost or damaged during the moving process.

Remove moving day stress with Adlam Transport Services

You can trust Adlam Transport Services to ensure your move to your new home goes without a hitch. We take the stress out of moving day and do all the heavy lifting for you. Contact us for a quick quote.