House Shifters Expert Tips for Successful Move

• Decluttering the house-

Each household in India is equipped with several belongings that they don’t use once a year. But some of these belongings have sentimental value while some we use to keep for any random requirements. This results in a pile of unused items that will take up more space in the moving truck and new house. So, start sorting out the belongings which you don’t need in the new house.

• Getting rid of extra items-

After sorting, you can either sell the items online or sell them to scrap vendors. For items with sentimental value, you can give them to your family and friends. In this way, such items will remain within your family.

• Prepare a moving checklist-

This is one the most important steps of move planning. A list with all the tasks arranged according to the priority will help you manage everything smoothly. You can either prepare your checklist or download it from the House Shifters website. We have prepared a checklist that will fit all types of moves and enhance the efficiency of your move.

• Start research for mover-

In the initial stage of move planning, you can decide the type of move you will have. You can either plan a DIY or Self-move or hire a professional mover to handle the relocation. If you plan to hire a moving company, start looking for it as soon as you decide. Ideally, the best time to research and book a mover is 4-8 weeks before the moving date. House Shifters can help you find a moving company offering full-service moves at the best possible moving rates.

• Pack as early as possible-

Once you complete the decluttering, you can start packing the belongings. If you have more than 4 weeks before the moving day, you can avoid packing essential items but can start packing seasonal belongings. You can pack off-season clothes, unused crockery, electronic appliances with no immediate requirement, and more. An early packing will help you decide the size of the moving truck you might need during the move. And also remember that there are certain items that a mover won’t pack or move like jewellery, cash, items with sentimental values, and documents.

• Inform utility and service providers-

You can inform the service and utility providers about the address change. People or service providers you need to inform include insurance companies, banks, electricity companies, telephone companies, newspaper vendors, and other suppliers.

• Arrange moving and packing supplies-

If you are planning to pack the belongings by yourself or for a DIY move, then start arranging packing supplies and moving supplies. You can also arrange packing supplies even if you are hiring a moving company. This will save money as packers and movers charge extra for bringing packing supplies in some cases. Free packing supplies like free cartons from stores, old blankets and linen, newspapers, etc. are easy to gather.

• Get quality packing material-

For efficient packing, you need high-quality packing material. Main packing supplies required for a move include wrapping sheets, bubble wraps, packing boxes, special boxes, and tapes. You can buy these items from the market or collect them for free from different stores.

• Pack heavy items first-

Packing heavy items first will help in loading these boxes onto a truck at first. Heavy boxes if placed at the front of the moving truck will prevent the shifting of the boxes during transit. It means your belongings will remain safe during transport.

• Use the right size boxes for packing-

A right size box is very important for packing heavy items like books it is safe to get small boxes. For lightweight items, linens, and pillows you can use large moving boxes. This will prevent damage to the items and allow easy lifting of the boxes.

• Fill space to avoid clinking-

When you pack un even shaped items like crockery or decorative in a box, make sure there will be no space for their movement. If there are many items in a box, fill the space between these items with either newspaper or Styrofoam balls. This will prevent the clinking and damage of fragile items.

• Seal your boxes properly-

Use high-quality packing tapes to seal your moving boxes. Save your belongings in the box by securing the box openings with packing tape. You can use coloured packing tape to easily separate the boxes.

• Don’t forget to label each box-

Labelling the boxes is essential for easy loading and unloading. You can also label the boxes as per the items packed in them like fragile, books, etc. This will help the loading crew to handle each box accordingly.

• Wrap fragile items with special sheets-

Fragile items like crockery, decorative pieces, etc need special packing material. Use bubble wrap to pack these items and prevent any breakage.

• Special attention to packing electronics-

Electronic appliances need special care at the time of packing and during transit. Due to their fragile nature, they need special packing supplies and boxes. These items should be loaded in a way that they might not be affected by the heat. The temperature of the moving truck is a considerable factor.

• Pack a bag of essentials-

A kit that contains everything you need on the night of your move or during the first few days of your stay in a new place. This bag must have toiletries, pairs of clothes, snacks, medicines, water, and a comforter. If you are moving with a baby then don’t forget to pack their clothes, diapers, medicines, baby food, and sleeping bags.

• Keep yourself hydrated-

On the moving day, you might be equipped with multiple tasks but don’t forget to hydrate yourself. If you are moving in the summer, you can take juices, cold coffee, and water and for a winter move, you can take tea or coffee that will keep you warm and hydrated.

• Prepare the floors of a new and old house-

If you want to get your security deposit in full amount, we suggest you keep the floors safe. When belongings are loaded and unloaded there are risk of damage to the floors like scratches or breakage of tiles. So, spreadsheets, newspapers or other protective layer to avoid damage.

• Connect with movers-

A Day before your move, connect with your mover and discuss the moving plan with them. Also, inform them about any additional requirements like uninstallation and installation services. Confirm the time of their arrival and if anything they need from you like any permit.

• Go through the moving checklist-

On the moving day, take some time to go through the moving checklist you have followed. This will ensure that you have not missed anything before moving.

• Unpack the boxes, and organize the house-

Most people prefer to unpack the boxes by themselves while some hire a moving company to handle it. So, once everything is in the house you can start unpacking the items according to the priority. You can take the help of your friends and family to unpack and organize the new house.

• Get utilities and update your new address-

Whether you move in summer or in winter you need some basic utilities for survival. Contact the water supplier and electricity company to activate the supply. Also find new milk suppliers, newspaper vendors etc to start the service at the earliest.

• Explore the neighbourhood-

The best way to settle in new surroundings is by exploring the neighbourhood. You can go to the nearest market, parks and other places. To connect with your neighbours, you can throw a housewarming party.