How to move correctly? Secrets of moving

Once again I’m moving… Since this “process” in my life is not the first and the last time, I know how to move correctly. I want to tell you my secrets of moving. Some nuances save nerves and hours of work, and a stressful situation will not turn into a disaster with lost or damaged things.

Sorting things for moving

1. Painlessly get rid of unused items. If within a year you haven’t altered your skirt, haven’t taken out a vase someone gave you, haven’t put on a sweater, a chipped pan - say goodbye to this ballast. If it is psychologically difficult for you to revise things, ask for help a friend who has no emotional attachment to a particular item - he will give a sober recommendation.
2. It’s a pity that in Ukraine we don’t accept garage sales, but there are OLX (Ukraine) - analogue of the American Craigslist - on these sites you can sell stuff online. I strongly recommend sharing moth-eaten blankets and worn-out rugs with an animal shelter - in such places there is always a need for rags for bedding. This is a real good deed!
3. If you have a hoarding habit, it’s time to treat it. Try to make less spontaneous purchases. It’s good when you set yourself motivational goals - to save up money for travel, for household appliances that make life easier.
4. Don’t forget to transfer all bills and correspondence to the new address

Preparing things for moving

1. Get cleaning carpets and curtains before moving. I speak from personal experience - you will have a lot of other problems after moving. I was always glad that I was not too lazy to do this in advance.
2. I make sure not to leave stale laundry behind.
3. Pack an emergency essentials box - with a bag of coffee, toothbrushes, a couple of sandwiches, napkins and toilet paper, a first aid kit, a set of disposable tableware, a comb, a change of underwear. I throw a clean T-shirt each for myself and my husband.
4. Tape the bottom of each box.
5. Avoid making large grocery purchases 1.5-2 weeks before moving. Void the freezer.

Packing things

1. Place books and all the heaviest items in rolling suitcases.

2. Boxes must not be heavier than 18 kg. This way you can finish moving things much faster and without harming yourself.

3. Boxes with underwear can be wrapped in film rather than sorting things into boxes. This will save you several hours of sorting after the move.

4. Label the boxes with their contents. Especially useful for the kitchen group: “cereals, salt, spices”, “cutlery, groceries”, and so on. But I warn you to sign “silver”, “jewelry”, “household appliances”…

5. Documents, laptop, tablet, cash, jewelry, camera, keys - I pack them in comfortable backpacks for myself and my husband, the backpacks go with us all the time when moving back and forth. This way, I am absolutely sure that the most important things are safe and I don’t need to look for them among a bunch of boxes if necessary, although this is not entirely convenient physically.

6. You can wrap fragile items in clothes, scarves, socks and towels - a big savings in packaging space, but it’s not always convenient to look for a fresh pair of socks in the next box.

7. Give preference to propilene bags rather than supermarket bags - they are much more compact and convenient. If you have the opportunity to purchase vacuum bags, you won’t regret it! Especially if this is not the last move in your life.

   

8. Bolts, screws, and fastenings must be stored in separate bags labeled according to their purpose - screws from a table, fastenings for a mirror, etc.

9. Plates can be arranged with plastic plates instead of paper.

10. Cover the tray with cutlery with film to avoid disassembly.

11. You can use lunch bags for cups and glasses instead of newspapers - and there will be no need to wash out the printing ink. In general, I advise you to refuse newspapers as packaging - it gets things and hands very dirty.

12. Spices and jars are convenient to load into pans. I put plates in large diameter pots, layered with kitchen towels and table napkins.

13. Wires, adapters, USB cables are packaged together with their “carrier”.

14. I put yarn, shreds, bead organizers and all that into bags - usually these are quite bulky, but light things that are convenient to keep together in one place for the first time.

Moving with animals

It will be easier for your dog to survive the move if they are part of the process - don’t scold him or her for being curious and interested in the boxes. Speak in an encouraging voice, pay attention to the dog as often as possible, because it does not understand what is goig on. Take a break to play and walk during packing, and do not forget about feeding at the usual time for your pet. This is a member of your family who cannot be neglected.

Don’t touch your dog’s stuff until the very last moment. Schedule a routine veterinary inspection for your dog a week or two before the move since you’ll be busy after. The dog should ride with you; you should not leave it alone in an empty house.

Let the buddy be the first visitor to the new place of residence. His things should be the first to enter the room. During the first weeks walk on a leash, saying “home” at the door of the house so that the dog gets used to the new place and accepts it as his refuge as quickly as possible. If your dog has a microchip, be sure to update your address and phone numbers. I have no experience moving with a cat.

Preparing the premises for moving

Clean your new home BEFORE moving. What I write next is not mandatory, and to some it may even seem like a diagnosis, but my experience forces me to do each of the points - so I can be calm about the health of my family. This especially applies to moving to rented housing without complete renovation. So:

• I treat the bathroom, bathtub, and kitchen sink with chlorine-containing products. I use gloves and a respirator. I also wash kitchen cabinets with bleach in areas in contact with dishes. This directly affects your health; do not neglect cleaning with chlorine before moving in.
• I wash the refrigerator with baking soda and it stays open until we move in.
• I vacuum dressers, cabinets, shelves in the cracks and grooves, wash them with vinegar (it will disappear very quickly and will kill other people’s dust mites). I wipe sofas and armchairs with vinegar, having previously vacuumed them several times.
• Bitter experience taught me to treat the floors around the perimeter of the baseboard with insecticide. I clean other people’s carpets on the street and also spray them with insecticide.
• If something is leaking somewhere, I seal it, tighten wobbly sockets.
• I bring the kitchen stove to the highest possible perfection by cleaning the oven with ammonia. I soak other people’s cutlery, including plates and cups, in a bucket of bleach solution (liquid bleach). 7. I ventilate the room. It is important for me to surround myself with a pleasant and familiar smell in my new home, so I take care of this in advance - a few drops of orange essential oil in dresser drawers and cabinets.

My moves are becoming more familiar and less hassle time to time, and the above recommendations should make moving easier for you too.