Moving Without the Movers
You’ve decided to forgo the professional movers for the big move, eh? Well, you’re going to save some money but in order to still have friends after the move, you’ll have to be very organized and very grateful to those who give you a hand. Apartments.com has some tips to make the process a bit smoother. Moving doesn’t have to be a major pain if you follow some time-honored advice.
Get It Together
The first thing a self-mover should do is to clean out the old apartment. Start out at least a month in advance and go room by room. Sort out, clean out and throw out (or sell or donate) anything you don’t need or haven’t used in the past six months. At this time begin using up things like food and cleaning supplies. The less you have, the less you have to move.
You’ll also want to start collecting packing materials, so save newspapers, bubble wrap, tissue paper and boxes. When you go to the grocery store, ask for extra boxes or any other packing materials they may have on hand.
Get Ready to Pack
- If you are packing on your own, start at least a week in advance so that you have plenty of time.
- Start with items you won’t need in the next week and pack as neatly as you can.
- Carefully wrap breakable items by putting a layer of packing material between each piece of glass.
- Wipe off items with a damp cloth to remove dust and dirt before you pack them. When you get to the kitchen, clean off your appliances and wash all dishes before packing. Use disposable utensils the last few days so that you don’t have to be packing at the last minute.
- Pack lamps with their cords and tape together loose parts of multi-part items.
- Don’t waste empty space: fill up garbage cans, luggage and duffle bags with clothing or other unbreakable items.
- Protect upholstered items with plastic coverings..
- While you pack, you may find lots of instructional guides, receipts and other important documents lying around. Get a file folder and put all your papers inside so that you can easily find them later.
- Label each box so that you will know which room to put the boxes in when you get to your new home.
- Securely tape the top of each box.
- Remember to remove heavy items from furniture drawers and tape or tie the drawers closed.
Moving Day
By moving day, you should already know how you are going to transport your belongings. If you rented a truck, you’re still going to need people to help you move your things. Many people make the mistake of assuming that they will get free help on their moving day from big-muscled friends or a neighbor who owns a pick-up truck. It is very bad etiquette to ask someone to help you move without offering them some compensation. Even if the person offers to help for free, you should insist on paying them back in some way and providing food and drinks. Also, send a thank-you card a few days after your move to express your gratitude.
If you are moving out of an apartment, make sure you drop off your keys and arrange to receive your security deposit before leaving. If someone is helping you, you should be ready to show them where each piece of furniture and box goes.
|
Email this Article
Print this Article
(Rate this article)