Moving House (and not leaving your sanity behind)
Moving day is fun for the kids but a little rough on you…like most days really. The only thing that will get you through it, is the knowledge that you are going somewhere lovely…and that there’s a glass of wine or calming cup of tea at the end of it. So, we’ve come up with a list of ways that you can reduce the madness that is moving. We still recommend the wine of course.
First night familiarity
Before you do anything else - pack a box of everything the family needs to make their first night a joy Things like include sheets, towels, cutlery, toiletries, multiple packets of cleaning wipes, snacks, a kettle and above all of course the TV remote and phone chargers. You’ll feel more at home and there’ll be fewer tears. Use the guide at the bottom of this article for some essentials.
Last night a system saved my life
The temptation to just start throwing things into boxes is great. But if you don’t want to find yourself searching for a school uniform at 3am, we suggest you list the contents of every box, and even colour code the boxes. Taking photos is also not bad idea.
Not all packing is created equal
Packing properly could save you hours if not days of hassle. Here are some of our best tips to minimise stress and mess:
Bedroom
- Keep clothes on hangers
Sliding clothes straight into bags or boxes can save hours at the other end. Cut a small hole at the bottom of a bin bag and place the clothes inside with the hangers towards the bottom of the bag. Once the hanger hooks are through the hole at the bottom of the bag, tie and secure them with a rubber band or string. - Roll don’t fold clothes
This will save room in expensive packing boxes. - Empty drawers and cupboards
It will be tempting to leave stuff in, but you’ll wind up picking up things that have dropped out for weeks afterwards.
Bathroom
- Cotton balls in compacts
Cotton balls are genius and will cushion your powdered cosmetics and one almighty stop mess. - Toilet roll and power cords
Take that used toilet roll and wrap cords around it so they don’t get knotted up. If you don’t there is 100% chance they will end up in a big ball. - Plastic wrap on shampoo
A little bit of plastic could save you from wiping shampoo and conditioner off your hairdryer and anything else in your bathroom box. Don’t risk it.
Kitchen
- Empty your fridge
Opened containers of juice and food do not travel at all well. - Wrap breakables in clothes or sheets
Keep your dinner set safe and lose the need for bubble wrap.
Living rooms
- Towels and furniture
If you put towels under heavy furniture you will save the floorboards and tiles from scratches. - Sandwich bags and screws
If you are taking the TV and pictures off the walls, keep all the screws and hooks in sandwich bags. - Overloading
Quite simply don’t do it. No one has yet invented unbreakable packing boxes or removalists. - Don’t lock yourself out
Put something like a rubber band over the front door lock, so that whilst everyone is going in and out, the door stays open…one in ten people lock themselves out on moving day, don’t let it be you!
Most importantly, remember you are about to start a new chapter in your life and once all the bruises have gone down and you can actually move around the rooms without boxes, the move will be totally worth it.
