If you’ve moved to a new home before, then you know how stressful it can be. Moving everything that you own to your new home usually doesn’t take more than a day or two; however, it requires a lot of planning. Other than getting a hire trailer to transport your belongings, what else do you need to make the process more streamlined? Here’s a helpful checklist for moving, and how to pack your hire trailer the right way.
Change The Locks
Being safe is a priority for most people. For that reason, it isn’t uncommon for homeowners to provide a set of keys to their home to family members or loved ones in case of an emergency. At the very least, if you misplace your keys, you have a set to borrow from a loved one. In a worst-case scenario, if you get very ill or injured, you would need someone with access to your home to look after you, drop food or medication off, or to pick up items that you need while you’re receiving treatment. Therefore, giving a set of keys to your parents or a sibling makes sense.
However, what happens to those keys when you move? It can become challenging to track down every set. Your best bet is to be safe. You wouldn’t want a stranger to have access to your new home because the previous owners gave them a set. For that reason, make sure to have the locks changed on all entrances before you move. Leave all new keys on a counter, separated and labelled correctly for the new owner.
Do One Last Clean
It isn’t a secret that not many people enjoy cleaning. However, there’s nothing worse than moving into a new home and finding it filthy. For that reason, you should always be considerate for the new owners of the house you’re moving out of, by doing one last clean.
All you’ll need to do is make sure that all surfaces are wiped down, the cupboards are cleaned inside, and that the carpets are vacuumed. Make sure that you also check for pests which have been hiding behind dressers or the fridge. If you’re worried that you won’t have enough time to do this, you can hire a cleaning service for the day.
Prepare A Tool Box
When you get into your new home, you’ll have to start setting it up as you unpack. You might need to pull up carpeting you don’t like, take down old curtains or connect the dishwasher and washing machines to a water source. For this, you’ll need tools. Pack a box that contains the essentials you’ll need. It should be labelled so that it’s easy to find, and it should include Allen keys, a hammer, screwdrivers, screws, tape and a cleaning cloth.
Pack Your Hire Trailer The Right Way
Hiring a trailer to move is helpful, but if you pack it incorrectly, it won’t be as beneficial as it could be. Fortunately, there is a way to optimise space in the trailer and make sure that your belongings are secure during transportation.
The way you load your trailer will determine how many items you’ll get into it for each trip. If you optimise the space properly, you might be saving on a few trips. Here’s how to pack your hire trailer effectively:
- Make sure that the trailer is hitched correctly to your vehicle before you start loading.
- Start with bulky items first, such as furniture, dishwashers, fridges and mattresses. Try not to leave any gaps, but you can fill them with smaller boxes.
- After the large items, start packing your boxes. Load the heavier ones first, and leave the fragile ones to be packed last.
- If there are gaps, fill them with blankets, towels and bedding, surrounding the fragile boxes to keep them sturdy and protected.
- Make sure that you can close the trailer properly before you start driving. If you have to remove a few items to make space, it is recommended. You don’t want the trailer to open, and empty out behind you, while you’re on the road.
Conclusion
Moving to a new home is challenging and stressful, so if you have the opportunity to make it easier, why not? This checklist should be helpful to remind you of things you might forget, or those you haven’t thought of yet. Besides, for the cash you’ve paid for the hire trailer, you’ll want to get your money’s worth. Use these tips for moving, packing up your home, or packing a trailer effectively. Moving to your new home will be a breeze!
