New Home for the New Year? Our Packing Checklist
Welcome to our first blog post of 2014. We hope you had a fantastic Christmas and New Year (and that you didn’t suffer too much afterwards!).
Now that the festive season has come to an end, traditionally the house market starts to pick up again. If you are planning a new home for this new year, use this checklist to help you pack efficiently and effectively. It can be a pain, but proper packing means far less risk of breakage or loss.
Be ruthless
Before you start packing, take the opportunity to de-clutter. If you don’t need it, it hasn’t got a place in your new home. Go through each room and gather similar items together; you’ll probably be surprised by the number of duplicates you own.
To decide what to keep and what to part with, ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I really need two (three/four…) of this particular item?
- Is it worth the time and effort I need to put into maintaining it?
- If you didn’t already own it, would you buy one?
- If it’s broken, are you likely to fix it?
- If used very rarely, would it be more effective to borrow from someone else when required?
- How much space does it take up?
- When did you last use it? Look at it? Read it?
- Are you likely to remember you own it and where it is kept?
- Are you legally obliged to keep that paperwork or can it be shredded?
- Can it easily be found online instead?
- Does it make you happy?
- Do you really want to pack to move it?
Packing tips:
- Do not pack clothes which are torn, excessively worn, dated, duplicated or do not fit.
- Do not pack items you don’t like or want just because you feel guilty about throwing them away.
- Sell or donate unused items to charity before you move.
- Make sure you have everything you need to hand – boxes, scissors, tapes and bubble wrap.
- Use the correct sized box for each room – heavier items should be packed in smaller boxes.
- Pack heavy items at the bottom of the box.
- Pack infrequently used items as soon as you know you are moving.
- Wrap delicate items in several layers of plain paper – not newspaper as it will stain.
- Stand dishes on their side in the box – lying them flat makes them more likely to break.
- Pack books spine-down with the pages facing upwards to prevent warping.
- Pack large books lying down, alternating the side the spine lies on.
- Remember to clearly label your boxes so you don’t forget what’s in them.
If the thought of all of this makes you feel stressed, we can help. Any aspect of relocation, from decluttering to change of addresses to supervising the removal company or anything in between, contact us today for more information.
cushion the impact provides award winning personal and virtual assistance and customised lifestyle management for hard working and hard living individuals and small business owners. We know there aren’t enough hours in the day, so let us help you live an organised, efficient, & fulfilling life. Take a deep breath & call us today. Your personal service awaits!!
