A change is as good as a holiday, except when the change is a new home which needs to be renovated from top to bottom lol. Moving is exciting though, it’s the end of an era and a fresh start in a new chapter. I had planned to be super organised with this move, but between work & the reno it has inevitably caught up with me and we now due to be OUT!
Moving house has been classed as one of the top five most stressful life events, but it doesn’t have to be and despite a verrry long to-do list we’ve felt pretty calm and capable of pulling it off.
I’ve learned some great tips over the years which make the job a little more seamless and a little less stressful…
So, Here’s my 8 Step Guide on How to Effortlessly Pack Up Your Life!
- Start with a cup of tea & head to the wardrobe. Roll, don’t fold!
Start in the kitchen (make a hot cup of a relaxing herbal blend or chai tea) and then proceed directly to the wardrobe! Start with the off season, things you won’t be likely to wear for another few months at least. Rolling reduces creases, and tightly rolled clothes take up less space than folded ones. Actually, you know what takes up even less space than tightly rolled clothes? Clothes that AREN’T THERE lol… Now is the time to Cull…
- Cull Cull Cull… Carey Bradshaw style.
The more unnecessary items you donate or chuck, the less stuff you have to pack… der. We’ve been simplifying across our last two moves which means I’m actually not buried in clutter – which feels great. Clothing is obvs my downfall but I’m doing a massive CULL this move, if I haven’t worn it in the last year I’m getting rid of it, unless I love it… then it stays. Enjoy this process! Think Carey, in the SATC movie – who wants to come for champaign moving party and hold up YES/NO signs?? Here’s to a refined and curated wardrobe. Two birds, one stone.
- Pack an overnight bag and award yourself a gold star.
The last box has been moved, it’s dark, you’re exhausted. Now where are your PJs? or even just some clean underwear would suffice lol. Make sure to pack your essentials in an overnight bag; toiletries, underwear, PJ’s and clothes for the next day. Then put it in the car. Pro tip: include a pat on the back, you deserve it for being so organised. Oh, and your laptop (and a packet of tim tams) – Netflix & chill is a non-negotiable.
- Use transparent boxes
Pack items you need first in transparent boxes. Just the necessities, your high rotation clothing for the next week, power cords & chargers, a handful of kitchen ware incl. the jug/toaster (hail toast and coffee), a handful of linen – towels & toilet paper etc. And of course let the movers know you need easy access to these few boxes.
- Hire a professional removalist
We’re lucky that we’ve never moved far, and have access to utes and trailers, but professional removalists can shrink wrap larger items such as tables, fridges and couches to avoid any marks or scuffs. The best part it obvs that they make light work of the heavy lifting.
- Labelling
Don’t label the tops of the boxes, label the sides so you can identify them when the boxes are stacked. Label the boxes with the contents as well as which room they are going into. Packing by room can make the process more manageable, and likewise for unpacking.
- Size Matters
Make sure you get a range of box sizes and plan out what will go in each box, remembering that heavier things like books will need to be packed in smaller boxes that you can easily carry, while linen & pillows etc can go in bigger boxes which will remain fairly light. Too many times I’ve sealed up a box only to realise it’s too heavy to pick up without the bottom falling out! So, tape the bottom of the boxes before you start too!
- Protect your toiletries
This is a super handy tip, especially when there’s toiletries that might not be unpacked straight away… Cover the open tops of your bottles (body wash, moisturiser, etc.) with glad wrap, then screw the tops on over the top. This will prevent your toiletries from leaking in the move!
So that’s that, wish us luck! It’s such a big process but it’s an opportunity to reassess what’s important. We all just accumulate so much STUFF, right!? I actually really love the idea of refinement in the home and excited for the massive high five that’s due in 10 days. Here’s to our move and to the reno, and to the rest of 2018! Stay tuned over on instagram stories for all of the renovating fun.
N x
This post was written in collaboration with Hire-A-Mover, an Australian Removalist Company.
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