Moving from one place to another is a logistical nightmare and requires a lot of planning if you want it to go well. The average American citizen moves 11 times before settling into a long term home and with all of this relocating between properties, the law of averages almost guarantees that you will destroy, damage, or lose something as according to Share To Buy, an average of £280 is lost between moves in the UK alone, costing a total of £2.7 million per year, whether its cash or items themselves such as TV remotes, phones or shoes.
As tempting as it might be to gas up the family hatchback and squeeze in as much as you can next to little Jimmy and Lisa in the back while your partner rides shotgun for 200 miles with a curtain pole constantly poking them in the side of the head, you can save a lot of time, money and stress by simply moving properly with professional movers or by following simple tips for relocation.
Some common sense and asking for help almost always alleviates some of the work and includes such things as:
- Using Appropriate Materials
- Making Sure You Have Insurance
- Enlisting Some Help
- Driving Carefully
- Embracing New Technology
We’ve all done it, haphazardly thrown the drinking glasses in a cardboard box without wrapping them securely, telling ourselves they will be fine; and then they break. Using proper materials when moving is essential for reducing damage while insurance is often overlooked as part of a move but can be handy should any damages occur and there is no shame in asking for help from family and friends in helping you pack or even transport your goods.
While on the road, you should always drive carefully for obvious safety reasons and more, while modern smart-tech is helping people all over the world reduce the stress of moving.
Using Appropriate Materials
Like most people, you probably have too much stuff, unless you are a minimalist. Even then, however, you are bound to possess some things that require due care and attention, lest they break and cause misery while you move. Such things usually include drinking glasses, dinner sets, and vases, but could also include antiques, paintings, and fragile electronics.
While not all items hold monetary value, many of a family’s most treasured items hold sentimental value such as custom coffee mugs or kids’ art projects. Items such as these should always be stuffed with newspaper or wrapping paper inside where applicable, and then around each other inside a suitable box so that they are secure. Electronic items should be transported in bubble wrap and secured so that they don’t move inside the box… and don’t forget to label the boxes as fragile.
Making Sure You Have Insurance
Whether you have concerns or not regarding any items that you are to transport, you might want to consider insurance just to be safe. While insurers cannot replace a treasured item, they can at least provide some monetary relief for lost, damaged, or stolen valuables such as game consoles, TVs, and family heirlooms.
However, your existing insurance policy might not cover any items while they are in transit and you need to make sure that you both get cover for moving goods and cover for the new property. It should be noted that contents moved by professional moving companies are always insured.
Enlisting Some Help
Loading up the car, van or truck will take quite some time, probably too much to do on your own, and you can’t possibly shift a wardrobe down a flight of stairs on your own without injuring yourself as a strained back is the most common injury when moving, so be careful and at least get someone to help with larger home objects that are way too heavy to move alone.
Also, moving from one place to another is a big job and depending on the size of your family, how much stuff you have and where you are moving to, it can take either a few hours or a couple of days to do it properly. Therefore, don’t be afraid to ask for some help from friends and relatives as they will probably ask you for help when they move, and on it goes.
Driving Carefully
Once everything is loaded and ready to go, you are free to say goodbye to your old home and hit the road for the beginning of your new life in a new place so you can continue your adventure. But no matter how well-loaded your vehicle is, you need to be careful while driving as the extra weight can shift and cause unpredictable things to happen while on the road.
Firstly, don’t drive too fast as weight shifting will cause any vehicle to sway and braking might not be as immediate as it usually is. One way to combat this is to use anchor points in your van to secure any loose objects and stop them from moving around. You should also be aware of the maximum weight allowance as excessive weight can cause a tire to blow out as well.
Secondly, the last thing you want is for something to go wrong – like a car accident. But unfortunately, car accidents happen all too often when people are moving. That’s why it’s important to drive carefully and sensibly when you’re moving so that you can avoid getting into an accident. If something happens and you end up in a car accident while moving, be sure to contact a car accident lawyer immediately.
Embracing New Technology
If you are planning a relocation, then as with most things now, and to steal a phrase, there’s an app for that. Actually, there are many apps for that. The most common and obvious app when moving would be a GPS app, many of which can now be used on your smartphone rather than an expensive SatNav, and even free ones such as Google Maps are extremely accurate now.
Beyond driving though, there are other items that can be purchased for peace of mind and these include SmartLocks that will notify you if someone has tried to gain entry to your new home, SmartTags that you can stick onto boxes so you know what is inside them and remotely activated thermostats so your home will be nice and warm when you get there.
Moving home is considered one of the most stressful things you can do and while it can be a trying time, incorporating some simple things into your move can make it a lot easier. Your valuables can be secured by using the proper materials when packing them in order to minimize damage and for further peace of mind, check that you have the right insurance during and following your relocation.
Final Thoughts
Getting friends and family involved can eliminate the stress of trying to do it all alone and can also be fun but you must drive very carefully when transporting your items since your vehicle will behave differently than usual because of the added weight. For extra security, you can embrace smartphone-based technology such as locks and security devices as well as using GPS to get you where you need to be, safely.
