A home moving guide is a fundamental tool for anyone looking to relocate, especially since the process is quite stressful. From packing your possessions to hiring a moving company, there’s the added stress of worrying about whether you can bear the change.
But even though moving to a new home can be daunting, there are several ways you can make the process go smoothly.
Here is a comprehensive guide on everything you need. Whether you are seasoned in house moving or are a first-timer, this home moving guide makes a great place to start your journey:
1. Planning your Move
Home moving is a hectic process. It probably is as hard as finding a new home – which many movers say is more challenging than finding a spouse.
Therefore, it’d help if you create a timeline of your move. Planning will help keep you on track as the big day draws near.
i. Make a Home Moving Checklist
Note down the tasks you need to be completed on your calendar, so you don’t forget the essential details. To help ease the process, create a home moving checklist as an outline of your plan.
Include things such as:
- When to move
- What is required for the move
- Packing materials
- Inventory of all items that need to be moved
- Costs involved in moving
- Your moving company
ii. Confirm the Readiness of Your New Home
A fundamental step to any home moving guide involves checking the readiness of your new place. Before your home moving process is complete, do a complete walkthrough of your new premises. This is highly important as it helps you determine whether your furniture, appliances, and other utilities will fit.
This is also a perfect opportunity to ensure everything is in order, including power outlets. The last thing you need is to spend your first day in your new home in the dark.
Also, check whether the water is flowing properly, whether there are any blockages on the sinks, or if the size of the windows will match your curtains.
Given that you are new to the place and are vulnerable to burglary consider the security system. Check whether it is installed and if it’s working properly. If it is unavailable, make arrangements with your new landlord for its installation.
Consequently, consider internet connectivity – primarily if you work from home. Ensure that your house or new location is covered.
In a nutshell, most home moving guides stress the importance of ensuring everything is working correctly, and if not, confirm if the repairs have been made.
iii. Choose a Moving Date
Knowing everything you need for successful home moving will help you pick a sound date. During this stage, ensure that you choose a date that gives you plenty of time to achieve what’s included in your checklist.
Also, while choosing the right date, however, you might want to ensure that:
- You’re available for the move
- The day falls on a less busy day (most people move over the weekends or end months)
- Everything at your new place (destination) is ready
- You have arrangements in place to take care of young children and pets
- In case you have school-going children, you need to consider their transition to the new location, or indeed a change of school is necessary, their transport to and from school, etc.
Setting a definite date will also help you plan with your moving company and to ensure that they have availability.
iv. Set Up a Moving Budget
Creating a budget is highly recommended when preparing for home moving. Therefore, set up a comprehensive budget that includes mover fees, transportation costs, moving materials, and any other miscellaneous items you need to purchase before the move.
Your budget will highly be determined by:
- Where you live
- The type of home /apartment you live in is storied, has a lift, many bedrooms, etc.
- The size of your move (items)
- Nature of your possessions (whether there are any fragile items or those that need installation)
- The distance of the move; and
It is essential to plan the moving finances before you relocate the home. Ensure that you have enough cash to cover the move’s entire cost. As any other home moving guide expert will recommend, house moving cost within Nairobi is comparable to 65% of one month’s rent while using a good moving company.
v. Hire a Good House Moving Company
You may be determined to complete the moving process by yourself, but this can only complicate the process. This is particularly the case if you are a working family person. Seeking professional moving services is, therefore, perhaps the best decision you could ever make since they will take care of all the hard work for you.
Companies such as Nellions Moving and Relocations don’t just move your items. They go an extra step to help you pack and install furniture in your new place while ensuring everything is secure before you move.
Using such a professional moving company also negates the extra effort in finding a vehicle to help you move. Plus, even if you did so, the car you find may not be able to carry all of your possessions at once. There is also the question of safety. It is better to be safe than sorry.
That said, you can always reach out to your moving company for a quote on the cost estimate of the move as well as what it will cover.
vi. Declutter Your Home for the Move
When you have been living in one place for a long time, hoarding many useless items is easy. Before home moving, therefore, ensure that you declutter your home to ensure that you are not bringing useless things along.
Sort through all your items, find the useful ones and those you no longer need, discard or donate. This may include books, old clothes, and purses, among others. Doing so will save you time while packing for your move and might save you money because you don’t want to be charged to move items you will never need.
2. Packing for Relocation
Packing is perhaps the most time-consuming part of your home moving process. However, enlisting the help of a professional mover will go a long way in ensuring that the process takes less time, is efficient and less stressful.
Here are a few hacks from our home moving guide that go into the process:
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Pack as Early as You Can
Given the amount of time that goes into packing, it is only ideal that you start packing as early as you can. This is especially important if you have a lot of things to move.
Identify and prioritize your possessions. Start packing the items you rarely use– books, souvenirs, and spare items. Essential things you need daily should come last, towards the end of your big day.
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Pack the Least Used Rooms First
If your children are away at school and you need to relocate before they return, you can begin packing their rooms. Remember, starting with rooms that are not in constant use is always good. Plus, once you pack their contents, these rooms can double up as storage.
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Label Your Items
The easiest way to make the process smoother is by labelling everything clearly. If you have assembled your packing materials, label each box, describing its contents. Label everything to show what is fragile and to help the movers decide which boxes to go first.
Ensure that heavy items, for example, go to the bottom of your boxes. This will prevent lighter items from being damaged.
While at it, you can use your suitcases to pack items such as clothes or anything else that doesn’t go into boxes.
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Pack Fragile Items Differently
It is also good practice to pack fragile items separately to ensure they aren’t damaged. However, be sure not to overfill boxes with these items. Only pack a few items in every box utilizing packing paper, bubble wraps, or newspapers to fill the empty spaces.
For items such as dishes, stack them vertically to ensure they absorb shock. Finally, don’t forget to mark these boxes as “FRAGILE” in conspicuous letters. This will come in handy for movers during packing and unpacking.
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Use Quality Packing Materials
Ahead of your packing day, you must ensure that all the packing material is ready. The packing process is seemingly endless, and then there is the effort to ensure that everything is transported safely.
Once in your new home, you will start to unpack it again. Ensure you use suitable materials to make the process less of a hustle.
3. Say Goodbye to Your Neighbors
If you’ve lived where you are about to leave for many years, then you and your children have probably made many friends. In such a case, home moving will be a rather emotional task – and your neighbours will undoubtedly be disappointed if you don’t say goodbye.
It is, therefore, good etiquette to update them on your move. Tell them in advance. This will allow you and your children to say a proper goodbye. Perhaps, the neighbours will go ahead and give you a farewell or a house leaving party. You can’t just tear your kids away from their friends.
And yes, it matters a lot. While you may be fixed on making new friends at your new home, you shouldn’t forget your old friends or where you came from.
4. Move In
This is the final step in your house-moving process. Of course, before moving, you’d ensure that:
- You’re familiar with your new neighbourhood – supermarkets, shops, hospitals, schools, etc.
- You have taken care of all the bills – both at your current home and your destination place (if necessary)
The first few days of your move will be challenging. Familiarizing yourself with your neighbourhood is, therefore, very important. Once everything is sorted and you have packed everything, give Nellions Moving and Relocations a call, and move into your new home!
Nellions can help you pack, move, and install your items in your new place affordably and conveniently. Reach out today and get a smooth and stress-free home moving experience.
