Tips for Moving House - Gateway Storage Silverdale

One of the most stressful situations a person can go through, is often moving house. Packing up your belongings, staging your home and putting the house on the market can be very stressful. The costs involved with a move can also increase quickly. We’ve put together some helpful moving tips below and we hope these will assist in containing your moving costs:

1. Free boxes: Try supermarkets, liquor stores, and department stores for boxes they no longer need.
2. Packaging materials: If packing paper (‘butcher’s paper’) is not available use towels and tea towels to wrap dishes and glassware. Use newspaper to pack out boxes that aren’t quite full, to avoid them caving in when they’re stacked for storage. Use bubble wrap to protect framed pictures and electronic equipment such as TVs, if the original boxes are no longer available. Use gel moisture sachets in sealed boxes to absorb any moisture from the air. Wrap mattresses in mattress protector bags and add gel sachets prior to sealing the mattress bags.
3. Labelling: Label the outside of the boxes with the room they’re from (eg Bathroom, Kitchen etc) to make it easier when you move into your new home. This will also save time for the removal company (which saves you money) as they’ll know which room to place the boxes without having to continually ask you, and you then having to check the contents.
4. Ask for help: Ask friends, family and neighbours to help you move to save on the cost of a removal company. Shouting them lunch and cool drinks on your day of moving is likely to be a lot cheaper than paying a removal company!
5. Move during non peak periods: The most popular time to move is generally summer. If you could instead move during the quieter period of March – October, removal companies may be more readily available and may even give you a good deal on the price.
6. Plan ahead: Get your house or business items packed and easily accessible where possible for the removal company. The less time they spend moving your goods, the cheaper it will be for you.
7. Measure: Measure the doorways and hallways in order to be sure your stored furniture and appliances will fit into your new property. This will ensure there are no last minute panics on your moving day. Items that can’t fit can instead be retained in your storage unit until you are able to sell or trade them.
8. Finalising Bills: Pay all of your bills prior to moving so you don’t have to worry about it when you are in your new property. Ensure your utilities are cancelled at your old property and you have set yourself up for utility services such as gas, electricity and phone, in your new home. Consider redirecting your mail for a period of time from your old property.
9. Cleaning: Clean your own home on move-out to save the expense of a cleaning company or a deduction from your bond by your landlord. Hire carpet cleaning appliances and ‘do it yourself’, rather than paying a carpet cleaning company.
10. Quotes: Obtain around 3 quotes from removal companies to ensure you are getting the best price.