If you’ve hired a professional removal team to do the laborious packing for you, then you’re in luck. Packing is arguable the most time-consuming task during a move and by having professionals do it for you, you’ll have plenty of time to devote to other important aspects of the relocation, such as spending more time with your children or saying a proper good-bye to your friends and neighbors.
However, despite the full-service move you’ve requested, you’re still not off the hook as far as moving preparations go and still need to complete a few important tasks before the removers knock on your door.
If you’re asking yourself, “What to do before the removal company arrives?”, then just read on to find out how to get ready for the arrival of your removal crew.
Get Rid Of Useless Stuff
Throwing away your child’s favourite toy panda is NOT a good idea.
One of the factors that determines the final moving price is the total weight of all the household belongings you have decided to take to your new home. Therefore, the more items you have for moving, the more money you will have to pay for their transportation out of your own pocket. And the best solution in this case is to try and downsize considerably the number of your household belongings.
Make sure you have enough time to go through your personal effects one by one and decide the fate of each one. Relocation experts say that if you haven’t used something for more than a year, then it’s probably time to chuck it. Once you’ve sorted out the items you will not be taking with you, separate them into 3 different piles – things to be sold (either online or through a yard sale), things to be given away to family or friends, or donated to charity, and finally the worthless stuff that just needs to be thrown away.
It’s important to create an itemized checklist which will list everything that is ready to be packed by the moving experts. Mark the type of the item, its quantity, its current condition and leave an extra empty field for any comments you may have. You can use your computer to compile the inventory faster and then print it out for easier access.
Later, when your shipment is delivered to your new house or apartment, you can easily check off the items against the detailed checklist and spot any problems right away. If you do find out that some of your things are missing or damaged, then you should immediately contact your removal company, let them know of the unfortunate even and request more information on what you should do next to file a damage claim.
You could get away with hazardous nail art during a move.
Due strictly to safety reasons, your removal team won’t pack household items that are considered dangerous for transportation. It’s your obligation to properly dispose of the hazardous ones (flammable and corrosive substances), use up the perishable ones (fresh or frozen foods), find adequate ways to transport the fragile ones (pets and plants) and keep the valuable ones with you. Don’t forget to request from your removal company the list of items that are forbidden to be loaded onto the removal van.
For more information about what you should not pack for transportation, read this informative Guide to non-allowable items.
Pack An Essentials Box Beforehand
The useless and non-allowable items aside, there are still some essential things that you should pack before the arrival of the professional packers. The idea of preparing an essentials box is that you may need to spend the last day or night at your old home, or the first day at your new residence without having access to your convenient household goods. This is why such a pre-packed moving box (or boxes for that matter) is also known as a survival kit – you’re going to have to literally survive until your effects join you once more.
Consider placing the following useful items into your box: medicine, kitchen utensils, non-perishable food, toiletries, entertaining games for your kids or pets, a set of small hand tools and so on. Also, remember to take a change of clothes for each family member.
Keep your children and pets away from the packing epicentre for their own safety and your peace of mind.
Your young children and/or pets have no business hanging around the removal crew when the latter arrive and get down to packing your household. Things could get dangerous for your little ones and besides, they do need their undisturbed routine.
The best case scenario is you to take care of your young children since you won’t be the one packing for a move. However, if that is not possible, arrange for someone to look after your little ones and keep them away from the whirlwind of packing activities. It’s best if the hired babysitter is a person who knows your kids well, and vice versa – preferably someone from the extended family such as a grandparent.
Consider purchasing additional moving insurance if some or most of your items have high monetary or sentimental value. Why? Well, even though your professional packers and removers are experts who have been rigorously trained to take every care possible when packing, carrying, loading and unloading your belongings, accidents do happen, accidents that may be beyond the control of your removal firm.
Discuss with your removal company the available options about getting an adequate protection for your personal effects while the latter are in their possession.
Are you ready for your hired packing help? It’s time to take care of a few more tasks before your professional packers arrive:
Tipping your professional packers is a good way to show your appreciation for a job well done.
Make sure your large kitchen appliances, such as refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, dishwashers, electric or gas cookers, microwave ovens, etc. are empty, clean and unplugged from the main power;
Be a good host and prepare some snacks and drinks for the professional packers to keep their energy elevated throughout the packing ordeal;
Get some cash ready to tip the packing team members if you’re really pleased with the way they’ve done their packing job.
Now that you know how to prepare for professional packers and movers, you’re definitely going to speed up the moving preparations by completing the following relocation tasks beforehand:
downsizing your personal effects,
compiling a moving inventory,
using up or getting rid of items forbidden for transportation,
packing a survival kit,
keeping your children and pets away from the packing epicentre, and
getting extra protection for your household items.
*At RemovalReviews we will connect you with a professional moving company. Please note that we may not be affiliated with
and you may be speaking with another licensed provider.
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