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Did you know that one in five families move each year? ‘Moving’ is a part of everyone’s life, and people do it at least once in their life. While some find reasons to relocate to an international destination and start fresh with their family or spouse, others need to move temporarily for work or education purposes. While the internet is full of tips and hacks about what you should be doing when moving permanently from one place to another, there’s not a lot of discussion about what you should do if you’re moving for a short duration.
Here we aim to provide you with a guide that doesn’t just help you with your permanent move but also assists you when you’re looking for ways to move temporarily for a few weeks, months or even a year. So, let’s not waste any more time and plunge straight into the subject and find out what you should be doing when you’re moving.
Tips for Moving Temporarily
Whether you’re moving because you want to pursue a summer internship, renovate your home, go to college or are just looking for a break, a temporary move requires a lot of strategic planning. The trick with temporary moving is knowing what you should and shouldn’t be taking with you. So here are a couple of general hacks you should use when you’re moving somewhere for a short period of time.
Find Out What’s Available
If you’re going to a semi-furnished home or dorm room for your college, you obviously won’t need to pack your entire bedroom. So, before you get excited and pack everything, make sure you know the amenities that’ll be provided where you’re moving.
If you’re going for a project-based activity, then you’ll probably be sharing the room with someone, and so you won’t need to bring kitchen appliances, television, cookware and other such items that are already a part of a fully functional home. It is best if you make a list of all the things available at the new location, so you know what you will and won’t need to take along.
Don’t Get Overwhelmed
The entire point of moving temporarily is not to get overwhelmed. Remember that you’re going to come back to the stuff you’re leaving behind and so you don’t need to take everything that you hold near and dear. Also, it is a good idea to hire professional movers but remember that the space you choose is paid for so you should use it wisely.
Some of the things you’ll need when you’re moving to a temporary location are clothes, toiletries, small electronics (laptops, chargers, smartphones, etc.) and other items that you think are important. Ideally, the things required for a temporary move should fit in two or three boxes at most, so there’s not a lot of hassle.
Look for Temporary Storage
If you’re moving from one place to another and need some time to move your belongings, you should also look for temporary storage options. Ensure that you have maximum protection for the things that you’ve stored and can access them quickly if you need.
If you’re looking for a storage solution for a short time, you can choose to trust your professional movers who can take care of your belongings. If however, you want to leave them for a long time, you should consider a self-storage unit as they’re economical and safe.
Think About the Climate
Summer, between the beginning of May and Labor Day, is an excellent time to move. So, if you’re moving temporarily for a season or two, make sure you pack accordingly.
For instance, if you’re moving for summer then you won’t need to make things heavy and pack sweaters or cardigans because these won’t just occupy space in your moving truck but will also be useless once you reach your destination. However, if you’re going to be attending winter at the new location, it is a good idea to pack in a few boots and appropriate footwear, so you’re safe.
Tips for Moving Permanently
Unlike moving temporarily where you’ll just need to pack a few of your essentials, packing permanently means you’ll need to take everything with you and you need to handle selling your home at the same time too. However, if you’re smart enough and know that not every item in the household needs to go where you’re going, you’ll set aside the expendables and either sell or donate them to charity. Once you’ve done that, consult the following tips to make your move more comfortable and less of a challenge.
Don’t Attempt to Do It All on Your Own
One of the best decisions you’ll make when planning your move is to hire a professional mover who can help you with everything. Moving an entire household from one place to another isn’t a piece of cake. This is why you need professionals who can help you take care of the details, so you don’t have to stress over everything.
Professional residential movers handle home moving every day, so it’s not much of a big deal for them. However, before you hire someone who doesn’t know what he’s doing, make sure you research and read reviews and testimonials about the company.
Packing Clothes
If you’re packing folded clothes, then the best way for them to occupy less space is to roll them instead of folding them. You can also go one step further and wrap one item into the other like for example folding your undergarments with shirts and pants is an excellent way to kill two birds with one stone. If on the other hand, you’re packing items in the hanger then what you can do is to leave the rods in and simply slip a garbage bag over them, so they remain safe during the move.
Packing Kitchen Items
To pack plates and other such fragile items, make sure you use clean clothes instead of the standard bubble wrap. Instead of placing your plates diagonally, put them vertically, so there is a reduced chance of breakage. You can also use Styrofoam plates between dishes, so they’re further protected from the outside environment. You can put knives in an oven mitt to protect other items from their sharp blades and help the blades remain shiny.
Packing Toiletries and Makeup
If you don’t want your brushes to bend during the move, you should store them in a tall glass or bottle. Also, use cotton balls to keep your foundation from breaking and stretch plastic cling film over opened toiletries, so they don’t end up spilling over. You can also use plastic rubber bands to keep similar sized products together, so they stay together and don’t disappear during the moving and packing.
Though there’re a lot of other things to do and hacks you could try for when you’re moving temporarily or permanently, these are some of the most awesome ones that you just can’t do without.
