Moving house can be one of the most stressful things you do!

A measurement of stress devised by psychiatrists Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe places various stressful life events on a scale from 100 (most stressful) to 1 (least stressful). With ‘death of a spouse’ topping the list, ‘change in residence’ comes further down the list at a score of 20. Holmes and Rahe determined that if your cumulative stress points added to more than 150 units, you could be at risk of illness as a result of the stress. Moving house on its own doesn’t seem that scary in the numbers, but when you look more closely, lots of other things could be happening at the same time, like changes in schools for the kids, change in living conditions, changes in your mortgage or loans, or weekly rental costs, changes in your sporting, church or social activities (if you moved far enough), and lots of other factors.

At Tony’s Transport, we reckon all of these things add up to a whole lot of stress for you and your partner, and probably your kids as well. Getting us to help make your house move go smoothly is really worth it. We can even help you with some great preparation tips that can ease the stress both before and after the house move too.

Below are some tips on how to best move your household, check them out they may come in useful.

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House and Office Moving Tips

Start Packing Early

Everyone always underestimates the packing time needed to pack small items. If packing yourself start well before the moving date. Do not leave it for the day before the move.

Mark Boxes Clearly By Room

Mark boxes clearly as to which room you want them placed in at your new house. An unmarked box slows up moving and causes confusion.

Don’t Under-Fill Packing Boxes

Partially filled boxes may collapse if heavy items are placed on top of them. Try to distribute your things evenly in the available boxes.

Avoid Overloading Boxes

Never overload box’s to the point of bulging. If your box cannot close, then you have packed to much into it.

Packing Service

To save you all the hard work of packing, talk to us about our packing services. You’re property will be in the best hands possible.

Desk Drawers and Wardrobes

Insure that all contents are removed from desk draws and wardrobes prior to the move.

Take a photo of how your electronics are connected so you can remember how and where all the wires go

Pick a color code for each room

Pick a color code for each room and label that room’s boxes accordingly. Label the door of each room with the corresponding sticker/tape so that movers know where to place the boxes

Make Lists & Label Your Packing Boxes

Make up a list to help you to record what’s in each box or container. Devise your own system but keep it simple and ensure that it will allow you to easily identify where everything is packed. For example you could use numbered labels and cross refer these to a list or notebook. In other words you could have a box numbered “6” and a reference to this in your notebook listing the contents of box number “6”.

Pack Heavy – Pack Light

Pack heavy items in small boxes and lighter items in larger boxes.

Know How to Pack Plates & Records

Plates and record albums should be packed on end vertically, rather than placed flat and stacked.

Chests of Drawers

Remove all breakable items from chests of drawers; clothing and soft items may remain. Try not to overload the draws.

Don’t Forget About the Fridge

Empty fridge/freezer on move day into chilli bins etc. Clean the fridge and don’t forget to empty the drip tray at the rear of the fridge. Always allow 45 minutes for the fridge to stand after it has been moved, before turning it on.

Shared Driveways

If you have a shared driveway, please speak to your neighbours and ask them to put their cars on the road prior to the truck arriving. Having to continuously move the truck in and out of the drive is time consuming and costly.

Pack Separately for the First 24-48 Hours

Don’t forget to plan for the first night in your new home. One of the most essential moving tips is to plan for the first night that you’ll spend in your new home.

The odds are that you will spend all day and evening moving and unpacking, yet you definitely won’t be settled in completely by the time you’re ready to hit the hay.

Set aside a box or suitcase to hold everything you will need for the first 24 hours of your move and label it clearly. This can include utensils for cooking, toiletries, a change of clothing and bedding so that you can sleep comfortably.