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Moving Out
Moving Out and Moving On Tips: On the day of your move, have a good breakfast to give you energy for the work ahead. Ensure that any children or pets accompanying you will be safe and well-cared for during the day.
Moving Out: Loading a Vehicle
Never overload a vehicle, as doing so may damage the chassis. Make several trips or use multiple vehicles if you have a lot to move. If you rent a vehicle, check its maximum load capacity. Carry essential items with you in a car so that they are easily accessible.
Arranging Contents
- Loading Heavy Items: Put heavy items around the edges of the vehicle. Space them out to distribute their weight evenly.
- Adding Boxes: Fit boxes securely in the spaces between heavy items. Put padding, such as old blankets, around boxes so that they will not move.
- Checking Visibility: When loading a car, check regularly to ensure that the load does not block the view in the rearview mirror. Leave a clear space so that you can use the mirror and drive safely.
Securing Large Items
Hold a large item to the inside of the vehicle with a bungee cord or rope. Lay the cord or rope over an old blanket so that it does not scrape the surfaces of the item.
Loading Efficiently
Ensure that you can move heavy objects smoothly to avoid damaging them or causing injuries.
Lifting Safely
Rent the appropriate equipment to move heavy items safely.
Items to Keep on Hand on Moving Day
- Toilet Paper
- Saucepan
- Cleaning Items
- Can Opener
- Lubricating Oil
- Picnic Items
- Basic Tools, such as an Adjustable Wrench
- Kitchen Knives
- Packing Tape
- Paper Towels
- Safety Pins
- Tea and Coffee
- Vacuum Flask
- Food for Quick Meals
- Lightbulbs
Clothes, Linens, and Toiletries
- One Change of Clothes per Person
- Shampoo
- One Set of Bedding per Person
- Toothbrushes and Toothpaste
- Home Medical Kit for First Aid
- Hairbrush
- Towels
- Deodorant
- Moisturizer
- Soap
Supervising Children During a Move
Small children may obstruct workers or be injured during a move, so it’s best to ask a relative or friend to take care of them until the new home is ready. If you must have children with you, keep them safe and involved in the event.
Caring for Children
- Traveling between homes: If you have to make several trips between homes, always check where the children are before you go so that no child is left alone in an empty house.
- Making a long trip: Stop at intervals so everyone can stretch their legs, use the bathroom, and perhaps have something to eat. Don’t leave your vehicle unattended.
- Preparing a quiet room: Clear a space in a room away from moving work, so children can watch television or occupy themselves with quiet activities.
Involving Children in a Move
Even very young children can be given useful tasks and may enjoy feeling involved. However, they will become tired sooner than adults, so allow time and space for them to rest.
- Preparing children: Tell them how exciting the move will be so they view it positively.
- Organizing bedrooms: Move furniture into children’s bedrooms as soon as possible. Encourage them to unpack their own belongings.
- Delegating tasks: Ask older children to start jobs such as cleaning cabinets, unpacking items like dishes and cutlery, and washing items before putting them away. Ensure they won’t be in the way of movers.
- Guarding pets: If you have brought pets with you, ask a child to put them in a quiet room and stay with them so they do not escape. Whenever the movers take a break, invite the children to come and share refreshments and company.
Taking Care of Pets
Once you’ve brought pets to your new home, make them feel settled as soon as possible. Give them food and water, and take them for a run or provide fresh litter. Keep pets away from the movers so they won’t be disturbed by the commotion.
Transporting Fish
Taking water: Before packing a tank, put some of the tank water into the thermoses. Use it to keep the fish at the correct temperature during the move.
Moving Cats and Dogs
- Using kennels: Consider putting cats and dogs into kennels until your new home is organized to keep them from being upset by a move.
- Taking refreshments: When transporting a cat or dog, carry food and water, bowls, and a litter box (for cats). Take rest stops so the animal can have a little fresh air or exercise.
- Moving in: On arriving at your new home, shut a cat or dog in a room with food, water, and a litter box if needed. Put a “do not disturb” sign on the door to prevent further agitation of the animal.
- Keeping indoors: Confine pets in your home or garden for a few days to let them settle into their new territory.
Moving Other Pets
If you’re traveling with rodents, ask your vet if you may borrow a special pet carrier for them. Secure the carrier in the car using a seat belt and make sure someone sits beside it to look after the animals.
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Moving In
By working systematically, you can soon make your home habitable and pinpoint any existing or potential problems.
Moving In: Organizing a New Home
Before you start to unpack, check the power supplies and structure of the property to make sure that there are no problems. If the previous occupants promised to leave you appliances or fixtures, check that these are in place. Make sure that all areas are clean and safe.
Moving In: Making a Moving Checklist
Check the following items to test the efficiency of all household items and systems:
- Door and window locks
- Windows
- Electricity
- Boiler and radiators
- Stove
- Water valves and faucets
- Drains
- Telephone
- Kitchen appliances
Moving In: Checking Systems
- Testing hot water: Run the hot tap of a bath for a few minutes, then run the shower. Check that the water is hot and the water pressure is adequate.
- Assessing water quality: Turn on the faucets to see if the water is clear. If it is discolored, leave the water running for a few minutes. If the water does not clear, call a plumber or contact the water company.
- Looking for leaks: To check for leaks in water pipes, turn the faucets up in full force.
- Testing electric circuits: Carry a small lamp and plug it into all the sockets in each room to see if the outlets are working.
- Trying a stove: Boil a small pan of water on each burner, in turn, to make sure that they all work. Turn on the oven and broiler to see if they work.
Finding Problem Areas
- Assessing rooms: Look around the empty rooms. Make a note of problems such as scuffed walls or damp areas so that you can treat them before you settle into the property.
- Testing floors: Walk across any bare floorboards to find out if they creak or sag. Avoid placing items on these areas and repair them before carpeting.
- Checking insulation: Make a note of areas where insulation could be improved, such as gaps around a window or door.
Moving In: Preparing Rooms
- Airing rooms: If your new home has been empty for longer than a few days, the air may be stale. Open the windows for a while, then close them, and turn on the heat if necessary. This will also give you an opportunity to check that the radiators work.
- Cleaning quickly: Make sure that surfaces are clean before positioning furniture on them. Dust baseboards, vacuum the carpets, and wash the kitchen and bathroom floors.
- Hanging curtains: Use a damp cloth to wipe curtain rods and clean windows before you hang curtains.
- Airing furnishings: If pillows, cushions, or mattresses have been transported in plastic covers, unwrap them and let them air well before use.
Making a Home Safe
- Masking danger spots: Cover unsafe areas, such as weak flooring or exposed wires, to make them safe until you can have them properly repaired.
- Blocking windows: Place furniture in front of windows where children could fall out. When possible, replace the furniture with window guards.
- Inspecting the garden: Check the garden for any poisonous plants. Do not let children or pets out until you have moved or destroyed such plants.
Safeguard Tip
Repairing a leaking faucet: If the body of a faucet leak, the packing inside may be worn. To replace it, remove the faucet handle and the topmost nut on the spindle. If the packing is a string, scrape it out. Coat a new length of string with petroleum jelly and wind it into the space. Push it in with a screwdriver.
Unloading Possessions Safely
Using your room plan, place each object in the desired position in the correct room before unloading the next. To keep people and possessions safe, make sure that you and your helpers do not risk injury and never leave a moving van unattended.
- Anticipating Accidents: Shielding hands: Provide strong gloves for helpers to prevent cuts and blisters. Supply hand cream so that people can keep their hands from becoming dry.
- Moving furniture upstairs: To move a large piece of furniture upstairs, first lay it on its back on the stairs. Have one or two people pushing it from below and another person above the object to steady it.
- Taking breaks: Make sure that everyone takes regular breaks for rest and provide refreshments to help people maintain energy levels.
Organizing Vehicles
- Reserving parking: Talk to your new neighbors before a move. Ask them to keep the road in front of your home clear for moving vans.
- Parking safely: Before you unload a vehicle, have it parked as close as possible to the entrance of your home. Besides minimizing the distance for carrying objects, this will enable you to watch the vehicle from a window.
- Standing guard: Ask a helper to stay with an open vehicle at all times, either unloading objects from the interior or standing guard beside it.
Planning a System for Unloading
Prepare rooms before starting work. Unload items in a logical order to save yourself work once the move is over.
- Preparing floors: Cover floors with newspapers to protect them from damage while you are unloading.
- Labeling rooms: Label each door as shown on your floor plan. Display the plan by the front door for reference.
- Moving possessions: Unload large pieces of furniture first so that you can position them correctly at the outset.
Unpacking Possessions
First, unpack only the furniture and items that you need immediately. Leave objects such as books, ornaments, and linens until you have finished organizing furniture and storage areas. Take time to decide where to put these items so that you can store them in a suitable way.
Unpacking Efficiently
- Clean spaces: Clean storage spaces before filling them. Dust and wash shelves and the insides of cabinets. Allow the washed areas to dry completely before use.
- Check objects: As you unpack, check items for damage and perform any necessary cleaning.
- Dust books: Brush books with a clean feather duster to remove any dust before putting them on bookshelves.
- Wash ornaments: Wash ornaments carefully in a bowl of warm, soapy water, and dry them thoroughly using a clean dish towel.
- Unpack kitchen items: As you unpack equipment in a kitchen, position it nearest to the areas where it will be used.
Recycling Materials
Save plastic bags: Once you have unpacked items from plastic bags, fold the bags and keep them in a cabinet for reuse in garbage cans.
Improvising a Curtain
If you have used any blankets for wrapping items, take them off the items and fasten them over a curtain rod with safety pins. This will give you some privacy until you can unpack your curtains.
Using up Packaging
If you have used newspapers as packing material during a move, save the newspapers and use them to buff windows after washing. Make sure that the windows are damp when you buff them; otherwise, the newspaper may scratch the glass.
Tip: For more information on moving, such as moving out or moving to a new house, click on the “tags” below.
