Moving Home
Moving from one home to another is a stressful activity, but it can be made easier with advance planning. Often when people have lived in one home for a long period of time, they have accumulated a lot of things that, realistically, they no longer need or want, but they haven’t taken the time to get rid of. This is the time to do so, rather than going to the expense of moving them and cluttering up the destination home as well. Unwanted objects can be recycled, give away to organizations like the Salvation Army or FreeCycle, consignment stores, or, if there is no other option, thrown away. Local libraries will often accept donations of used books, which they then sell to get funds to buy new books. Let your friends know, perhaps via email with photos, about things you want to give away. They may want them, or know of a young couple just starting out who could use them. It is tempting to get rid of small appliances or garden tools if you are moving a long distance and the moving cost is greater than the cost of a replacement item. However, many things nowadays are not as well-made as they used to be, so it is a good idea to first check that the item is actually still available for purchase and of good quality.
The moving industry has a chequered reputation, with numerous examples of overcharges by unethical companies to release items at the delivery point. It is crucial to check the reputation of any company you are considering. Also, as usual, recommendations from friends are important. Take photos of any valuable items and carefully go write their condition on the moving company’s paperwork before they are loaded onto the moving van, to be sure they are accurate. If you will not be at the delivery point when the van arrives, be sure a dependable person is there to check the items and has a form of payment that the moving company accepts.
Items of irreplaceable emotional value should be moved yourself, if possible. Very valuable or fragile items, such as paintings, should probably be moved by specialists, not by a regular moving company. There are also specialized companies that move cars, although most moving companies will move a car inside a regular moving van. The latter can expose the car to damage if it is not adequately protected.
It is tempting to pack your belongings yourself, but it can be an amazingly drawn out and tiring job to pack things safely. If you have found a reputable company, it is a lot easier to just let them do it and be sure they are clearly labelling which room each box came from. It is also a good idea to put items that will be immediately needed, such as a few pots and pans, some flatware, towels, sheets, a few changes of clothes, etc. in distinctively labelled boxes, so that you can quickly locate them at the destination while the rest of the items are unpacked at a more leisurely pace.
