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Sometimes circumstances are such that it is impossible to avoid moving into a flat from a cottage. And then the owners begin to panic—things that have been lying in the pantry for years, in the attic, suddenly come to the fore, and everyday items become truly gigantic in size. How to pack it all? What to take away?

Here are some simple and useful tips written by A Plus Moving LLC for those who are going to move from a large and spacious house to a flat:

Image source: freepik

 

Key One is Calm

First of all, sit down and calm down. Even if you are given a minimal amount of time to move, fuss and panic will in no way contribute to a quick, and most importantly, quality packing. So take a deep breath, say to yourself: “I can do it! I can do it!” And start organising the move.

If funds allow—order the service move on a turnkey basis. This includes the necessary calculations, packing/loading/unloading, and even the arrangement of interior items in the new place. So you will spend time on someone else’s work but save your own effort, time and nerves.

Organising a move is not as simple as it seems at first glance. Here, you will need the ability to calculate in your mind and use a logical approach to solving the tasks at hand. Therefore, do not hesitate to sketch out a small plan on paper, at least for yourself. Spell out what should be done point by point: “Count the amount of furniture”, “Call the moving company”, etc. With such a plan of action, you can safely deploy a military operation under the code Moving.

Key Two is Reconnaissance

Conduct a reconnaissance of the house. Look carefully at the things that lie in the various auxiliary rooms—maybe you do not need them so much since they have been dusty here for years? Then you’ll need fewer packing materials and even less transport, which means you’ll save time and money.

Count the amount of furniture and household appliances—by providing this information to the moving company’s operator, it will be much easier to know the approximate cost of the work.

Buy packaging of various varieties and types, as well as tape and twine—everything will come in handy in the economy, as the folk wisdom says. Stretch film is convenient for wrapping houseplants, air-bubble film is perfect for fragile and breakable items, and cardboard boxes can hold small trinkets that are pleasing to the eye.

Consult with experts on how to pack and move a particular item—for example, a pool table or a half-wall aquarium. You may have to call a handyman to help you sort out the problem.

Start calling moving companies specialising in removals in advance. You should not expect that you will be able to get a moving order for the first time—not all organisations will undertake an operation of this scale. Someone does not have enough moving trucks, and someone—qualified personnel… If there are acquaintances in this area, you can turn to them. However, it is better to hire people who are not related to you in any way. It is not for nothing that they say: “Never do business with relatives and acquaintances”. Moving is also a kind of small business, and for all failures (if any), you will have to ask your friends. This is, at the very least, a damaged relationship. Do you need it?

When talking to the operator of the company, you need to provide the following information:

• the amount of property to be moved;
• the route (address of the place of dispatch and the final destination);
• characteristic features of the cargo—heaviness (weight over 100kg is negotiated separately), large dimensions;
• the presence of lifts and stairs—both in the former dwelling and in the new flat.

This way it will be much easier to imagine how much the move will cost, how much money to prepare…

Key Three is Insurance 

If your property consists of valuable items, do not be lazy to conclude a contract of insurance of moving goods. Anything can happen on the road, and you will only have to blame yourself for the fact that your favourite clay teapots from the Qing era broke. When making an inventory of expensive things, do not forget to specify in what condition they are in. After the move, the condition of things is again assessed, and for all the newly appeared chips and scratches, the carrier must be responsible.

Key Four is Packing 

Having discussed all the details, you can start packing your belongings. Keep in mind that this kind of moving, as a rule, does not last more than one day. If you will be staying overnight in the same cottage, pack the items that you need the least in everyday life first. Leave everything you need so that when you come back for the night, you won’t miss your pillow or you won’t be able to take a shower because “everything that was in the bathroom has gone to the new flat”.

Make a detailed inventory of your belongings and sign the cardboard boxes to make it easy to unpack later.

Do not fuss, and do not distract the movers during the work. All the same from the fact that you walk back and forth across the room and frantically grab one thing or another—the move will not go faster. You’ll only make the process of taking your possessions out and loading them into a vehicle more difficult.

Conclusion

By following these simple, practical tips, you will avoid many of the mistakes that are made during the moving process. This means that such a labour-intensive, demanding and nerve-racking procedure will be much easier, faster and without unnecessary losses!