As the day of the big move is nearing, you are probably starting to feel the stress. Have I packed everything, will the movers be careful enough with my belongings, will there be a traffic jam; the list of questions is endless. In order to free yourself from all the stress surrounding a typical move, there is a list of things you can do to influence a positive outcome. You should be 100% ready when the movers pull up your driveway so here are the topmost 10 tips on what needs to be ready for this moment.

Packing is not a one-man job

Yes, we know that you know best what items go to which box but actually filing al the boxes to the brim is no easy task. That is why it would be good to have as many helping hands as possible. Invite your friends and family over prior to the move to organize a “packing party.” You will prepare snacks, ice-cold drinks, music, and plenty of humor for the occasion. On the other side, your helpers will need to bring a good mood and a strong upper body.

Size matters

The most important point in terms of space is the comparison of the size of your current abode against the square meters at your disposal at the new place. Perhaps you have too much stuff that won’t fit and they will have to go straight to the shed, down in the basement or in a storage unit. It is wiser not to bring this extra stuff in the first place. Auction it off on eBay or similar websites to make an extra buck that could cover the cost of the move. Alternatively, you can donate clothes to charity or offer a heater to your friends if you’re moving into a tropical climate. Remember, the move is not supposed to be a 1-to-1 project.

Labeling and sorting out

Although the move itself might take as little as one hour, the packaging will have to take much longer. Merely throwing everything you can get your hands on into a large box is out of the question. There should be as many individual boxes, as there are different types of things that need packing. Furthermore, don’t forget to label the content of each box so you could unpack quicker. These signs will be of use to the movers as well because they will know which boxes are fragile and need to be handled with care.

When loading onto the truck, it is useful for the crew to know how much each box weighs, do they distribute the cargo. Many moving trucks are higher than a conventional van or lorry so they can tip over while turning at speed if they loaded improperly. Finally, the labels will ensure that nobody places the box with garden tools on the box containing the fine china set. If such a scenario does occur and the boxes were labeled, then you’ll know who to blame. Speaking of blame, have you thought about getting an insurance policy yet?

Insuring your property

Since things can get damaged due to improper handling, it is wise to have an additional layer of security. No, we are not talking about bubble wrap (at least not for now), but of ensuring all your belongings that are about to embark on a long journey to their new home. You have the option to get full-value coverage which is paid extra or basic coverage which is worth around 60 cents per pound of the load. Our advice is to get the full coverage for those boxes and containers where valuable items are stored. If you are unsure what exactly does fall under the scope of the coverages, the good people at the moving company should be able to explain it to you in detail.

Movers with the right moves

When choosing the removal company, it is important to take a look at their portfolio. Believe it or not but there are several types of moves and no single move is the same. There are long hauls, local moves, interstate moves, international shipping, etc. You should hire a company that specializes in a move that you need in particular. If you are moving between states, then look for interstate removal quotes and choose the offer that suits you the best. Some companies offer up to a month of free storage so be on the lookout for such perks and special offers. Also, if you are feeling like a detective, you can go through their social media pages to see if their clients are happy with the service provided.

Create an itinerary

Nobody likes to dabble with sheets of paper and go around cataloging everything they have. However, you stand to gain more if you create a precise itinerary. Firstly, you will be able to get a more accurate quote and a price estimate. If you get the calculations wrong, extra man hours will hurt your budget.

Secondly, you will have written proof when it comes to generating the final invoice. We presume that you trust the moving company but is always better to keep track of the cost on your own as well. Also, if anything gets lost or damaged during transport, then you can make a claim for refund using your itinerary. Not a fan of pen and paper? No worries, there are plenty of smartphone apps to help you with the move.

Protecting pretty much everything

Back to the packing bit; no matter how well you distribute all the stuff that needs moving, you can always go the extra length to additionally protect it. Each individual item has a different method of protection. For instance, you should tape a mirror so as to prevent them from shattering if they get hit. Furthermore, the fridge can use a defrosting as there is no point in moving ice, right? If the move is a long haul, then the ice will melt and all the water coming from the freezer will destroy the rest of the boxes onboard the truck.

Packing is not a contact sport

You can pack the boxes and bags to the brim but there shouldn’t be any contact between individual items inside them. Putting bubble wrap between individual items inside the box will help prevent friction between them and minimize the possibility of something breaking, chipping or cracking. Although it is impossible to carefully wrap everything you pack, at least secure china and other fragile stuff with bubble wrap. The rest can be partitioned using newspapers, as the primary concern is to prevent individual items from touching or scraping against each other. As a final method, you can use soft toys, towels, and pillows to serve as fillers.

Custom handles

Regardless of where you have outsourced the boxes from, they are highly unlikely to have holes for handles. It is up to you to create them because manipulating a heavy and cumbersome box can prove too much for the handlers to handle, pun intended. The best shape that will give structural support is a triangle whose tip is facing down. Make the sides long enough so that even men with large hands can get a firm grip on them. Since boxes are made from cardboard and not wood, puncturing these holes should be easy enough using a simple cutting too. Apart from their main purpose, they will also serve as an indicator of what is the top and the bottom part of the box, so as to prevent tumbling their content.

A pre-move photo session

If you’re a born photographer, then it’s time to show your talent before the move starts. There are certain things that might prove hard to reconnect and reassemble at the new location. A typical example is the cables that hook up to the back of your desktop computer. Instead of wasting time trying to remember which connector went to with jack, you can just take a look at the picture you had made before you disconnected everything. Just don’t get carried away and add a black-and-white filter.

A move, no matter what distance does it have to cover, has a higher chance of going smoothly if you prepare well. Go through the 10 moving tips listed here and try to adhere to them for a stress-free removal.