We’ve all done it. Whether it’s the first time venturing away from the family home, or a more frequent occurrence, moving can be a very stressful experience.

It takes a lot of time, energy, & effort, not to mention emotional fortitude to pack one’s entire existence into boxes & move it from one home to the next. We experience the full gamut of emotions as we re-live memories past from one space while looking forward to the memories that are yet to be formed in our new home.

1 - Start Early

The most important thing is to be as organized ahead of time as best you can (& sometimes we don’t have the benefit of time to do so). Begin by reaching out to moving companies for quotes on costs as well as availability as soon as possible, they often book out quickly.

Once a mover has been secured & a date set, speak with your Building Manager (if you’re in an apartment) to lock in a move out date. The same applies to your new destination if it is another apartment complex, to secure the lift for your move in. There are often many rules regarding the timing & number of hours that a lift can be reserved, you want them to be able to mesh at both destinations on the same day.

2 - De-clutter

It’s often not necessary for apartment dwellers, we all live with minimal space & storage as is, but moving is the perfect opportunity to purge any oft-used or forgotten items ahead of time. Moving unnecessary items is a waste of time, energy, & more importantly money.

Living in apartment complexes we have the opportunity to donate items in charity bins, as well as having hard rubbish removal once a month. If you are fortunate enough to have a building message board or app to post items no longer needed, that’s a terrific means to be able to re-purpose items & keep them out of landfills.

3 - Pre-pack

Organize for packing materials to be delivered to you, or collect boxes as soon as you can. Asking around your building can be a great way to save money by re-using moving boxes from someone who may have just moved in. Also, a quick search on Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace can source you less expensive materials. It’s helpful to get as many similar sized boxes as you can for easier stacking. Use any spare time that you have early on to pack the things that you don’t use regularly.

4 - Lighten the fridge

We usually don’t think about how much food we may have on hand, whether it’s in the pantry, fridge or freezer. It’s never too early to start eating your way through food items, especially frozen & refrigerated goods which are more difficult to move & need to be done at the last minute.

5 - Label, label, label

I cannot reiterate enough how important it is to label boxes. Note the room that it was sourced from, plus the contents inside, & don’t just label the top, label one or two sides of the boxes also. That way, when dozens of boxes are stacked on top of one another, you can still locate what you are searching for.

6 - Important items

Ensure you set aside any important items, whether they be personal papers, computers, passports, keys, jewellery, etc. & pack those last & keep them near you (or better yet, have a friend mind them on move day).

If disassembling furniture, be sure to tape any screws to the larger pieces, or bag & tape them together. Similarly, snap a few photos of any computer or electronic cables so you remember how to reconnect them in your new home.

7 - Change of address

Make a list of all the places where you will need to update your new address. If you know who may be moving into your home, you can ask that they forward any mail, same applies to letting your Building Manager know of your new details, in addition to formal mail forwarding via the post office.

8 - Last items to pack

I’m sure we have all been caught out with a move when we have arrived at our new home & don’t know where to begin unpacking. The best tip that I can recommend is to focus on setting up any beds with bedding first. These are likely to be the last items that are packed on your move day anyway. After a long day of moving & unpacking, you’re going to be ready to tumble into bed for a good night’s rest, & you can’t do that if your bed is not assembled or made.

Along with bedding, be sure to set aside these items for easy access in your new space: some cutlery, perhaps a glass/cup, bowl, or plate (plastic will do). A garbage bag, toilet paper, soap & small towel. Some toiletries, pyjamas, & a change of clothes for the next day. Additionally, be sure to have on hand a box cutter or Stanley knife (you need to be able to open all of those taped up boxes!) & a screwdriver, to re-assemble any furniture items.

Leave any operating manuals behind for heating/air-conditioning, ovens, dishwashers etc., you won’t be needing them where you are going, & it will be very helpful to whoever is taking up residency in your old place.

All in all, be kind to yourself. Embrace this new chapter in your life and make the most of it. It’s a new home, a new beginning, and literally, a new door opening for you! Happy packing!