Moving is vexing, packing is frustrating, organising is headache-inducing, and loading and unloading all your items is tiring. The one thing you should avoid is not having sufficient time to move.
In an ideal situation, you had wanted to plan your move as early as possible, maybe one to two months early, to ensure a smooth and easy transition. However, sometimes life does not always work that way.
Whether your landlord requires you to move suddenly or you have procrastinated until the night before moving day, knowing how to pack quickly and efficiently will come in handy. Without further ado, here are 12 steps to take note of should you need to move in a hurry.
1. Line up your rental truck or moving company now
When you are forced to conduct a last-minute move, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the things you need to do. Not knowing how to begin your moving process can be paralysing, and that is perfectly normal. Hence, the first thing to do as soon as you know that you have to move is to engage a moving company or rent a moving truck should you be moving on your own.
2. Keep a close eye on your valuables
Whether you are moving in a hurry or not, it can get disorganised and messy very quickly, resulting in misplacing or losing valuable items, such as your personal devices, cash, or jewellery. In order to avoid any misunderstanding with the people who are helping in your moving process, such as friends, cleaning companies, or movers, keep your valuables close to you.
3. Do not hesitate to throw away or donate less-used or old items
As soon as you have planned out your move, you need to start packing and sorting through your personal belongings. You can make your move easier by sorting through items that you do not need, are old, or are spoilt. If they are still in working condition, consider donating them or giving them away to your neighbours and friends. If they are not functional, then throw them away appropriately.
Remember to do this while you are organising your items and not while you are packing them. For bulky items, such as old furniture, inquire if your moving company provides bulky furniture disposal services.
4. Gather your supplies
In order to avoid having to make multiple trips to a supply store, ensure that you plan your packing process so that you know what you need. In terms of what supplies you need, prioritise essentials, such as dish covers, furniture protectors, moving boxes, packing paper, and packing tapes.
5. Do not worry too much about organising
An ideal situation will allow you sufficient time to organise your items in well-labelled boxes neatly. However, when moving in a hurry, you might not have the luxury of time to do so. However, despite the rush, do remember to secure your fragile items by wrapping them up nicely in packing paper.
You might also want to inquire with your moving company about what else they can do besides packing to make your move more efficient.
6. Wake up earlier during moving day
While this sounds pretty obvious, waking up earlier will help you to finish what needs to be completed for that day. Waking up earlier might even help to relieve some stress and anxiety because you do not have extra time to make sure that you have gotten everything ready for the move.
7. Get help
Moving is a significant task, especially when time is not on your hands. It is advisable that you turn to your family and friends to get some extra help. Having a few pairs of helping hands will also keep you focused on your move, allowing you to stay on track.
8. Engaging a cleaning company
It can be easy to overlook the fact that someone else is going to be taking over your place once you move out. If you have to move urgently, chances are that you probably will not have sufficient time to clean up the place. Hence, engaging a cleaning company might be the solution.
9. Involve your kids if you have any
It can be frustrating, especially if you are moving with children. You know how it can be once they start getting distracted or bored. Hence, getting them involved is one way of avoiding such inconvenience. While you should not let them help in the entire packing process, you might want to consider getting them to pack up their personal belongings, such as their books and stuffed toys. You can even turn it into a game by seeing who can pack their room the fastest.
10. Take photos before you pack
Taking photos of your items before you pack them will help you to take stock of what you own, allowing you to keep track of everything you will be moving to your new place. If you engage a moving service, having such documentation will also help you be aware of them should they be damaged or lost during the move.
11. Use your space efficiently
Efficiency is key when moving in a hurry, whether it is packing space or time. One of the best space-saving tips we can give you is to utilise your larger items, such as bags, to hold smaller items. Additionally, instead of using as many boxes as you can, consider using suitcases or duffel bags to hold your items.
12. Stay focused
It is common to get distracted by specific items, such as old photos, during the move. However, staying focused is key during a rush move. Do not stop to reminisce until your immediate task is completed.
Conclusion
An efficient move can only happen when you plan well and stay on task. Nevertheless, it does not hurt to get professional help. Here at JC Movers, our team is experienced not only as residential movers but also as office movers in Singapore. Do not hesitate to reach out to us for your moving needs. Contact us today to get a quote!