The essentials for moving day

It’s moving day. You’ve done all your preparation and now you’re waiting for your moving company to arrive. What’s left to do? As there is so much involved in moving house, it’s not uncommon to get that nagging feeling that you’ve forgotten something. And the last thing you need on moving day is any sense of anxiety. Here’s a final checklist for peace of mind.

Check every cupboard and drawer

Walk through your home room by room and check every cupboard, drawer, closet, cabinet or space where something may have been forgotten. Remember to check on top of cabinets too. Many kitchens have fixed cabinets which don’t reach the ceiling, the perfect place for a forgotten item or two. Also check under cabinets which have open toe spaces, which notoriously become the home for odd socks. It pays to have one unsealed box on hand for any items you may find.

Remember the conveniences

Even though you’re packing everything up, don’t forget the conveniences on moving day for both yourself and your movers. Keep paper cups in the kitchen if anyone needs a drink of water. Many people forget that moving is demanding on the body, even if you’re not doing any lifting yourself. It’s important to stay hydrated.

Make sure your bathrooms, toilets or en suites have toilet paper, soap and a hand towel for rest stops. You don’t need to pack these up when your movers have finished. Leaving your old home ‘bathroom ready’ for the new occupants is a polite gesture. Likewise, when you arrive at your new home, you’ll appreciate not having to find these items if you need the bathroom immediately.

Prepare for your movers

One of the most important jobs on moving day is finding the best space for your movers to park the truck. If you share a driveway or have limited parking space, it pays to contact your neighbours ahead of the truck arriving if it will obstruct the flow of traffic. Ideally, you want the moving truck as close as possible with the rear facing your home.

Next, consider the path your movers will take when going back and forth from the truck. Open gates and clear as many tripping hazards and obstacles as possible. Inside your home, you can place old towels, flattened boxes or boards if you’re concerned about mud, but most professional movers will use floor runners to prevent soiling carpets and floors. Also clear obstacles inside to create a clear path, as this will speed up the process and get you to your new home sooner.

Make sure you have disposed of any unmovable items

Movers can’t carry certain items, usually for safety reasons and most commonly by law. These include items such as firearms and ammunition, chemicals, cylinders of gas, flammable goods and many others (check our moving tips page for the full list). Professional movers should provide you with this information, so check through the list and make sure you’ve disposed of all your unmovable items.

Check your car is ready to go

Make sure you have a full tank of fuel or battery and top up your oil levels ahead of departure. Load your car with your overnight or essentials bags making sure you have enough space for any last minute additions such as plants or travel cages for pets.

That’s it, you’re ready for your movers. If you need any more information about how to prepare for moving day, feel free to give us a call.