Moving is a complex process consisting of preparing, packing, loading, and transporting items to a new address. For this reason, many people opt to hire one of the services from Fairfax Transfer and Storage than do it all by themselves. However, just because you hired movers to pack up your home doesn’t mean that you can sit back, relax, and wait for them to handle everything. Taking steps to prepare your home before the movers arrive will help make sure that the packing and moving day goes as smoothly as possible. Therefore, here are a few things to do before the movers show up at your home.
What are the things to do before the movers show up in your home?
Moving day is just a small part of moving preparation. You can say it’s just one step toward your ultimate goal of moving to another home. Residential movers Northern VA are your partner in this case, but they are not the only ones who will be doing your relocation. Usually, you should start preparing for your relocation at least a month or two in advance. Of course, it will depend on how much free time you have and how big your home is. Also, there are things you need to do before your professional movers arrive, and they are the following:
- Prepare your belongings.
- Declutter
- Make an inventory.
- Pack forbidden items.
- Deal with the paperwork
Go through your belongings
Before your local movers Northen VA come to your home, it is always a good idea to go through your belongings. This way, you can decide which items you don’t need or want in your new home. As you go through your belongings, focus on getting rid of items that you don’t like, use, or that will not fit in your new home. For example, if you have a desk that you haven’t used in a long time, maybe it’s time for it to go. Additionally, if you have an oversized couch that will not fit through the door at your new home, don’t bring it with you. Spend some time going through each room in your home before your move. Arrange to either donate or sell the items that you don’t want in your home.
Make a plan for items the movers can’t pack for you
It may appear strange that you need to pack some items when you hire a moving company to provide you packing services Northern VA. However, movers cannot pack up everything in your home for you. There are some items that movers are not allowed to pack or transport in their vehicles. If you have any items that your movers won’t be able to take on their truck, you will have to figure out how to pack and transport them. The most common forbidden items to move are hazardous items, fresh food, plants, flammable items, etc. For this reason, it’s important to sort out your belongings and make an inventory. There are a few options available for these types of items. You can either move them yourself or declutter them. The better option for flammable items is to simply declutter them, as they can be dangerous to move.
What to do with hazardous items?
Movers can’t pack dangerous or hazardous items. There are many items in your house that you may be surprised are considered hazardous items, such as nail polish remover, paint, and even matches. Other items may not be as surprising, such as fireworks, lighter fluid, and propane cylinders. You will have to pack and transport hazardous items in your own vehicle or properly dispose of them before your move. Some hazardous items, such as batteries, can be recycled. Also, there is a proper way to dispose of each hazardous household item. You should avoid throwing these items into a trash bin or flushing them down the toilet. This can be very dangerous for people and animals in your neighborhood.
Fresh food and plants
Most moving companies will pack up sealed, non-perishable items for you, such as all the canned and boxed food in your pantry. On the other hand, most moving companies cannot pack opened food or perishable food items. The rules, however, differ from one company to the next. If you are making a short move across town or a few hours away, you can pack up perishable food in an ice chest and move it yourself. However, if you are making a long-distance move, it is better to either use up, give away, or donate any perishable food items before your moving day. Most moving companies will not move your plants for you. If you have a lot of houseplants, you’ll want to pack them up and move them yourself. Be sure to warp the containers up and place each plant in a box so that it stands up.
Why is it important to do certain things before the movers show up?
As you can see, there are a few things to do before the movers show up at your home. These are all fairly easy things to do. The hardest part of relocation will be handled by your professional movers. For this reason, go through your belongings so you are only moving what you want to move. Make sure that you also prepare a disposal and packing plan for the items in your home. Additionally, you should pack an essential box and clean the exit pathway for professional movers. If you have some free time on your hands, you can also measure door frames and your bigger furniture. You need to check if your furniture can fit through. If your furniture is too big to go through the doorframe, you should think about disassembling it.
