Finding and finally moving to one’s own perfect condo is one of the most life-changing and significant stages that people go through. It is exciting as it is daunting and do not forget stressful. Stress begins the moment you look around your house or condominium and realize that you have to pack and move everything out.
Moving in to a new house is the third most stressful life event according to the Worldwide Employee Relationship Council, as cited by 3rd Culture Children, next only to death and divorce. Relocating becomes overwhelming when you have kids who have to be uprooted from their school, if you have to find a new job, finding a home loan, and making new friends. Add to that the finding, sorting, and packing for that big condo move.
Getting used to a new community and making sure you have the best condo location in the Philippines are hard enough. At least make moving a breeze with these practical tips and tricks for easy move in:
Plan and Prepare
Give yourself enough time to do everything. Make a plan, keep a list and stick to them. Secure all-important documents in one folder especially papers related to the move in. The last thing you want is spending a whole day in a move-in truck trying to find the documents that you have to produce before you can actually move in.
Start With Non-Essentials
Organize your thoughts and plan what you need to pack first. Start with the things that you rarely use so you can start packing even weeks before. For example, books and artworks may be stored in boxes first and you can go about living a normal life.
Roll and Slide Clothes
There are always too many clothes. Cabinets full of clothes can make anyone step back a little. What are you supposed to do with them?
Instead of folding clothes one piece at a time, try rolling them up. This saves energy, time, and space. For the pieces that you need to hang, slide clothes in hangers directly to a big plastic bag.
No Bubble Wrap, No Problem
If you should label a box “fragile,” be faithful to it. One of the most challenging things to pack is the breakables like mirrors, dishes, frames, etc. Save bubble wrap and screw the newspaper trick by using your shirts in wrapping the breakables instead. For extra padding, pack your glasses, stemware, and utensils in socks. Talk about hitting two birds with one stone is the essence of condo moving hacks–packing your clothes and kitchenware at the same time.
Stack With Styro
If you don’t want to use your clothes, another storage hack is stacking breakable plates with Styrofoam plates in between one another. Remember to pack plates vertically so they are less likely to break.
Label and Color
Don’t forget to label each box with what’s inside and which part of the condo the boxes belong. Put the labels on the side, not on the top, so you still see them even after you stack them up. You can also color code the boxes so you can spot them easily.
Lift That Box
Cut a rectangular or triangular shape on two opposite sides of a box. This will serve as handles for easy lifting.
Don’t Lift, Just Slide
Dressers and drawers are a big and heavy problem. Normally, it takes at least two people to lift and carry them out of the house. Make moving in so much easier by just folding towels and placing one under each end then just slide the furniture. You can also use aluminum foil.
For other heavy items, pack them is a suitcase. The handles and wheels will make it easier to transport.
Small Trouble
Sometimes the hardest things to pack are the tiny ones like screws. Store them in sandwich bags so it will be easier to find them when you put your bed frame or bookshelf back together. Do the same for accessories like headpieces or earrings (real, expensive ones may need a different storage). You can also place small jewelry into an ice cube tray and seal it with a wrap to make sure they are secure.
Avoid Messy Problems
Don’t add to the clutter by having your toiletries like shampoo leaking all over the place. Cover all bottles of liquid with plastic wrap before putting the top back on to avoid messy explosions.
Stuff the Cord
For the stubborn cords, organize them by wrapping each cord up and stuffing it inside empty toilet paper rolls.
Moving APP
Aside from hiring movers, another way to make moving in easier is by using mobile applications like Moving Day app. This will help you catalog the things you pack so you can keep track of all your things. It also has a built-in bar code scanner and label maker.
Overnight Bag
Pack an overnight bag with all your essentials like a change of clothes, toiletries, gadgets and chargers. Packing and moving takes days so don’t sweat over small things like where to find your clothes when you need to take a bath or where to find the charger when your mobile gets drained.
Putting everything you have in boxes just so you can take them all out again is so overwhelming that it can take out the joy in moving in. Don’t stress out and enjoy every minute of this exciting phase by planning, packing, and moving efficiently.
