Today is the big day. The day that you’re moving to your new home. Together with the movers, you start packing up.
Everything goes smoothly until you reach the garage. A mixture of rusty junk and tools greet you as you enter the place. The garage has a notorious reputation as the most challenging part of the house to pack up. More often than not, it’s a huge mess. Garden tools, used paint, old radios, and anything ancient finds refuge in this place.
You may not like the idea of packing the garage, but someone has to do it. Here are some tips to make it a trouble-free experience.
Sort & Organize
The first thing you should do is figure out which stuff to leave behind. There’s no reason to bring along belongings which you won’t need like:
- The old bicycle you got on your 10th birthday.
- That Christmas tree from five winters ago.
- Equipment and tools that you’ve never even used, and many more.
A pre-move garage sale will help eliminate these items while raising extra money to cover up your moving expenses.
Expect that you won’t be able to sell every item. Donate the ones that don’t. You might feel sad to see some of them go, but you’re doing your new garage a favor by making it clutter-free!
Prepare the Boxes and Materials
Now, all that’s left are the essential items. It’s time to pack them. For this step, you will need:
- Boxes
- Packing tape
- Bubble wraps or alternatives
- Old towels or used linen
- Blankets
- Packing Paper
Relax. Your local moving company will usually provide these materials. If you’re moving them by yourself, use cardboard and other eco-friendly materials. If you can, don’t use plastic to avoid harming the environment.
Place packing paper or old towels in the box before you put the items. These will act as a cushion to mitigate the impact when the road gets bumpy. Also, make sure to secure the bottom with several layers of packing tape for extra protection.
Labeling
Unless you’re a memory whiz who can remember everything, the shuffled boxes that need unboxing can be confusing. Don’t worry. Make unpacking easier by labeling the boxes beforehand. Simple tags like ‘TOOLS’ or ‘TOYS’ will do. Don’t forget to write ‘FRAGILE’ if the contents of the box are prone to breakage.
Non-allowable Items
According to Cheap Movers Austin (www.cheapmoversaustin.com), your moving company will not pack and move some items as they might be hazardous for travel or hold something of value.
Hazardous Items
These are flammable, explosive, or corrosive items. Common examples include:
- Acids
- Aerosols
- Car batteries
- Fertilizer
- Kerosene
- Liquid bleach
- Paints
Perishables
Food and consumables are not allowed by movers because they attract rats and pests along the journey. These include:
- Frozen food
- Produce
- Refrigerated food
- Opened food products
- Indoor and outdoor plants
Personal and Sentimental Items
It should be obvious enough. Professional movers don’t want to transport these because their value is priceless. Damage or loss of these items can cause conflict, and they don’t want to be held liable.
Examples of these are:
- Medical records
- School records
- Phones
- Laptops and Computers
- Financial documents
- Photo albums
- Photographs
- Collections
One Last Tip
It’s the norm to pack the garage last since it’s usually in chaos. But, as unpopular as it may sound, it’s a good idea to free the garage first. By doing so, you get rid of the biggest hurdle early on. Once you have it cleared, the rest of the moving process will come by quickly.
Don’t overthink the task. Just start doing it. Follow the tips above, and good luck with your move!