Rakhi tells us about the woes and wows of moving a house. An exclusive for Different Truths.

A month ago, I received a call from my friend. She was so upset as they had to move into a new place. To find a new house is exciting but exhausting at the same time. But moving a house indeed is an arduous job. It requires a lot of time and effort to complete. It could be torturous when we are not able to find what we want and unpack almost all the bags in every room. It would be chaotic and we won’t be able to decide where to start to clean that mess.

We could hire mover and packer companies but still, we need to help them to get help from them. Only we know what needs to be thrown away or kept. As per my experience, if we start decluttering the stuff before moving then it would be easier for us to pack the rest of the things.

I shared a few tips from my experience with my friend when she was moving the house which made her moving smooth. It is important to pack everything properly whatever we have in the house to keep the items safe during loading and unloading.

We can declutter clothes, utensils, books, shoes, bags, and toys. You need to decide what to keep, what can be given to someone or what needs to throw out. We all know that sometimes a few dresses/stuff just lying in drawers for months and years without even touching but we reluctant to give them away.

Decide what to pack first; you can first start packing the things you use often. Decide the place where you will keep the packed boxes. You can keep the boxes in one empty room or where you have extra space such as storage or garage. It will be easier to load the boxes later.

Pack things roomwise, which will be easier for you to unpack the items and keep them in the right room/place. For instance, when you have to set up your living room then you know which box belongs to that room. It will be a lot easier and quicker to set up that room.

Pack clothes in bags or suitcases with name tags. It’s easier to move and find the clothes later in the new house. If your clothes in the drawers then seal your drawers and move them as it is. It will save your energy and time.

Pack glasses and delicate crockery in hard cardboard boxes, use bubble wraps or newspapers, or any old clothes to wrap your glasses and fragile pieces to avoid damages. Pack your kitchen items such as groceries separately in the boxes. You may use some colours to differentiate these boxes as you will be needing them when you have to cook in the kitchen. Unpacking takes time but at least we can keep our groceries sorted to keep it handy.

Name all the boxes which will help to load and unload them carefully and easier to find it later. You must have one box or a bag with your important things such as medication, charger or some snacks for yourself.

I have kids so I know that moving is not easy with kids, they get stressed on the same day so find someone or ask your family or friends who can look after your kids for that day. If that’s not an option then talk to your kids because they could be anxious to know about moving. You can keep one separate box of eatables and drinks for kids. You pack kids’ stuff separately such as their uniforms, books, and their favorites to make sure you do not miss anything and find it easily when they need it.

I strongly believe that if we have some planning in place then we can make our shifting smooth and adventurous. If we pack the things correctly and named them then believe me it will take no time to unpack and put them in a new place.

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Rakhi S. Jalota

Rakhi S. Jalota likes to write poems, quotes, and short stories based on life experiences. She reads anything that catches her eye and interest. She lives in a beautiful country New Zealand. She has more than a decade of experience in the education sector. Her passion is to bake cakes and dance in her free time. Being a fun-loving person, she loves to capture the moments on her camera.

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