Moving right. How to arrange a move

Take measurements of the apartment and entrance

To immediately understand whether it is worth disassembling the furniture or it is easier to take it out entirely, measure the doorways, the corridor in advance, evaluate the capacity of the elevator and the distance of the flights of stairs. The same should be done in point B. Immediately think about what to put in which room so that you don’t have to waste time and effort on rearranging.

When moving to a new apartment, it is worth considering in advance where the furniture and appliances will be located in order to quickly orient the movers.

Get rid of unnecessary things

Get rid of excess items before you move so you don't have to pay for their transportation. Or even make money on something that you definitely won’t need in a new place. Arrange a sale, exchange or donate items to charity.

If you still transported too much, there is an easy way to understand this. You can use this technique: write a large date on unsorted boxes - say, in a month. And agree with yourself that if you don’t take apart the box before this date and put things in their places, then it goes to friends or put out in the yard for others. Because if you haven't used things in a month, you probably don't need them.

Divide fees by room

To quickly collect everything you need for the move, distribute responsibilities. Agree on who gets to pack in the kitchen and who folds things in the bedroom. So you will spend less time on packing and will not interfere with each other. Plus, each room will have its own person who knows what is where.

Do not forget to sign all the boxes and in the new apartment, take things apart according to the same principle: each person has his own room.

It is at least more convenient to gather together, and besides, moral support in this case is priceless. Do not forget about window sills, built-in wardrobes, mezzanines, storage under the sofa, a balcony, a refrigerator with a freezer and the like.

Stock up on boxes

Finding moving boxes is no problem these days - they're sold at IKEA, Leroy Merlin and many hardware stores and are even available for delivery when ordering online.

Ask for boxes in any supermarket, they will gladly give them to you for free.

It is more difficult to calculate the required number of boxes. When counting, it is better to make a big mistake than to run to the store for the missing packaging at the last moment. Therefore, mentally distribute all things in boxes and add 5 more to this. And if you use special storage boxes for moving, not ordinary cardboard boxes, then they can later be beautifully fit into the interior.

Distribute weights evenly

Heavy things are best divided into several boxes. Firstly, not every package can withstand a lot of weight. Secondly, it will be easier for loaders to carry them to the car. This is especially true for books - even small volumes put together weigh several kilograms in total. Put weights in boxes no larger than 50x60 or 60x40 to make it easier to load and disassemble.

It is quite inconvenient to transport flowers, especially large ones.

Firstly, they are relatively heavy, and secondly, you need to wrap the pots so that they do not beat each other, and wrap the plants themselves (so that they do not break or freeze). Sturdy plastic or wooden crates come in handy here.

Pack fragile items carefully

Do not skimp on the packaging of especially valuable and fragile items.

Label boxes with fragile items so you don't have to read the text on the box, but you can see it right away. For example, use yellow or red tape.

Freight carriers recommend additionally fixing the boxes in the back of the car: “It is best to secure things with strong ropes. If you are afraid for the integrity of the dishes, additionally wrap the box with such things with a film and secure with adhesive tape.

Separately put the most necessary

Pack items that you will need first in your new location in separate boxes. If you load them into the car before the rest, then after delivery and unloading they will be the last and therefore will not be lost.

Hygiene and bedding items, towels, essential clothing must be packed separately. It is better to put important documents and valuables in a backpack and take it with you.

To ensure easy access to essentials, set aside a place for them in your new apartment in advance.

Load things in blocks

Organize things in zones in the back of the car. This will save time and money when unloading.

Distribute the boxes depending on which room they are intended for. For example, clothes and hangers - to things for the bedroom, dishes and tablecloths - to the kitchen box.

Order the services of movers

With the loading and unloading of a small amount of things, the driver can help. Specify how much the cost of his services will increase in this case.

Some sites have an inconvenient booking system: you seem to order a car with a loader, but a driver arrives who did not expect to be a loader. If you are transporting furniture, several suitcases and a piano, it is more rational to call movers separately. A professional team will save your time and nerves.

Specify the possibility of additional services

Often the services of carriers are not limited to delivery. Masters can help pack your belongings, disassemble, and then assemble furniture. Unnecessary household appliances and other rubbish can be taken away for recycling. Check the cost of additional services in advance. Perhaps this is how you completely delegate all the hassle of moving to professionals.

Choose private carriers

The services of private carriers are almost always cheaper than those of companies. If only because they do not involve the cost of renting an office, maintaining a staff of dispatchers and marketing. To protect yourself and your belongings, discuss all the details with the carrier in detail and conclude an agreement with the contractor.

It is easy to negotiate a discount with private carriers. If you pack things yourself, you will save up to 50% on the services of an assistant loader. But if you have expensive furniture, then it is better to entrust its packaging to specialists in order to avoid damage.

Order a car of suitable dimensions

Do not be afraid to consult with the carrier regarding the size of the body and the conditions of transportation. Describe what exactly and how much you want to transport. A great way to avoid mistakes is to take photos of the collected things and send them to the artist.

Calculate transit time

You can usually order a car for moving with a fixed payment or by the hour. If you paid for 4 hours and missed 2, you will not be refunded the difference. Therefore, think in advance which option will be more profitable in your case. To do this, estimate the distance between the start and end points and estimate the number of things.

As a rule, standard three hours with one loader are enough: about an hour for loading, road and unloading.

Choose the right time to move

On weekends, there are fewer traffic jams and more chances to find a parking space, so it is more convenient to plan the move on Saturday-Sunday. The main thing is that both things and you should be packed by the time the movers arrive.

If you called the car at 12:00, prepare everything by the appointed time. If you pay by the hour, the delay will cost you not only money for the work of movers, but also time wasted in traffic jams.

It is better to book a car in advance. At the last moment, something can disrupt your plans, and the move will have to be rescheduled.

Send children and pets somewhere while moving

In order not to worry about even smaller family members during the move, entrust the child to relatives or a nanny. Also take care of your pets so that they do not get in the way during the gathering and do not run away while loading things into the car. It would be nice to bring the child to the apartment after all the furniture is arranged and things are unpacked. But do not forget that according to tradition, the cat is the first to be let into a new place.

If you perceive the move not as a disaster, but as an adventure, the whole process will be more fun. Distribute responsibilities, enlist the support of friends and delegate the chores to professionals. Good luck in your new location! Photo: Getty images Russia

They say that one move is equal to two fires. A lot of nerves are wasted, and some things are lost or broken when moving. You can entrust all this to professional companies or try to master it yourself. Both methods have pros, cons and pitfalls. We will tell you how the specialists work and how the residents of the apartment usually organize the move, and then we will compare these options.

How specialists work

Those who organize apartment and other moves are called moving companies. They not only drag things, but they can also come to your house and pack everything, and then, in a new place, put everything in its place. If you have nowhere to store your bike, stroller or boxes of seasonal items in your new home, companies can provide storage services in their warehouse. Here's what the experts do.

They disassemble and assemble furniture from Ikeevskaya to antiques. Specialists have all the necessary tools, packaging film, so as not to damage the appearance. And they know where to put the bags of screws so they don't get lost.

They pack clothes, toys, a Murano glass vase and a box of family jewels. The company always has different types of packaging: film, adhesive tape, cardboard, plastic and so on. Therefore, household appliances, fragile items will be packed securely and firmly.

All property is moved to a new apartment. The company has vehicles of various sizes. For one move, a regular 3-meter gazelle is enough, and for another, you need a long truck. After all, it is not always possible to throw something heavy on top of sofas or beds.

They put everything in its place, lay out toys, hang curtains and connect plumbing. Of course, first they find out the preferences of customers and draw up a plan of the apartment. Then put everything in its place. They connect the washing machine and dishwasher, fix cabinets and chests of drawers if there are small children in the house.

When you attract specialists from moving companies, you simply move from one apartment to another. Don't carry heavy things, pack dishes, or put toys away. But you need to be present during the assembly and disassembly of furniture, packing things, opening and closing apartments.

What are you saving

Forces. You do not have to lay out things for several days, remembering what is in which box, and you don’t have to pack either.
Time. In order to have time to put everything together, you need to start gathering sometimes in a couple of days. In one day, fold what is not useful: seasonal clothes, bedding sets, blankets, curtains. In the second - essentials. Or devote one day to it and get terribly exhausted.

What do you spend

To pay for the services of a moving company. Different companies have different conditions. Some offer turnkey moves at a fixed cost, others will provide movers and transportation at an hourly rate.

For example, payment for a mover (loader and packer) costs from 400 rubles per hour. Payment for a van, depending on the volume, is 300-700 rubles per hour, possibly more.

For example, to transport things from a turnkey two-room apartment by 4 specialists for 4 hours of work in one of the moving companies will cost from 11 thousand rubles.

How to move on your own

You can pack things yourself, and then hire movers and a gazelle. Or two. In this case, the costs will be slightly different. Here's what you'll have to do.

Prepare furniture. It can be disassembled completely, partially or wrapped with a stretch film for safety. Remove the drawers from the chests of drawers, seal the doors so that they do not open during the transfer process.

Pack small items. Clothes can be folded into soft bags, toys - into boxes. Place the dishes with paper or cloth so that they do not break. Pack household appliances in boxes and be sure to check the bottom so that the multicooker does not fall out at the most inopportune moment. You can stick colored tape on packed items, for example, blue - kitchen, green - living room, yellow - children's.

“We packed the clothes right into the drawers of the dresser in small bags. Then they threw these packages into a 120-liter bag and pasted a sheet of “daughter's dresser” with adhesive tape. Curtains, blankets were also packed in bags and signed. Shoes in boxes, books - in polyethylene and small boxes, otherwise it's hard to carry. and in the process of packing, they tried to throw out the excess: cracked plates, broken toys, unnecessary shoes.

Tamara Gerasimovich, moved 6 times

Hire transport and a team of loaders. Usually, when ordering a car, experts ask how much body space is needed. There is a Gazelle with a body length of 3 meters or more. If you are afraid to spoil the upholstery of the sofa or the surface of the table by throwing flower pots or boxes there, it is better to order a car with a larger capacity.

Transport and track the dragging of things. At such moments, you mentally thank the creators of the freight elevator and hate the new neighbors a little who are trying to leave on it. You need to keep the doors in the entrance. Therefore, it is better to turn off the closer on the door and support it with a brick.
You need someone to tell you where to put things. It is better to immediately spend time arranging furniture in the right rooms than to puff yourself after the movers leave. Boxes and packages, if they are marked, can also be requested to be brought immediately to the places.

Unpack and put everything in its place. This process takes a long time. You need to open the boxes, lay out things, dishes, toys, clothes, shoes. Something may get lost during the move.

What are you saving

You do not pay money to the moving company. And this is about 10-20 thousand rubles.

What do you spend

for packaging material. You will need boxes, bags, film, tape. You can buy bubble wrap to wrap fragile items. For example, one 120 liter bag contains about 2-3 chest of drawers or 4-6 blankets. More will also go in, but the bag will tear. There are 10 bags in a pack, it costs about 200 rubles. Construction film is different in thickness and length: 135, 255 meters and so on. The price is 200-00 rubles. It will take about 30 meters of film to wrap one refrigerator in 2-3 layers. This means that there will still be a washing machine and a kitchen set.

“We transported a refrigerator, a washing machine, a stove, a sofa, a kettle, a slow cooker, a bread maker, three children's beds, a chest of drawers, a dressing table and two racks. In addition, there were several boxes with books, toys, shoes, dishes. In bags - clothes, bedding and towels. It took 1.5 rolls of film, two packs of wide tape, 2 packs of garbage bags for 120 liters and 1 for 60 liters. We spent about 1,000 rubles. Plus 3000 was given for a gazelle and movers. In total, the move cost 4,000, several hundred meters of nerve cells and 4 days of unpacking things.”

Tamara Gerasimovich

Nerves and strength. According to the law of meanness, as soon as you have securely packed a thing, it will be needed immediately. All of a sudden, the kids need a Teddy bear, and the husband is hungry and wants scrambled eggs. In addition, the packages are torn, the adhesive tape is running out, the children took the markers somewhere to draw. And after the move, it may turn out that the handles from the kitchen set and your favorite silver spoon were lost.

As Benjamin Franklin said, one move equals three fires. The more valuable things you need to take out of your old home, the harder it is to change your place of residence. The time spent and nerve cells are added to the cost of transporting property. Metrium experts shared useful tips on how to organize a move with a minimum of money, time and emotional costs.

What should be transported

The golden rule for selecting the right things says: if some item has not been used for a year, you do not need it. However, we are not always guided by it all the time, but moving is exactly the moment when one cannot do without cardinal decisions. Something that is unlikely to be needed in the foreseeable future should be put up for sale for a symbolic price on a self-delivery basis. If it doesn't fit, throw it away. When the apartment is freed from everything superfluous, you can proceed to the next stage.

Decide on a carrier company

If time is running out, you can use the services of a moving company, whose specialists are ready to take care of all the transportation of your property. To estimate the cost of services, it is usually necessary to call a consultant. At the same time, the company can offer both a turnkey move and the solution of individual tasks: packaging, transportation, unloading, and even the arrangement of a new apartment (hanging curtains, chandeliers, paintings, etc.). The most common package of services includes loading and unloading and transportation of property.

The average cost of a standard volume of work of a moving company is:

For a one-room apartment - from 9,000 rubles for 6-8 hours of work of 2-4 loaders and a car with a body of 18 cubic meters. m.

For a two-room apartment - from 12,500 rubles for 8-10 hours of work of a team of 4 people and a car for 22 cubic meters. m.

For a three-room apartment - from 15,500 rubles for 8-10 hours of work of 6 loaders and a 36-cc car.

Also, some relocation organizers have an interesting service for those who have not yet finished finishing a new apartment - temporary storage of property. It is much easier to carry out repairs when the room is not cluttered with furniture and boxes. Therefore, only essential items can be transported, and everything else can be left in the company's warehouse until the construction work is completed.

If you need to move property that requires special handling, such as safes, pianos or antique solid wood furniture, you can not do without calling in specialist riggers. They are able to handle scales over 100 kg and have special equipment that allows them to bring non-standard loads into the premises. The cost of their services consists of the price of an hour of work of each specialist (250-500 rubles), the tariff for carrying one kilogram of weight (from 1 to 5 rubles, depending on the type of item) and the minimum paid time (usually 6 hours). Thus, in order to transport a piano weighing 250 kg by two riggers, you need to pay about 3,500 rubles, excluding the cost of the car.

Packing things

Most often, apartment owners sort and pack things on their own, and a third-party company is entrusted only with loading and transportation. There are a few packing rules that will make it easier to prepare for the move.

1. Don't skimp on packaging materials

Bulky non-wrinkling things should be transported in vacuum bags. For outerwear, options with hangers can be provided. So coats and jackets will move without loss from one apartment to another and will be protected from moths and moisture until the desired season. It is convenient to transport clothes that are difficult to iron in corrugated cabinets, where things are placed directly on hangers.

The rest is packed in boxes, which can be ordered for delivery on the website of the moving company, or, if there are not many, ask at a nearby grocery store. Usually warehouse workers willingly share containers with those who wish. Do not try to save on the number of boxes by choosing the most spacious. The resulting load will be heavy and inconvenient to move. This is especially true of containers for books and documents. You can also stuff tight bags from hardware stores that can withstand quite a lot of weight. The main thing is that you can easily move this bag later. For fragile items, you will need packaging film: wrap chandeliers and sconces, dishes, cabinet doors with glass inserts in it. Also, do not forget to prepare a lot of rolls of tape, markers of different colors and paper cutters (they are useful for opening boxes after moving).

2. Consider sorting system

Develop a “packaging” principle for things and stick to it when collecting and unpacking. If time for packaging is “running short”, form boxes and bags simply “by room”. But it is better to provide for the division of objects according to the degree of importance. What needs to be unpacked first of all, sign with a special color. Don't forget to mark boxes with fragile items with exclamation marks. However, you should not hope that the movers themselves will pay attention to your signs: most likely, you will have to control them and remind you to be careful. And it is better to transport the most valuable things in your own transport.

3. Disassemble and protect furniture

Moving will be faster if the furniture is disassembled and each part is wrapped in a film. So you get rid of the risk of damaging the corners and doors. Do not forget to fold and sign the mounting hardware from each piece of furniture, so that you can easily and correctly assemble everything later. If small chests of drawers and bedside tables are transported as a set, it is worth securing their drawers and doors with rope or tape (however, it leaves unpleasant sticky marks after removal). Pay special attention to the glass parts of the furniture.

Scheduling time and transport for the move

There are a lot of companies offering car rental and mover services, but not all of them have good reviews. Most carriers have hourly rates for work. It is assumed that the minimum time for transporting things and furniture is about 3-4 hours. And moving a large apartment can take all day. An important role is played by the presence of a freight elevator in the house. At the same time, a small passenger elevator, especially if it is alone at the entrance, does not greatly speed up the work. Sometimes in new buildings, elevators operate according to a certain schedule, but you can agree in advance with the management company to turn them on at a convenient time for you.

If all the furniture is dismantled, then a Gazelle with a body of 9-12 cubic meters is enough to transport a one-room apartment, and a car for 16-18 cubic meters is enough for a two-room apartment. If it is necessary to transport a filled apartment to the top, it is better not to follow the path of increasing the volume of the car, but to plan two trips. According to the statistics of transport companies, 90% of the moving time falls on loading and unloading. Therefore, having quickly unloaded a small car, the workers will have time to make another run. In this case, it is especially important not to get into peak hours. Which leads to an important rule: plan to move a large apartment at night or on weekends to reduce travel time.

When loading property into the machine, make sure workers are mindful of how to properly place sensitive items. There is usually less vibration and shaking in the front of the body, so it is there that you need to put household appliances, pianos and fragile items. Glasses and mirrors cannot be placed horizontally - only on the edge.

Arranging pickup at a new location

Usually the owner's car is the first to arrive at the new house, overtaking the truck. If there are a lot of cars in the yard, it makes sense to arrive in advance to take a parking space next to the desired entrance. Check the operation of the elevators again and stock up on the telephone of the control room in case of an unforeseen equipment breakdown.

In a new apartment, you need to take care of the protection of floors and walls in narrow places. For this fit sheets of cardboard. Arm yourself with a plan for arranging furniture and make sure that workers immediately bring all the loads into the right rooms. Moving heavy objects on your own can result in back injury. Immediately select the marked boxes with essentials. Reserve a special place for them so that after moving in you can dine from the usual dishes and make the beds with linens.

“Moving is stressful for the whole family,” Natalya Kruglova, CEO of Metrium, member of the CBRE partner network. – If you are not going to entrust the whole process to professionals, prepare for it in advance: choose a free day off, find a transport company with a good reputation. And do not be discouraged when it turns out that more packaging materials, money and time have been spent than planned. This is fine. We wish you to settle down in a new place as easily and quickly as possible.

I am moving again... Since this “process” in my life is far from the first and not the last time, I know how to move correctly. I want to reveal to you my and acquired secrets of moving. Some nuances save nerves and hours of work, and a stressful situation will not turn into a disaster with lost or damaged things.

Sorting items for moving

Preparing things for the move

1. get busy cleaning carpets and curtains before moving. I speak from personal experience - you will have a lot of other problems after the move. I was always glad that I was not too lazy to do this in advance.
2. I do not allow stale linen to be left before moving. Trying freshen things up, which are stuck.
3. Gather emergency emergency box- with a bag of coffee, toothbrushes, a couple of sandwiches, napkins and toilet paper, a first aid kit, a set of disposable tableware, a comb, a change of clothes. I toss a clean T-shirt for myself and my husband.
4. Tape the bottom of each box with tape.
5. Try not to make large grocery purchases 1.5-2 weeks before moving. Empty the freezer.

Packing things

Moving with animals

It is easier for the dog to survive the move if they are part of the process - do not scold him for his curiosity and interest in boxes. Speak in a reassuring voice, pay attention to the dog as often as possible, because he does not understand what is happening. Take a break for play and walking during the training camp, do not forget about feeding at the usual time for the pet. This is a member of your family that should not be neglected.

Don't touch the dog's things until the very last moment. Go to the veterinarian for a routine check-up a week or two before moving, because after moving you will be very busy. The dog must travel with you, in no case should you leave it alone in an empty house.

Let the animal be the first visitor to the new residence. His things should be the first to get into the room. The first weeks we walk on a leash, we say “home” at the door of the house so that the dog gets used to the new place and accepts it as his refuge as quickly as possible. If your dog has a microchip, be sure to update the information with the address and phone numbers. I have no experience with cats.

Preparing the premises for the move

Clean out your new home BEFORE you move. What I will write next is not mandatory, and to some it will even seem like a diagnosis, but my experience makes me do each of the points - so I can be calm about the health of my family. This is especially true for moving to rented housing without a clean repair. So:

• I process the bathroom, bathtub, kitchen sink with chlorine-containing products. I use gloves and a respirator. I also wash kitchen cabinets with bleach in places where they come into contact with dishes. This directly affects your health, do not neglect cleaning with chlorine before settling in.
• I wash the fridge with soda and it stays open until check-in.
• Chests of drawers, cabinets, shelves vacuumed in cracks and grooves, washed with vinegar (it will fade very quickly, it will kill other people's dust mites). I wipe the sofas and armchairs with vinegar, having previously vacuumed repeatedly.
• Bitter experience taught me to process floors around the perimeter of the baseboard with dichlorvos (or analogues). I clean other people's carpets on the street and also go through dichlorvos.
• If something is leaking somewhere, I seal it, tighten the loose sockets.
• I bring the stove to the possible perfection of the special. means, the oven is cleaned with ammonia. I soak other people's cutlery, including plates and cups, in a bucket with a solution of whiteness (liquid bleach).
  7. I ventilate the room. It is important for me to surround myself with a pleasant and familiar smell in a new home, so I take care of this in advance - a few drops of orange essential oil in dresser drawers and cabinets.

My time-to-hour moves are becoming more familiar and less of a hassle, and the above suggestions should make moving easier for you too.

Olga Nikitina

Reading time: 18 minutes

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Anyone who has had to move to a new apartment at least once in their life knows the feeling of “prostration” that arises when looking at numerous things in closets, bedside tables and shelves. Moving is not in vain “equal to one fire” - some things are lost, some beat and break on the road, and some just disappear somewhere in an unknown way. There is no need to talk about the amount of effort and nerves expended.

To your attention - the main secrets of the correct move!

Preparing to move - what to do first?

The most common mistake people make is packing at the last minute. It would seem, “Yes, everything will be in time!”, But - alas and ah - the result of the fees in the last hours before the arrival of the car is always equally deplorable.

Therefore, it is better to start preparing in advance.

About a month before the planned move, the most important things to do are:

• Terminate all contracts (note - with the landlord, with companies providing cable TV, telephone, Internet, etc.) so that in the new apartment you are not required to pay money for services that continue to be provided in the old one under existing contracts.
• Throw away everything you don't need , and everything that can interfere with the new owners.
• Clearly define the date of the move , conclude an agreement with the relevant moving company and inform those who will help you with the move to your new home.
• Sell ​​furniture (clothes, washing/sewing machine, other things) that you don't want to take with you, but that still look pretty decent. It is better not to set high prices, so that later you do not have to leave these things in the old apartment for free. It’s better to let them “fly away” at a modest price than no one will buy them at all. And remember: if you haven’t used a thing for more than six months, then you don’t need it - feel free to get rid of it in any convenient way.

One week before moving:

1. We pack all the things that you will not need in the near future.
2. Throw away the excess.
3. We begin to disassemble things, products and furniture in the kitchen.
4. We buy disposable plates / forks to calmly remove all the dishes from the kitchen.
5. We connect the Internet in a new apartment so that on the day of the move we do not frantically call companies for this purpose, running between boxes with a useless router.
6. We clean carpets and wash curtains (save yourself energy in a new place), as well as rewash things that require it.
7. We do a general cleaning in a new apartment, so as not to waste time on this after the move.

One day before moving:

• We send children to their grandmother (friends).
• Defrost the refrigerator.
• We deal with the keys to old and new housing (mailboxes, garages, gates, etc.).
• We take meter readings (note - we take pictures).
• We collect the rest of the things.

7 secrets of preparing for the move, which will make your life easier and the fees themselves

• Revision. Moving is a great way to get rid of excess junk. Starting to sort things to pack them for the move, immediately put a large box “to throw away” or “give to the neighbors”. Surely, you have things (clothes, tiles, lamp, toys, etc.) that you do not need in a new apartment. Give them to those in need and do not drag excess trash into a new apartment. Toys can be given to an orphanage, decent things can be sold on the relevant sites, and old blankets / rugs can be taken to a dog shelter.
• Box with documents. We collect it especially carefully so that we can take it with us to the car on the day of the move. Put all the documents that you have into folders, label them and put them in one box. Naturally, you need to do this not the day before the move.
• Box of "1st Necessity". So we label it. In this right box, when you move, you can easily find a first aid kit, toothbrushes and toilet paper, a set of change of clothes for each family member, the most necessary products (sugar, salt, coffee / tea), towels, pet food and other important things.
• Box with valuables. Here we put all our gold with diamonds, if any, and other valuable items that are expensive or have a different value for you personally. This box should also be taken with you (we don’t shove it into the general “heap” in the truck, but take it with us to the salon).
• Disassemble the furniture. Do not rely on chance and do not be too lazy to take it apart, so that later you do not cry over a torn sofa, a broken table and chips on a rare chest of drawers. It makes no sense to disassemble and drag old chipboard furniture with you - just distribute it to your neighbors or leave it near the garbage heap (whoever needs it will pick it up himself).
• Do not make large purchases in the week before moving. Do not make food stocks either - this is extra weight and space in the truck. It is better to replenish the bins in a new place.
• Prepare food the day before moving (there will be no time to cook!) and pack it in a cooler bag. Nothing is more inspiring in a new place after a move than a delicious dinner.

Collection and packing of things for the move - boxes, bags, tape

Collecting things that you have acquired in an old apartment even for 1 year is almost impossible in 1 day.

Therefore, the ideal time to "start" - a week before moving. The most important thing when collecting things is packaging.

Therefore, we start with boxes and other items for a comfortable move:

1. We are looking for or buying cardboard boxes (preferably sturdy and with holes for easy carrying). Most often, boxes are given away for free in hypermarkets or local stores (ask store administrators). Estimate the volume of your things and take boxes according to this volume. On average, it takes about 20-30 large boxes to pack things from a 2-room apartment in which a large family with pets lives. It is not recommended to take giant boxes - they are inconvenient to carry and difficult to lift, in addition, they often tear under the weight of things.
2. Do not spare money for a wide quality adhesive tape! You will need it in large quantities, and not just to seal boxes. And preferably with a dispenser, then the work will go much faster.
3. Also, you can not do without cardboard "gaskets" (newspaper, wrapping paper), twine, ordinary stretch thin film and a pack of transparent bags.
4. Special film with "pimples" , which everyone likes to click so much, we buy in large quantities.
5. Multi-colored markers and stickers will not interfere either.
6. For packing furniture you need a dense fabric (old curtain sheets, for example), as well as thick film (as for greenhouses).
7. For heavy items, we allocate bags and suitcases (the boxes may not withstand them), or we put the weights in small and strong boxes, after which we carefully fix them with tape and twine.

General work plan:

• We reinforce all boxes with good adhesive tape, paying special attention to the bottom of the container. You can also make pens out of it if there are no holes on the boxes themselves (or you can make these holes yourself with a clerical knife).
• We allocate a separate room (or part of it) for packed items.
• We buy a notebook for notes, where there will be all the information on bills, movers, counters and the things themselves.

On a note:

If you use suits, you will be glad to know that there are cardboard "cases" for safely transporting expensive items directly on hangers.

How to move and not forget anything - lists of things, labeling boxes and much more

In order not to search painfully for a long time in a new apartment for clothespins or tights in all the boxes that no one ever takes apart right away (usually it takes from a week to a month, and for especially lucky ones - up to a year), Use the rules of proper packing of things:

• We mark the boxes with stickers and markers. For example, red is for the kitchen, green is for the bathroom, and so on. Do not forget to duplicate each box in a notebook.
• Be sure to put the number on the box (on each side of the box, so that later you don’t have to twist it in search of a number!) and duplicate it in a notebook along with a list of things. If you are not shy about movers and are not afraid that “things will be stolen”, then a list with things can also be glued to the box. In a notebook, you should have all the boxes with all the lists of things. The numbering of the boxes is also useful in that it will be easier for you to check in a new place whether all the things have been brought into the apartment.
• Life hack: in order not to look for clothespins and washing powder, pack them directly into the drum of the washing machine. Tea and sugar can be put in a teapot, and a pack of coffee can be put in a box with a Turkish coffee grinder. The cat carrier can hold bedding, bowls and pet food. And so on, with other things.
• When folding wires from appliances and gadgets, try not to confuse them. In a separate box - a scanner with wires, in another - a computer with its own wires, in separate packages, phones and other gadgets - each with its own charger. If you are afraid to get confused, immediately take a picture of the area where the wires are connected to the equipment. This cheat sheet can make life easier for you after you move.
• Load bedding separately with towels and blankets with pillows.
• Don't forget to set aside a separate toolbox as well. and little things needed for repairs, you will need it almost immediately after moving.

House moving - preparing furniture for transportation

Do not rely on "strong" furniture and "caring" loaders.

If your furniture is dear to you, then take care of its safety before moving.

• Everything that is disassembled is disassembled, packaged and labeled. For example, we disassemble the table into parts, we pack each one in special thick paper or cardboard (ideally - pimply film), mark each part with the letter “C” (table). We put the accessories from the table in a separate bag, twist it and fix it on one of the parts. Ideally, if you can fix all the details together or put them in narrow boxes. Don't forget the instructions! If they are preserved, put them in a bag with fittings, so that later it would be easier to assemble furniture. Place furniture keys and other quick assembly tools in the 1st Essentials box (described above).
• We wrap sofas and armchairs with thick fabric , on top with a thick film and wrap it with tape. We do the same with mattresses.
• We wrap all handles on doors and drawers with cling film or foam rubber so as not to scratch other things.
• If you do not pull out the drawers from the chest of drawers (table) be sure to secure them so that they do not fall out when carrying. Also fix all the doors on the furniture - on the kitchen and so on.
• Remove all glass and mirrors from furniture and pack separately . Usually they fight first if the owners leave them in the closets.

If you are sending things to another city by container, then pay special attention to packing furniture and boxes!

Moving to a new apartment and pets - what you need to remember?

Of course, the ideal option is to send pets and children to relatives during the move. Firstly, it will be easier for parents, and secondly, it will protect children and animals from accidental injuries.

But if this is not possible, then use the "reminder" for moving with pets:

1. Don't swear at pets. For them, the move itself is stressful. Their attention to things and boxes is quite natural. Don't yell or yell. Remember that they will not feed themselves.
2. Give the animals something to distract them while gathering and running around with the boxes. - a separate box for cats (they love them), toys, bones for dogs.
3. In advance (a couple of weeks) resolve all issues with the veterinarian, if any. Update the information on the chip (note - phone number, address).
4. For transporting fish: pour the water from the aquarium into a bucket with a ventilated lid (transplant the fish there too), and transfer the vegetation from it to another container, adding the same water. Divide the soil into bags. The aquarium itself - rinse, dry, wrap with a "pimple" film.
5. For transporting birds: we wrap the cage with cardboard, and on top with a warm and dense cloth (birds are afraid of drafts).
6. Rodents can be transported in their own cages , but it is recommended to insulate them if it is too cold outside. In the heat, on the other hand, choose a place for transportation in which it will not be too hot and stuffy (so that the animals do not suffocate).
7. Do not feed dogs and cats right in front of the road , be sure to walk the dogs, and remove the drinkers for the duration of transportation - or, if it's hot, replace them with wet sponges.
8. For cats and small dogs, it is better to use rigid carriers. Naturally, it is not recommended to transport them to a new home in the cargo compartment of a car. The best option is to carry pets on your lap.

And do not forget to take a couple of days off to move and unload things in a new place. Moving after a day's work is an ordeal.

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