Best case scenario, moving house is a surgical operation. With a swish of your packing skills and a few well-placed phone calls, you’re moved into a beautifully decorated new pad. Right?
Well, not quite. When moving is on the mound, it’s pitching curve balls. If we were to look at the stats around moving, we’d see that it’s traditionally recognized as one of the most stressful things in a person’s life, alongside having a baby and getting married. With that in mind, let’s stop focussing on the elements that we can’t control, and turn our attention to the post-move strategy. In this article, we’ll point out the best services to have on hand once you’ve carried yourself over the threshold and into your new home.
Junk Removal Experts
No matter how much you toss out before you load the trucks, there are bound to be a few items that just don’t go with your new space. Don’t relegate those items to a garage, destined to 3-7 years of taking up space. Call your local junk removal service and have them take your unwanted items away. 1-800-GOT-JUNK is reliable, fast, and has franchises all across North America. If you’d rather see your old items donated to a charitable organization, many offer a pick-up service for your donated items. Check out your local offerings to make sure your items go to a family or individual in need.
(Bonus Tip: Marie Kondo Your Life)
Before you start packing your boxes, take a tip from organizational expert Marie Kondo and her best-selling book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” and ruthlessly purge your house. Getting rid of unwanted (or unknown!) junk can save you time and dollars when the trucks roll in. Kondo’s book inspires a certain mania for getting rid of things – a very useful attitude when beginning a move. Try listening to the audio-book version on your commute, and get inspired to throw away a lot of stuff.
Podcast / Audiobook Central
While not exactly a speed-dial service, having a few podcasts, a great playlist, or an audiobook lined up can make the tedious task of unpacking a little more stimulating. Is there a book you’ve been meaning to crack, but the business of moving has kept you from getting into it? Plug in your earphones, and wield that x-acto knife like a pro: unpacking just became more interesting.
Handyman Services
Yes, you can find a painting service or “professional” handyman online. However, most of the tasks you need after a long, laborious move are more time-intensive than skilled. That’s where crowd-sourced service apps, such as PostMates or TaskRabbit, come in very, very handy. When you can’t bear to take one more trip to Home Depot for the right screwdriver head, a member of the PostMates community can run that errand… and pick up a coffee on the way over. Looking to paint an uncomplicated, but super large room? A member of TaskRabbit – who probably even has some experience in the job you’re looking to complete – can be hired and over in the time, it takes to drive to your house. Not only do you get to shorten your list of to-dos, you get to do it with a little bit of company. Not a bad way to learn more about your new neighborhood.
Your New Neighbours
Neighbors are the great gift of a new home. Before you move in, it’s so helpful to introduce yourself to your future neighbors, and trade numbers. Not only is it a friendly thing to do – it’s courteous. Letting your neighbors know the dates and times you’ll be moving in… and making a racket… will go a long way in ingratiating you into the community. Plus, it gives you an early opportunity to ask a new friend for a helping hand. Or where the best take-out restaurant in your new hood is.
Pet Sitters and Day-Cares
Dogs, cats, kids, and ferrets have an uncanny talent for getting underfoot. And when you’re trying to balance boxes, cleaning a new home, and a schedule packed full of documents to sign and services to coordinate… well. You probably need some help. Looking up the reputable dog and daycare or nanny services in your area will give your kids and/or pets some much-needed playtime and you some space to unpack. Schedule a call and meet-up a few weeks before you’re scheduled to move in. That way, you can get your kids (furry or otherwise) used to space, and make sure that you deal with any application process early. Don’t make the mistake of rolling up to one of these service providers on the day you need their help! Most centers require in-person meetings to discern the suitability of your pup or child with their service.
Moving is a tricky business. Services like Unpakt make it easy to get from A to B. Getting your house unpacked, your kids wrangled, your pets acclimatized, and your living room magazine-ready? We wish we could be of more help, but we do think these tips will make it a little easier.
