A lot of people may be put off by the idea of moving their possessions themselves when they move home. One of the reasons for this is their large appliances and furniture, as it can be a daunting prospect to move these items. It does not have to be the case, and with a bit of planning and preparation you can have everything packed up and loaded on the truck, ready to deliver to your new home.
What you will need
You will need to do some shopping for items that you will need to pack your belongings up with, but you can easily find many stores that offer these products. You can buy quality packing boxes online, as well as the other materials that you will need, so there is no need to leave the house!
- Packing Boxes
- Packing Tape
- Packing Material
- Marker Pen
- Plastic Wrap
- Bubble Wrap
- Dolly
All of these items are readily available, and if you purchase these online then you should be able to have them delivered within a couple of days. Many shops that sell removal supplies will also sell packages which include everything that you will need. Make sure that you get a few too many boxes, rather than not having enough.
Getting your appliances ready for the move
There are certain appliances which are going to take more preparation than others, such as a refrigerator, washing machine, freezer, and dishwasher. You will need to defrost your refrigerator and freezer the day before your move, and empty all of the contents. Ideally you will run the contents down before the move, which will mean you have less food to move, or potentially go off. When you defrost these appliances, it is also a good time to give them a thorough cleaning.
The dishwasher and washing machine will need to be disconnected from the water supply, and make sure that there is no water left inside at all. You should remove all of the hoses and put these inside the machine to keep them safe.
Packing your Appliances
You will most likely not be able to find a box big enough for your large appliances, which means that you are going to have to cut up a few boxes and use the cardboard. First of all it is advisable to wrap the appliance in plastic or bubble wrap, which will help to prevent any scratches.
When it is completely wrapped, you will then want to cover the item in the cardboard, which is only there to protect the outside of the item. It is worthwhile folding up some extra cardboard and put this on all the corners of the item, using plenty of packing tape to make sure that everything is stuck down securely.
When you have finished wrapping up the item, take your marker pen and write what the item is on each side. You will also want to add an arrow on each side of the box to show which way is up. This should help prevent any accidents.
When you move your fridge or freezer, make sure that you keep them upright and not placed on their side, as this could lead to the gas in the compressor leaking.
With things like flat screen televisions, make sure that you remove the stand if there is one, and use plenty of bubble wrap, which will help to keep the screen safe.
When you are ready to start loading the large appliances onto a truck, make sure that you use the dolly to take the majority of the weight, which will help to prevent any accidents or injuries.
Before you know it you will be packed up and ready to unload at the other end, hopefully, to settle into your new home without any damaged furniture or appliances!
