Moving, and even more so if they are long-distance transfers, is not exactly economical. So, before you start packing, make sure you get the most out of your moving truck space. These are the three essential steps when it comes to storing your entire home in boxes:

1. Before packing, please clean. Get rid of everything that you no longer like or will not want. There is no point in taking unnecessary things with you, the space they take up in the truck is money!

2. Don’t empty certain drawers. Leave all the clothes or not heavy objects inside the drawers and limit yourself to protecting the furniture. This makes them heavier, indeed, but as long as the drawers are full of light items (don’t fill them with books), there will be no problem. However, if they are too heavy, you can always transport the drawers separately. What is clear is that this decision has a double advantage: you will need much fewer boxes and, once you are in the new home, everything they have inside will be easier to locate.

3. Store soft items in garbage bags. Unglamorous? Undoubtedly. But it is one of the best ideas during a move. Fill sturdy garbage bags with soft items such as duvets, pillows, stuffed animals, etc. and use them to fill free gaps in the truck. In this way, space is saved and, in turn, other items and furniture are protected. To protect the contents of the bags as well, use electrical tape to seal them. Finally, record the content of each one with adhesive labels and a permanent marker.

4. Paint before you move in. If you have decided to give your new space a coat of paint, do not hesitate: do it before putting all your things. The most obvious reason is that it is much easier to paint an empty house than one full of furniture. Another important reason to do so is the satisfaction of eliminating this task as soon as possible from the agenda. Also, if there are other tasks of this style on your list (changing floors, for example), try to carry them out before you move. You will save time, inconvenience and effort once you have moved.

5. Find out before hiring the services for your new home. Depending on where your future home is located, there will be more or fewer options for service providers, such as the telephone line or the internet. If you have several options, take the time you need to ask and inform yourself well before committing to one of them, since it is possible that the company that offered such good service in your old residence does not have the best infrastructure in your new area. . It may also happen that the area in which you are going to live has worse mobile phone coverage and you find yourself in the situation of having to hire a landline, although in the old home you will manage perfectly just with a mobile phone.

6. Put ‘buy plants’ at the top of your to-do list. It may sound rate, but when you’ve filled a home with lovingly cared for plants for years, the thought of starting from scratch in this regard is a bit depressing. If you can’t take them, give them away, but keep your favorite pots, something that will make choosing the plants for your new space much easier, cheaper and more enjoyable.

Once in your new home, it might seem logical to put off buying new plants with the mess you have on you, but it is advisable to make it a priority. Why? To begin with, because indoor plants clean the air, which is ideal if you have used paints or installed floors with volatile compounds. But, above all, the most important thing is that the plants will immediately make you feel at home.

7. Count on having to make new purchases. Each house has its peculiarities and consequently, surely, you will need some new things. For example, maybe your old kitchen had a huge island with plenty of space to prepare food and even stools to enjoy breakfast, but the new one has a large empty space right in the middle that screams for a portable island or a office table and chairs. Setting aside a little money for these types of needs can help you set a realistic budget and stick with it.

8. Throw away a few more things even after you move out. It doesn’t matter how thorough the cleaning you’ve done before packing everything up. Sometimes, some of the things that you have decided to bring to the new house with the greatest conviction turn out that they do not fit in the new space as you expected. Try not to let that frustrate you too much and take it as the law of life. Sell them, give them to a friend or, if you really have a special affection, keep them. But only if you have space to store them.

9. Face it: moving crises are normal. Moving is not exactly a bed of roses and, many times, it is not done for pleasure. It means leaving friends, family, schools and jobs behind to start an unknown adventure. Although the new home may look incredible, emotional crises and moments of overwhelm and stress are a totally natural reaction to such a big change in our lives. When the time comes that you or one of your people needs to vent, offer them a shoulder to cry on. Then find something fun to do or explore your new city. It will give you the strength to continue!

10. Finally, give yourself time to get used to the new situation. Freeing up your schedule a bit and dedicating time to this adjustment period can be very necessary, especially for families with children. Give yourself at least a week or two to catch your breat.