It’s clear that moving is no easy task and can be both stressful, wasteful and strenuous. Since 2016 Newenham has been welcoming many new residents into it’s thriving master planned community, so it seemed only appropriate to ask some of the resident experts about their top tips on creating a stress-free move!
Start early and use this prep time wisely
The idea of moving can be daunting but that’s why finding your inner project manager, at the earliest stage, is important to help manage those dreaded few weeks approaching the big move. Start with creating a calendar of important events and a checklist for you to refer back to. This will also help you identify the four key periods around a successful move.
- Preparation
- Packing & cleaning
- The night before; and
- The big move day itself.
Most experts suggest a 6-week timeline prior to the moving day to make the move as easy as possible. So, if possible, lock that date in as early as you can.
One of the best tips for moving is to hire a professional home removalist – this will make your lives so much easier! While this may seem extravagant and perhaps expensive, it can actually save you money in terms of your time, stress levels and the potential to injure yourself during the move.
And, one of the best reasons to use a removalist is that they go out of their way to reduce waste and lower their emissions as much as possible, so whilst researching the best removalists in your area, ask what creative ways they use to eliminate waste. A quick Google search of ‘best removalists in the Adelaide Hills’ or ‘moving companies Adelaide’ will give you an assortment of quality professionals that you can trust.
The next aspect is to consider your new address and the current utilities and local service providers you use. Reassess early and decide whether you would like to disconnect or transfer your utility and service providers. This will save you from the headache of chasing up providers once you have moved in and connections have been lost!
Make a list of essential community and business services you currently use in your local area. Don’t be shy to ask for recommendations from your new neighbours or Facebook community groups for new schools, kindergartens, vets, doctors, hairdressers and dentists – you will find some of your new neighbours to be very knowledgeable! Plus, you’ll be sure to make some new friends along the way.
Ensure your new home and contents insurance starts from the date you move in. Also change your address with the electoral office, your car insurance company and ServiceSA for your driver’s license.
When you’re a couple of weeks out from the big day, set up a mail and parcel redirect to your new address for anything you may have forgotten.
Finally, make sure to request time off work for your move. We suggest taking at least three days off in advance, especially if you’re not using a removalist. If you do decide to use one, you might like to take a few days off after the move to enjoy your new home and get out and explore your new surroundings.
Declutter the old you
The golden rule is if you haven’t looked at it, worn it, or used it in over a year it’s probably not essential.
Welcome this opportunity to declutter and organise the items you don’t want to relocate and arrange for them to be sold, recycled appropriately or donated to a local charity. We recommend selling items you no longer need first, as this will put some money in your pocket. Facebook marketplace is a great resource for this! For anything you can’t sell, try listing it on a ‘buy, swap and sell’ page in your local neighbourhood – you can list it for free and someone is bound to grab it. You know the adage, one person’s trash is another’s treasure!
As part of this decision process, pre-plan the placement of your furniture and items you have decided to bring with you to make coordination on the day easier for the whole team. Hot tip – measure rooms and doorways in your new home to ensure furniture will fit, particularly the fridge.
Recycled Packaging
It’s helpful to ask friends for used boxes from previous moves before making any unnecessary purchases. If you do have to purchase moving equipment, consider purchasing recycled boxes or reusable plastic containers.
Start stocking up on packing tape, marker pens, bulldog clips for cords and a stanley knife, whilst always ensuring to think green where possible. Another top tip during packing is to write the room on the masking tape rather than directly on the box, so they can be used again or even returned to the point of purchase. Ditch the bubble wrap or look for an eco-friendly brand. Get inventive with your valuables and pack things in smaller sturdier boxes or use your old clothing, towels, sheets, throw rugs or butchers’ paper to protect items from being broken in the transit.
Removalists will also have reusable moving blankets to protect your furniture.
Start packing early
Start packing up your less used rooms a few weeks before, such as the guest room, storage room or garage – the kitchen and bathroom are usually the last to pack up.
Be mindful not to lose important documents and valuables and always pack them into large heavy duty water tight storage boxes. These can be purchased from Bunnings or Cheap as Chips. Keep these with you so you know where they are at all times – think moving documentation, passports, insurances, mortgage papers, and special items such as jewellery.
Label boxes by room and category. This makes unpacking at the other end so much easier and faster. Another handy tip is to label boxes on the side, not the top, so you can read what’s inside when they’re stacked. Use a roller tape gun – it’s much quicker than using scissors.
If you clean the shelves and rooms as you go, you’ll have much less cleaning to do at the end.
Another top tip, is to pack a basket with the kettle, mugs, teaspoons, tea, coffee and sugar (and maybe a packet of biscuits) so you can put a cuppa on as soon as you get to your new home. It’s also a good idea to pop a few dishcloths, tea towels and a roll of loo paper too, so you don’t have to go scrabbling through boxes to find the essentials.
Take lots of pictures and file them on your phone
Take photos on your phone of the wiring on the back of your entertainment systems so you remember how to set it up once it’s moved. The same goes for anything you have to disassemble for the move. Also, it’s a great idea to take photos of anything fragile or valuable just in case it goes missing or gets damaged whilst in transit. The images will be invaluable should you need to make an insurance claim.
Give your pets time to adjust
At Newenham there are a variety of furry friends from guinea pigs, chickens, cats, birds and of course dogs – all of whom can be just as overwhelmed by the move as you are.
If safe to do so, take your dog with you during the new build process. Introduce them to the sights, sounds and smells of their new surrounds so the transition isn’t foreign when it becomes permanent. The more your dog is familiar with the home and backyard the less challenging the move will be. After you move, make sure you update their tags or microchip with your new address or phone number and remember to register them with your new local council, just in case they decide to go exploring one day!
Get creative with the last of your food
When you’re two weeks out, get creative with your cooking and try to eat what’s in your pantry, freezer and fridge to save from having to pack it and take it with you. For the other leftovers have a couple of eskies at the ready. Pack glass and spillables carefully and move these yourself in time for packing back into the fridge and freezer on arrival. Plan your meals over the move and the first couple of days whilst you settle in. Go easy on yourself and treat yourself to some on the go meals or a tasty takeaway option from your new suburb. Being asked what’s for dinner could send a few unexpected sparks fly.
The final polish
Tackle the time-consuming deep oven clean early. Use a mix of baking soda, vinegar and water for a cost effective and reusable cleaning solution.
Ensure you leave out the cleaning products in the early days of your preparation, the last thing you want to realise is that all the gloves and cleaning tags have been packed by mistake.
Collect all keys and hand them over
Who needs the keys? Be it the new owner, real estate agent, or new tenant, make sure they get into the right hands.
Pack for a 2 night holiday
Pack like you are going on a two night holiday. A suitcase for each family and pet member to get you through the first couple of nights in your new home before you’re fully unpacked. Fill them with pyjamas, toiletries, medications, clothes for the next day or two, bathers and towel if you are moving to a new home with a pool, pet essentials, kids’ school supplies and favourite toys to keep the kids entertained.
The big day
Organise a babysitter or pet sitter on the day of the move. Keeping the kids away from the chaos will make for a simpler day for everyone.
Don’t water your plants the day before the move or else they’ll become really heavy and the water leakage could damage your furniture whilst in transit.
But above all look after yourself. Have a good night sleep before the big day, wake up early and have a cuppa and a wholesome breakfast to ensure your energy is held throughout the day. You’ll need to fuel up with the right food so think healthy, nutritious, and balanced. Pack a lunch and lots of water for throughout the day too.
Move in and become part of your new community
Don’t unpack everything on one day. Start with the bedrooms so you have a place to relax after the day is done. Then tackle the kitchen and the bathroom and take your time to embrace this new chapter in your life. It’s a new place, a new beginning, and literally, a new door opening full of new opportunities for you! Introduce yourself to the next door neighbours, have a welcoming bbq, pop a hand written note in your neighbours letterbox, and join local facebook groups to search for upcoming community events.
Whether you’ve just built your dream home or moved into an established property, take the time to reflect and congratulate yourself on your achievement.
If you’d like to know more about securing your future in this thriving community at Newenham, see our land for sale or call our friendly Sales Team on 0429 107 497.
You can also visit the beautifully-restored Sales & Information Centre at 164 Flaxley Road, Mount Barker – check open hours here. We recommend booking a private tour, even on weekends, to ensure we can provide you with the excellent service we are known for.
