I have finally finished the last of my boxes from my recent move and what a relief that was. Statistics show that the average person who moves leaves 7 boxes unpacked. I found that hard to believe until I spoke to a few people who had moved house and they totally agreed that they still had unpacked boxes in their garage or spare room (my son included, who has moved twice in the past 12 months).

So while I was unpacking the last few boxes, I came up with these tips that will be sure to make the task a whole lot easier for those about to embark on a move to a new home.

1. Packing Boxes. Buy storage boxes that come in all sizes from your local Storage Company and supplement your supply by asking for spare boxes at your local supermarket. Buying boxes is an expense you probably were least expecting and I did find that due to the change of law about plastic bags in South Australia that getting free boxes is almost impossible.  Be creative and use other storage containers like the big stripey zip up bags from the $2 shop (these are great for linen and towels and clothing), plastic space bags that you can vacuum all the air out of, stockpiled plastic bags (especially large ones from Freedom or Ikea) and where possible leave clothes in existing drawers.
2. Get plenty of packing tape. Taping up your boxes before you even start packing is time consuming itself. Get a dispenser to make the job easier.
3. Packing Fillers. I did buy some tissue paper from the Storage Company for my delicate glassware but honestly newspaper is the most effective wrapping material. Stockpile your papers leading up to the move so you have plenty to go the distance.  When I was packing up my kitchen crockery and pots and pans I found that using old clothing and things out of my linen press like towels, pillow cases, sheets, tea towels made me feel that my delicate items were well insulated for the big move.
4. Label Boxes. Get yourself a black marker pen and write on ALL boxes detailing the contents, for example, Dining Room Buffet – black dinner set.  It is important to mark which room the items in the box belong to so when the removalist guys unpack the load you can direct them to place the boxes in the right room.  If you don’t want to unpack some boxes straight away and put them in the garage, at least it makes it easier to locate those particular items you are looking for in a hurry.
5. Don’t pack boxes too heavily. It is tempting to put as many items into a box as you can however my removalist team reminded me that they don’t like lifting boxes that are too heavy especially boxes of books, so please be mindful too of the weight of your boxes as you go and perhaps top some of the boxes up with things that weigh little like clothes, linen or manchester.
6. Pack a special box or basket for when you arrive. I know when I moved recently the removalist team arrived at 7am and didn’t finish unpacking at the other end until 6pm so it was a very long stressful day which didn’t involve any sitting (except for the drive to my new abode). Once they had gone all I wanted to do was make a cup of tea, have an easy snack and put my feet up. So make sure you put your kettle, tea, coffee and sugar supplies and some cups, plates and spoons etc in an emergency supply box because the last thing you feel like at the other end is starting the job of unpacking! Strip your beds of all manchester and put in one big bag (per bed) so it is quick and easy to set up the beds when you arrive.
7. Ask for help. I spent a week packing up my house and it seemed like a never ending task. When I got to the stage that I thought I was never going to get it all done I did the sensible thing and rang a couple of friends. They spent 2-3 hours with me packing up what I think is the hardest room – the kitchen/dining with all the crockery, cutlery, pots, pans and kitchen sundry including the pantry items. It doesn’t sound like much but having their help for those few hours was a huge bonus and I am eternally grateful. On the day of the move I also had the help of a close friend and my sister and without their help I’d still be there!!
8. Do a floor plan of your new house. Now this was a huge help! My daughter Kate & Houses To Impress Business Manager did a mud map of where all my furniture should be placed for every room of the new house. When I got there, I was able to direct the removalist team to put every item of furniture in exactly the right place. They have the heavy lifting trolleys and were able to place things easily – if I hadn’t had a plan and they put things anywhere I would have had no hope of moving the heavy items on my own! When they had finished the whole house was set up perfectly and except for putting the beds together the next day I didn’t have to move a single thing from that day. PS don’t forget to measure the fridge alcove before you move just in case it isn’t going to fit. (I carried a tape measure with me to house inspections to make sure the space was big enough)
9. Box cutter. Arm yourself with a box cutter and as you finish unpacking your boxes, cut the tape holding the box together and fold the boxes flat. They are then easy to store in your garage and take up little space. If you have no intention of moving again any time soon, put a notice up on your new local community board in the shopping centre and advertise cheap boxes for sale. There is sure to be someone about to move house who will appreciate not having to spend so much on buying new boxes.
10. Manage your rubbish as you go. Keep an empty box by your side and put wrapping paper (newspaper) straight into it. When it is filled remove it straight to your recycle bin. Even though I thought I had got rid of all my unwanted goods (I filled 3 mini skips in the weeks leading up to my move) there were still some items that left me scratching my head as to why I bothered keeping them!  Stop!  Don’t unpack those items into your house never to be seen or used again. Put them straight into another box that you can donate to your local op shop and put them in your car boot to action as soon as possible.

Last weekend I was looking online for a solution to a bathroom problem. My old shower caddy had seen better days and was doomed to the rubbish bin however I couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for. You see I am very particular and hate those cheap caddies that hang over the shower rose and are available everywhere. I like the ones that hang over the shower screen and have plenty of space for all my essential showering toiletries. Of course searching for a replacement was like looking for the Holy Grail – they were no where to be found.

Before I finally gave up the search, I went online and googled Stainless Steel Shower Caddy and to my delight I found a local SA online company, Lifespace, who stocked exactly what I wanted.

I put the shower caddy (and another item I found for the bathroom) straight into my shopping cart, paid for it by pay pal and got the magic sound of the receipt arriving in my inbox a short time later. Now that is the type of shopping I love! I didn’t need to get dressed or leave the comfort of my home.  I ordered it on Sunday afternoon and it arrived first thing Tuesday morning on my doorstep (Yes this is Christmas week!!).

Lifespace is a family-run business, offering diverse products for you and your home. They stock a range of cost competitive goods that will be sure to enhance your lifestyle and I can certainly vouch for their prompt service.

One of the major reasons home owners move is due to the accumulation of life’s necessities and the challenge of scarce space.  They either want a bigger house or they are downsizing to something more compact. After recently moving house myself I can thoroughly recommend getting rid of excess clutter and making the best of the space you do have. So do yourself a favour over this Christmas/New Year period and spend some time looking at some practical ways that you can regain valuable space that you probably never knew you had within your home.

Check out the Lifespace range of home and garage storage products that will help you transform your life space and don’t forget to look for their special offers and discounts.