Storing an Extensive Doll Collection

Family Moving Tips

15 December 2016 by David Johnston

Moving is among the most stressful processes a family will undertake. This process is made even more difficult when you have small children. Here are some tips to help your family make the moving process a little easier: 

Give Everyone a Role

The more hands you have to complete the moving process, the quicker it is likely to go. To get everyone involved, you must give everyone in your family a role. From sorting, to boxing, to carrying, to loading, and driving there should be more than enough jobs to go around.  

Children love to sort things. Allowing them to sort clothing, toys, books, and other relatively portable items is an easy way to keep them occupied and make them feel like they are important part of the moving process. 

Driving moving vehicles can be very challenging. Whomever you assign the role of driving, make sure that they have someone to help them back-up and/or attempt to navigate other tight spaces. 

Moving can be quite dangerous. When lifting and hauling items, it's important to remember to lift using your legs first and your back second. Additionally, all heavy/awkwardly shaped items like couches and appliances should be moved in a way that everyone who moves the item feels comfortable carrying their portion of the load. A spotter should also follow to help navigate and help lift if the load becomes unmanageable.  

Give Everything a Label

Developing a labeling system will ensure that items aren't misplaced and can be more easily loaded into the moving vehicle properly. Using colored tape and a simple coding system that everyone understands can make this process more efficient. Here are some things to keep in mind when developing your coding system. 

• Weight: heavier items should be loaded into the bottom of the moving vehicle, which can help stabilize the load and prevent crushing more fragile items throughout the moving process. 
• Location: keeping items destined for similar locations in your future home can make it easier to unload the items quickly. 
• Fragility: sensitive items like electronics aren't just susceptible to weight, but also must be kept away from water.  

Give Everything a Space

Loading a moving truck is akin to building your own jigsaw puzzle—everything must fit in together. When loading a moving-truck it's important to start with a plan and load the truck with careful consideration. Additionally, may need to secure certain items in places as you progress through the loading process.  

Heavy items should form a C-shape in the cargo area of your moving-truck. The top of this C-shape should be located against the back wall of the cargo area. Large items, like appliances, bookshelves, desks, and couches are perfect candidates for this spot. Once you nestle everything together (the tighter the better), you will want to secure them in place with stout rope and/or tow straps.  Additional heavy items should form the sides of this C-shape (perpendicular from the back wall of the cargo space). Again, nestling these heavier items so that they fit tightly will help them stay in place during the move. You can also use the sides of the truck to secure particularly heavy items with ropes and tow straps. 

Boxed items should be placed, heaviest to lightest, starting from the top of the aforementioned C-shape to the sides. 

Mattresses, pillows, and other bulky but soft items should be used to "fill" the center of the C-shape. 

When you move, you don't just move your belongings—you must move your life with you. Fortunately, these tips can make the process just a little easier. To look up a moving company, check out a site like http://www.bekins.com.

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