Definitely one of the most complicated things about relocating is moving those big, heavy, and bulky appliances while keeping your kitchen organized in the process. It is a process that is time and energy-consuming. Everybody hates doing this so they either wait until the last minute or leave everything to the professionals. Of course, that depends on your budget. If you have money, then save yourself from all the troubles and just hire movers to do the job for you. However, if you want to cut corners and have a DIY kind of move, then you will need to prepare yourself well. The key is starting ahead of time and never living anything for the last minute. So, if you are interested in some ideas on how to prepare household appliances for relocation by yourself, keep on reading.
Make a Plan
Making a plan ahead of time and sticking to it is of importance. If you do it right, your move will pass in a stress-free manner and in no time. But if you do not, your move can turn messy. By turning messy, we mean, losing something in all that hustle and bustle, or damaging some expensive appliances because they were not packed properly. This is why you need to plan it in advance. Start by checking whether your big appliances like fridge, freezer, stove, and similar can pass through all the doors and hallways.
People usually forget about this aspect, and they get unpleasantly surprised on a moving day. So, before you start to prepare household appliances for relocation, measure everything. Also, think about what kind of packing materials you will need and where can you buy them. Do not forget to get help! Either find an affordable moving agency or call your friends. You will not be able to move everything by yourself.
Check the Condition of the Household Appliances
Before every move, decluttering is a must. Of course, we do not expect that you throw away your TV or a hairdryer just because you do not need them currently. But, before you start to prepare household items for relocation, make sure that they are in good condition. Maybe you have had some old appliances in the garage or attic, so you are not really sure whether they are still working or not.
So, double-check everything. Plug them in and check if the appliance is working and see whether it is safe for relocating. There is no point in moving a twenty-year-old fridge that is not even working properly. Just throw it away. You can use a multimeter to check whether some appliances or electronics in your household work.
Clean Them Properly
Another thing you should do in order to prepare your household appliances for relocation is to clean everything thoroughly and properly. There is nothing worse than unloading a stove into your new kitchen and having that old, rusty, and moldy smell of food and whatnot. This is a must whether you plan on doing everything by yourself or hiring professional help.
And, go to the store and buy some chemicals for cleaning appliances. You can use a basic detergent as well, but with proper and specialized cleaners you will achieve better and faster results. Make sure that you clean every part of the appliance and let it dry before you wrap it or put it inside the box.
How to Pack Household Appliances
So, after checking the condition of the appliances and properly cleaning the ones you plan on relocating, it is time for packing. But, first, you need to gather packing materials. You will need cardboard boxes, plastic bins, and a lot of padding and wrapping materials. You can get these from your mover, or buy them in your local supermarket, hardware store, or stationery shop. Bear in mind that household appliances are very fragile and delicate and can easily be broken. So, make sure that every piece is wrapped properly. If there is a chance to disassemble some parts of the appliances, do it, and wrap it separately. This way, moving appliances will be much easier.
Hire Help!
As previously mentioned, hiring professional movers can be more expensive than doing everything by yourself. But, just think about it. When packing and relocating by yourself, there is a big possibility of many things going wrong. First, it is time and energy-consuming. You also have to beg your friends, family members, and neighbors for help. Yes, they will probably come, but unwillingly – nobody likes heavy lifting.
Then there is a possibility of damage. Only professional and trained movers know how to pack everything and have proper moving equipment and knowledge. So, consider using special relocation services instead of having multiple DIY moving projects by yourself. They will bring packing materials, moving equipment, truck and machines, and pack and transfer everything professionally.
Call all Your Friends to Help You Out
Yes, hiring help can release you from all the worries and troubles but, we know that even after getting good moving estimates, sometimes that is not an option. In that case, you must turn to other sources of help. So, call everybody you are close to. Call all your friends, family members, neighbors, and colleagues. If you have many people trying to prepare household appliances for relocation, the whole job will be done in just a single day. Moreover, you will need somebody to help you out with all the heavy lifting, loading, and unloading of the truck. Do not even try to move those bulky appliances as you might injure yourself.