12 tips and tricks to move out without stressing

Are you moving out ? If you start to organize yourself early enough, roughly two or three months in advance, and if you follow the practical advice that we are going to give you, you will considerably alleviate the urgency and the stress of the last days along with the workload that goes with it. In the second part of this article we present all the storage possibilities in case you need it.

*Tip n°1

Think early enough about how you are going to move: can you do it yourself with the help of a few friends or do you prefer to call a professional? If you pick the moving company solution, contact several movers 2-3 months beforehand and ask for quotes. Prices considerably vary from a professional to another depending on the time of year. You can choose the services according to your needs and your availability. Moving companies can take care of everything, even packing the boxes, but it will cost you more. They can also, on D-Day, only take care of the furniture, heavy objects and loading the boxes that you have prepared yourself. If you wish, the moving company will provide you with the boxes. You can also buy it, order it online, or hunt for boxes at the nearest supermarket or furniture store. This economical solution still takes some time and requires several trips back and forth.

*Tip n°2

Fix the moving date in advance and to the extent of your possibilities, avoid summer and especially the end of August, the end of the year, the end of the month (the 30th and 31st correspond to the end of rental leases), and weekends. At these times, prices are higher whether you go to a professional mover (who often has a busy schedule already) or rent a moving van. In all cases, book in advance. If you decide to move on your own, a long weekend may be okay with you, but will friends who are ready to help you be available?

*Tip n°3

Sort and sort again! When moving out, you realize that everything, absolutely everything in your home, passes through your hands. Now is the time to sort through your clothes, your belongings, those things you kept in the garage or basement just in case… and which you haven’t used for 10 years. Be ruthless, even if some choices are difficult, and especially if you have to move into a smaller space.

*Tip n°4

Learn the art of filling boxes! It takes an average of half a box per m2. Large boxes will receive light objects, small boxes heavy objects. Do not load your boxes beyond 15 kg / 20 kg maximum. Wrap dishes and fragile items with bubble wrap or newspaper and secure everything well so as not to leave a void. Wrap mirrors / picture frames / chandeliers and other fragile items in blankets, clothes, towels. Remember to bring wide and resistant tape to close the boxes. Avoid multiplying the sizes of the boxes so that they are easier to store in the truck. Remember that preparing the boxes takes time. Pack the items you need the least first, and so on as the date approaches. Keep only what you will need for everyday use until D-Day, including kitchen utensils, clothes and toiletries.

*Tip n°5

Mark the boxes according to the destination room: when you arrive in your new home you risk being invaded by boxes and no longer knowing which room they are going to or what they are holding. You can write down the content, but the easiest way is to adopt a color code (with stickers for example) per room: blue for the kitchen, red for the living room, yellow for the parents’ room, etc. The boxes will be placed directly by the movers in the room for which they are intended. This does not prevent you from briefly jotting down its contents and especially the things that you will need immediately when you arrive in your new home. Also plan a bag / cooler with everything you will need on D-Day. Food, drinks (especially if you move in the summer) for you and your family and to give to professional movers or friends.

*Tip n°6

Estimate the volumes of furniture and boxes: if you contact a professional, they will do so when they come to your home to make a quote. But if you are moving out by yourself, it will come in handy when renting the moving truck. To get a rough idea of ​​the volumes, take the area of ​​a room / accomodation and divide by 2. For 50 m2, count 25 m3. It all depends on how much furniture you have, whether it can be dismantled or not, etc.

*Tip n°7

Book a parking space near the accommodation: you will have to carry furniture and boxes. Try to block off a space in front of the building you are moving into so that you can park the truck as close to the entrance as possible. If you are moving into a building, find out about the regulations. Will you be able to take the elevator, the stairs or will you have to use a furniture lift?

*Tip n°8

Notify the post office of your change of address: about two weeks before the big day, remember to notify the post office of your change of address to forward your mail as well as your electricity and internet suppliers, etc. To make sure you don’t forget anything, make a list of what to do.

*Tip n°9

Insurance in case of breakage: If you’re moving out by yourself with the help of friends, check with your insurance. If you go to a serious professional, it will be insured. But do inquire for safety. When moving out will be done, check that there has been no breakage or that no items are missing. The mover must compensate you in the event of loss or breakage of the objects that you have entrusted to him/her. Moreover, if during the installation of the furniture in the home, there is damage to the walls, for example, it should also be reported within 10 days to the mover by registered letter. If you need to move valuables, another type of insurance may be necessary. Check with the moving company.

*Tip n°10

Prepare your household appliance for the move: empty the fryer, block the door of the oven(s). For the microwave: block or remove the glass plate, block the washing machine drum and empty the hose and the dishwasher’s hose. Thaw out / defrost the fridge / freezer at least the night before, put your screens in their original packaging or protect them with a blanket. Coil and securely tie the cables of all your household / electrical / electronic devices.

Regarding liquids / bottles, close the caps tightly and, for safety, pack them in an airtight bag so that they do not leak during transport. To make the job of occasional movers like you or professionals easier, write top and bottom on the cardboard.

*Tip n°11

Empty your cupboards / freezer: a few days before D-Day, empty your cupboards for cans (it will always be that much not to be transported) and of course your fridge / freezer.

*Tip n°12

If you are a tenant and according to the specifications of your contract, you will have to give notice to your landlord by registered letter. Plan that, in view of the exit inventory, the accommodation you are leaving will have to be repaired if necessary, or at least cleaned. Will you do it yourself? Spare a few hours for this! Will you ask a company to do it? Remember to book it in advance!

Do you need to store your furniture ?

For multiple reasons you may need to store your furniture / or part of your furniture for a longer or shorter period before recovering them. With a classic furniture storage plan you will not be able to freely access your things, unless you pay a fee. Storage boxes, also called self storage, offer more flexibility. You have the key to your storage unit and you can access it freely. Here are the different possibilities for storing your belongings.

The classic furniture storage offered by moving companies. Your furniture is stored in a storage unit that you cannot access. If you want to pick up or drop off something, you must notify the company and opening the container will incur costs. The storage period is, in principle, determined in advance.

The individual storage unit with free access: it is you who stores your furniture, and the storage time is indefinite. Some furniture repositories offer storage spaces of all sizes where you can reserve a space. Your belongings are safe there.

The mobile storage unit offers the same principle as the individual one but you no longer move, it is the storage unit company that takes your furniture from you. They are then stored at the professional’s.

Furniture storage boxes: depending on what you want to store and whether you don’t need to access your furniture, the furniture storage box may be right for you. Once filled and sealed, it is stored in storage unit spaces.

The storage container: these steel storage boxes are easily rented in almost all cities in Switzerland. They are placed in ventilated and supervised storage spaces. You can access it by requesting that the container be opened for you.