Top 10 Moving Tips

If you don’t get it right, moving can be a painful experience (and not just because of all that heavy lifting). The logistics, costs, and all the other requirements that go into shifting from one place to another need to be considered as well. Here’s our top 10 moving tips to consider before your next move.

1. Labels, labels, labels

Imagine arriving at your new home, ready to unpack, and simply seeing a sea of brown boxes, not knowing what each one contains. Now that’s a nightmare nobody wants to face on their first day/ night in their new home.

Yes, labeling your boxes sounds pretty straightforward (and you’d never forget, of course!), but the number of times we’ve seen people make this error means it goes in as the number one item for our top 10 moving tips.

2. Packing for a peaceful state of mind

Ok, so you’ve got your label maker out, along with your bubble wrap and old newspapers (or packing paper, if a company is packing for you). “But what’s my packing method?” you ask.

Implement an easy to follow packing system, like the ‘box up items according to how they’re already stored’ and the ‘heavy items in a small box’ methods for a hassle-free experience. The former ensures it’s easier to unpack when you’re in your new home whilst the latter makes it easier to carry and move heavy items.

3. No packing on moving day

Speaking of packing, you might count moving day as an additional day to pack. We’d suggest avoiding that approach. Moving day should be reserved for moving your boxes after the movers arrive and setting up important items (like your bed and key kitchenware) in your new home. And if you’re moving your own things, then the last thing you need on this day is to still be packing!

4. Keep important things with you

If you have items that are valuable or important to you then keep them with you at all times. Not only will you have easy access to them when you need them, but you and the movers will have peace of mind that these items are safe and secure.

5. Know where everything goes or just get rid

When moving, people sometimes have the tendency to take everything from their old home to their new home thinking that they’ll declutter once they’ve finished shifting. But there’s no point in keeping things if they don’t have a dedicated place within your new home. So, summon up the strength to simply do away with items that you don’t need anymore.

6. Donate

If you don’t want to throw things away because they’re still usable and could potentially bring value to someone else’s home, consider donating. The UAE has charities that accept donations and there are multiple clothes bins located around the city. Many second-hand books stores and libraries can help lighten your current book shelf’s load (if you can’t remember buying it and haven’t read it yet, you can safely say goodbye!).

7. Take pics of your electronics

If you’re moving a home entertainment system that took time to set up, the last thing you want is to have it sitting there for days on end after you’ve moved, or worse, you pulling your hair out because you can’t remember where to connect the red and green wires.

Take some snaps of your set up, including how and where all your wires connect, to make set-up in your new home a breeze.

8. Pick the right company

If you’re using a moving company, enquire about their processes and procedures. How long have they been in the business? Which materials do they use to pack and do they bring their own? Do they simply move items or do they pack and unpack them as well? How do they keep track of the items and/or number of boxes? What happens if there’s an accident? Don’t be afraid to ask questions!

9. Pick the right day

To move or oversee a move, you need to set aside a lot of time – preferably an entire day, or potentially even two. That gives you plenty of time to move out, transport, move in, unpack and set up.

10. Get relevant permissions

Many buildings and communities require moving permits/ permissions. The last thing you want is to reach your new home, ready to unpack, and find out that security can’t let you through because you hadn’t informed them beforehand.

At Dubai Asset Management, we’ve amassed a decade’s worth of experience in housing people throughout the UAE, with over 100,000 people living in our diverse portfolio of apartment and villa communities. For more information and to find your next home, contact us on 800 9933.