By NANCY E. BENNETT
“You can never start too early planning your move.”
That is the advice from Bobbie German of Real Estate Associates in North Falmouth. As soon as you know you will be moving, she recommends lining up a mover, getting boxes and arranging for people to take away the things you do not want.
Ms. German, a real estate agent, has been giving people advice on moving for more than 30 years.
Pack It Or Get Rid Of It
She recommends moving as the best time to weed out the things you do not want. At the very least, getting rid of unwanted items will make your move less expensive and, if you are able to sell some of it, will help offset the cost of the move.
If what you want to get rid of has good value, you can contact businesses like Stem to Stern in Yarmouth or Cape Cod Pickers in Falmouth.
Places like Cape Cod Pickers and the Salvation Army will remove your remaining unwanted items for free (provided they feel they can sell or donate them).
Interested in avoiding the middleman? Options include placing a classified ad, putting ads on craigslist or posting to pages like Cape Cod Yard Sale on Facebook.
When To Pack
Ms. German strongly recommends that everything be packed before movers or friends arrive to help.
However, for those who do not have the time or who simply hate packing, movers will do it for you.
Doug Gregory, owner of Cape Cod Moving and Storage in Bourne, says his company offers a packing service. He agrees with Ms. German that if the family is packing for themselves, it should all be done before the movers arrive.
How To Pack
Start filling boxes as soon as possible and label them with text or colored stickers. Mr. Gregory recommends labeling the top and side of the boxes, so even if they are stacked, you will still know what is inside.
Make sure you have plenty of Bubble Wrap and newspapers to protect your belongings. Better than old newspapers is the blank paper that newspapers are printed on. As Mr. Gregory says, “It is thicker than tissue paper and doesn’t require you to wash everything afterward.” He says he sells it, as do others. He also recommends perforated Bubble Wrap, so you won’t need scissors.
One trick he mentioned is removing lampshades and nesting them inside each other in a box.
The general advice is to use smaller boxes for most of your items. Big boxes should only be used for lighter items, like pillows.
The Right Box For The Job
While small boxes sound good and work for most of the house, it is not what Mr. Gregory recommends for the kitchen.
“The whole kitchen can be packed into six to eight boxes,” he says. While a larger box may seem like the wrong way to go, once you realize the extra space is filled with the additional packing materials, it all makes sense. Mr. Gregory sells what he calls dish barrels—large double-walled boxes.
Also convenient are wardrobe boxes, which Cape Cod Moving and Storage rents to customers. Each holds about two feet of clothing from a closet and has a rod inside. A slit near the top allows clothes to be placed inside the box and hung on the rod.
Mr. Gregory says on moving day he will often find people’s artwork stacked against the wall. He says it should always be bubble-wrapped and boxed. Sometimes artwork is the most valuable possession people own. Boxes are available in several sizes for artwork, including a large expandable box.
About The Furniture
If you are renting a truck, be sure to get enough pads to protect your furniture.
Moving companies offer bags to protect mattresses and box springs, will cover upholstery with stretch wrap, and have large rubber bands to keep drawers from opening.
Mr. Gregory says to only leave clothing in drawers if the furniture is sturdy and resist the temptation to pack more items into the drawers.
Moving Day & After
If friends are assisting with your move, Ms. German suggests limiting the number of people at your house, otherwise maneuvering multiple cars and the moving truck may get tricky.
Mr. Gregory recommends that people put some items in their cars, like plants, clothes and lamps.
After the unpacking is done, Ms. German says rather than storing your moving boxes, give them away. If none of your friends are moving soon, you can put a free classified ad in the Enterprise and offer them to someone who will need them.
Last Bit Of Advice
As Ms. German says, “Always start planning your move early!”
Mr. Gregory agrees. Contact a mover “at least three weeks or more in advance.”
EXPERT TIPS
From real estate agent
Bobbie German
1. Use stickers to color code boxes. Movers will be able to quickly place every box where it belongs at the new home.
2. Pack everything you will need for that first night in a box that you take directly to your car. At the end of the day, you will know exactly where to find those things.
3. Always make arrangements for your children and pets to be somewhere else when the movers are there. This eliminates worries about them being in the way or, in the case of pets, dashing out an open door.
WHERE TO GET BOXES
• From your moving company
• From big-box stores
• Classified ads (people
giving away their moving boxes)
• Liquor stores and bookstores
WHAT TO MOVE YOURSELF
From Doug Gregory, owner of Cape Cod Moving and Storage
• Jewelry—For your own piece
of mind, take care of your
jewelry yourself.
• Plants—They do not do well in
moving trucks, especially if
items will be stored in the truck
overnight.
• Heirloom items—Often
irreplaceable and with a lot of
sentimental worth, these items
may also be fragile.