Posts Tagged ‘pack’

When moving into a bachelor apartment…

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008

Bachelorette suites are a great way to go for singles who are looking to save a buck or two on rental fees.  Many of them come pre-furnished, so moving with your own things can tighten up space.  Follow these quick bachelorette moving guides to make life easier on yourself when first settling in.

Pack lightly.  It sounds simple, but it is effective.  There are probably lots of things you own that you never make use of.  Why carry them along with you?  Learn to live burden free with a bachelor suite.  The great thing about renting furnished spaces is that you can be ready to be on the move again – at your own timing.  Don’t give yourself the worries of having to get rid of too many things later on.

Clean and clear. With a furnished suite, you have no idea who has been there before or what kind of mess they might have left behind.  Either ask the landlord to make sure the place has been cleaned, or, if that’s not part of the contract, take a visit yourself before the move in day to spiff up the place before your boxes arrive and get in the way of doing the job later.  This way, if junk has been left behind or you find damages, you can report them to your landlord early on, to avoid confusion as to when the defects took place, and also to make clear who will be paying for the repairs.

Decorate!  This is the fun part.  Your suite will be small, and may seem un-homely, but you can make it yours by customizing it as much as your landlord will allow.  Here are some ideas to consider if painting or renovating is not an option:

  • Shelves – to store things high and against walls so they’re not spread out and taking up room where you need to stretch out and move around.
  • Photos and frames – most of the time you’ll be alone, so keep yourself in view of fond memories with friends by developing photos of ‘the good times’ and framing them.
  • Pictures – aside from personal photos, you may want to get some inspirational artwork up.  Get prints or paintings that go with the colour scheme of your bedding or the existing furniture.
  • Plants – they not only give fresh air, they bring life to a room.  Remember to keep them near sunlight so they’ll last longer and shine their radiance.
  • Blanket throws – these are great for both adding colour to a room and keeping you cozy while watching television or reading on the couch.
  • Baskets – wicker gives the feeling of being artistically crafted, so they’ve got personality, even if in reality they were machine made.  Still, they make great for organizing magazines, laundry, fruit, you name it.

Consider renting storage.  If you’ve had your own furniture in a previous home, it may not be practical to bring it along with you if the suite is already furnished.  Not only could your landlords be unhappy with the excess things in the way, too many things lying around can be hazardous in the event of a natural disaster.  For instance, in a fire, you’ll need to be able to exit quickly, and have access to windows.  In an earthquake, things piled high will topple and may leave you underneath a heap of collapse.

Finally, remember to still have invites.  Just because your place is small, doesn’t mean you can’t entertain.  After following the above tips, you should still have the space – and personality – in your suite to be able to have friends over for a fun-filled time, without being disturbed by a crowded atmosphere.

Making the most of a box

Friday, October 17th, 2008

Sure, it’s got four sides, a top and a bottom – but it may not be meant for moving.  For items that require care, or a large handling capacity (such as heavy books) , going to the nearest grocery or retail store for cardboard headed to the dumpster may not cut it. 

First thing to do is to get organized.  Find out an estimate of how many durable moving boxes you’ll need.  For lighter things (such as bedding), a box may not even be necessary.  What you want to look out for are things made of glass (dishware, frames, décor, etc.) or things that are otherwise heavy, even if they are not necessarily fragile (such as books or bathroom toiletries containing liquid, like shampoo bottles, etc.).  The fragile and weighty items will need special packing boxes that are more durable at the bottom, seal well at the top and come with packing material such as tape and bubble wrap.  Used boxes will have already lost much of their lifespan – think of all the travel and movement they would have gone through before even reaching the retail store you found them at.

Next, pack the big things first.  You may not end up filling the boxes right away.  Keep this analogy in mind:  filling a jar to the uttermost with rocks requires putting the big pieces in first, then letting the pebbles dribble into the crevices where there is still room to be occupied.  It works the same way with your moving objects.  After the larger items are in place, begin snuggling the smaller and medium-sized things in, arranging things so there is as little space as possible for shifting around during the move. 

When you’ve done your best to fill up as many empty spaces as possible in the boxes, don’t neglect the little holes – they can be hazardous to your valuables if there is ever a big shake in the moving process.  Use Styrofoam popcorn or bubble tape to cushion things against.  If you run out, you can always go homemade and make use of plastic grocery bags you were planning on throwing out anyway.  A great way to stay green in your move…

Finally, remember to stay organized.  Just because you want to put big things in boxes first, then little things, don’t let objects get out of place or you will have a hard time finding them later on.  Keep a list of categories that you will remember when unpacking.  For example, a certain set of boxes will contain only “kitchen ware” or “books” or “bathroom stuff”, and so on.  In other words, don’t put your shampoo with your kitchen plates just because it fits a hole! Of course, label all your boxes with as much detail as possible, even if you do end up doing a little mixing – that will make settling into your new destination a breeze.