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Moving Across the Country: The Benefits of Backloading


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Moving Across the Country: The Benefits of Backloading

When I was offered a new job in Perth, I had to relocate my life from Brisbane. I had no idea how I was going to ship all my things across Australia. I considered hiring a van and doing it myself, but driving thousands of miles and then starting work when I arrived just didn't appeal to me. I looked into using a moving company, but I was put off a little by the cost. It was then my friend mentioned backloading. Backloading allowed me to haul my things across the country on trucks which were returning from another job. This drastically reduced the cost. I am now settled in Perth, but I wanted to start this blog to help others who need to store or move the things they own.

Packing and preparing for storage

A self-storage unit offers a convenient way to house your belongings, whether you're in the middle of a move or just running out of space at home. To make the most effective use of your storage space, you'll need to plan, pack and prepare effectively before moving day. 

Decide what you're keeping

Whether you're moving house or just moving a few boxes into storage, this is a good time to take inventory of your possessions and decide what you're going to need in the future. After all, there's no point in packing an item, moving it to storage, paying to store it, taking it out of storage and then finally disposing of it. Decide which of your items you're going to keep before packing; sell the rest, give it away or donate it to charity. 

Pack securely

The best way to keep packed items safe in transit is to prevent them from moving in their boxes. Make sure that the voids in your boxes are filled with packing material such as bubble wrap, crumpled paper or foam pellets. It's important to keep the boxes from becoming too heavy; heavy boxes can be unsafe to carry and can split during transport. If you're packing heavy materials such as books, make sure not to fill the box completely. Instead, fill the base of the box with the heavier items, and then pack the rest of the box with lighter items such as towels, clothes or bedding. Once you've finished packing your boxes, secure them with packing tape. 

Take it apart

Large items like furniture are easier to store if they're taken apart. Remove shelves from bookcases, empty drawers, and detach legs from tables or desks. One possible exception to this is a nightstand or small chest of drawers; leave the drawers in, but wrap the nightstand in plastic wrap to hold them in place. Store screws, pegs and other small parts in clear plastic bags. 

Label clearly 

Mark each box with a short list of its contents in permanent marker. Since you'll probably be stacking boxes in storage, don't write on the top or lid of the box. A clear list will help you know where boxes are going to go when you move them out of storage, and it can be useful if you need to add or remove items while the boxes are still in storage. You should also label the separate parts of your furniture to make reassembling them simpler. 

The more thought you put into your packing and preparation, the quicker and more painless your move will be, and the easier it will be to find what you need in your storage unit.