The DIY Removalist: How to Move House By Yourself

The post-pandemic economy has people looking for new ways to save money wherever possible. Some folks are cutting their own hair, re-tiling their own floors, and doing their own oil changes. Many take it even a step further when switching residence. They’ve discovered moving house by themselves or with the help of immediate family isn’t so bad after all. Especially if you can rent or borrow an 8×5 tandem axle trailer to get your belongings safely from A to B. These handy trailers are great for oversized but not too heavy items and are easy to tow behind most mid-size sedans or pickup trucks, making them the perfect choice for most house moves.

Many people discover a silver lining in all of this. You get a sense of accomplishment and self-satisfaction in these tasks. Indeed, if we’re honest, we could all use a little more exercise, exposure to the great outdoors, and extra sunlight. Walking and lifting moderately weighted boxes or furniture can be great for our blood pressure markers and overall health. So if you have a house move on the horizon, don’t fret about the expense or stress. Consider doing it yourself and make it easier by following the checklist we have outlined below.

Let’s take a look at the simple steps you need to follow to accomplish a successful DIY move.

Assemble Your Team

For a painless house move, you need extra sets of hands. Make a short list of those folks you think would be ideal, your A-list, or starting lines, if you will. Pin down an exact date for the house move as soon as possible, so they can make solid plans to be available. Ask friends, family, or perhaps there are some coworkers who you get on with who are willing to assist.

Sell Or Give Away Clutter

Nobody is immune to this; we all have junk around the house that needs to go. This stuff makes the moving process that much more unpleasant. Try to sell the more valuable items online or in a yard sale, give away the rest or donate to an organised charity. Be especially ruthless here. If you haven’t touched or used these items in six months or more, you probably don’t want or need these things cluttering up your life. Let them go. After the move, you’ll find daily life more straightforward and uncluttered.

Organise

Acquire some strong cardboard boxes, string, bubble wrap, large plastic tarps or packing blankets (for furniture), packing tape, and markers for labelling the boxes. Devise a colour coding system to quickly assist your helpers, so they know where to drop the boxes within your new home. Several rolls of coloured electrical or masking tape are great for this task.

Pack Up

Now that you have a coding system and boxes ready, time to pack up everything. Be sure to reinforce the bottom of the boxes with strong tape to avoid accidents due to over-packing.

Disassemble large furniture if at all possible. That way, these heavy items can be easily moved. Chunk up the heavy lifting as best you can. Use two people for moving bulky furniture (mattresses, clothes dressers, refrigerators, etc.).

Empty and defrost your refrigerator ahead of time. Donate or use the food before it spoils. Remove the water from the drain pans to avoid damage to other items and potential mould buildup. Fold up gym equipment, and remove drawers from large dressers and cabinets. This will make lifting these items easier on your arms and lower back.

Load The Truck/Trailer

When lifting heavy items, remember to avoid injury; lift with your legs, not your back. And always get assistance with oversize furniture. Your truck loading strategy is to put the heaviest items towards the front for safe weight distribution. The same goes for the trailer, heavy weight towards the front where the trailer hitch connects to the vehicle. Also, confirm your trailer hitch is securely fastened and that the backup connecting chains are also in place.

Pay attention to the gross vehicle weight limits, and do not overload. Especially important if you’ve rented this truck. You will be liable for any damages due to overloading. Securely strap all loose items, so they do not fall off the trailer and endanger others on the road. When unloading the box of the truck, to avoid injury from falling items, stand clear when opening the back door, as large items may have shifted during the drive.

After The Move, Sit Back And Enjoy The Moment

Once the house move is complete, take a slow, methodical approach to unpack, and don’t overdo yourself. Cut down the boxes and if they can be reused, donate them to friends or take them to your local paper recycling centre along with your plastic tarps. Congratulations, you just saved a truckload of cash and got some great exercise. Bask in the glory of your hard work and enjoy celebrating the official moving into your new home.