The renovation project is complete. It's time to move back in. Hurrah! But not so fast. Moving to your newly renovated house may be fun, but it also comes with its own hurdle. Therefore, you need all the support you can get to ensure the process runs smoothly. So, Here are tips for moving back in after a renovation.
The supplies you'll have at hand depend on how much stuff you moved out during the renovation process. If it was a full house renovation and you had to move loads of stuff, you'll have to get supplies as if you were moving house.
Generally, you'll need packing boxes, tapes and coloured stickers, and bubble wraps, among others. If you are using a moving company, you need to inquire beforehand if they provide parking supplies.
Suppose they don't provide them. Source for free parking boxes or buy new ones. Make sure they are high-quality and sturdy to carry your belongings safely.
With the supplies, it's time to pack. To make your work easier, classify your belongings according to the rooms. Each box should be well labelled with the items they contain. Add additional information, including the rooms they belong to.
The best strategy is to have a moving file with all the details about the stuff you are moving back to your newly renovated house. You can do this online using apps such as Evernote or resort to a hard copy file.
Have the essential package at hand with all the items you'll need while setting everything up one room at a time.
A good labelling system will help you sort out the boxes and make it easy to follow through with the unpacking process weeks after moving in.
Colour codes make the moving-in process organized. Use different coloured stickers on each room door. The boxes going to the different rooms should have corresponding colours. This way, individual boxes are moved to their respective rooms from the onset.
Once everything is set in the house, it's time to unpack. The key question is, where do you start? The general rule of thumb is to start with the bedroom. Unpack the beddings and set up the bedrooms first because, by the time you are done, you'll need a place to rest and spreading your beddings then will be an insurmountable task.
From there, you can set up the bathroom essentials. Unpack toothbrushes, toilet papers, soap, shower gels, slippers, towels, etc.
Next, tackle the kitchen. Your new cupboards need to be filled. Pack everything in the right place from the beginning. Otherwise, you risk spending months sifting through the cabinets to rearrange the utensils.
Moving in after a renovation can be hectic, especially with the unpacking and arranging parts of or the whole house. It’s easy to misplace important items. For that reason, keep any heirlooms, jewellery, antiques and expensive gadgets in a safe box in one of the rooms, a place where you can quickly retrieve them. In the same breath, ensure all the essential documents are safely locked and stored away.
Sometimes, hiring a moving company may be your best bet. Since they are professionals, they can help you move your belongings from the storage facility to your house. Some not only offer packing supplies but also packing and unpacking services. This reduces your work by half.
The moving-in process may be messy, especially if there is furniture involved. Instead of hoping the moving company will be careful, you can implement some strategies to ensure the floor or walls are not scratched.
Lay down a mat in the high-traffic areas that the movers use a lot. You can also protect wall corners and door jambs. These are just precautionary measures, but most removal companies take extra care to ensure there are no damages.
Once you’ve moved back in, you may be under pressure to return to normalcy. While that is ideal, it may take some time. So, don’t pressure yourself. You can hire a cleaning company, depending on how much the construction team cleaned the renovated area. After the cleaning, you’ll need to pack and unpack the rooms systematically over a period of time, say a week.
So, don’t be in haste to settle down. Just take one day at a time. Instead of stressing about what has not been done, enjoy the atmosphere of your new home. Reminisce on all your hard work that has finally come to fruition.
Renovating a house is not a small fit. When you’ve done all the hard work, and the house is in order, it’s time to celebrate this milestone. You can have a housewarming party or a tea party, depending on what works for you.
Celebrate the chaos that ensued during the renovation, the sacrifices you made to ensure the renovation materialized, and the sleepless nights wondering when it would be done. You can share the before and after pictures on social media. Feel free to pour your heart out about the project to your followers. Who knows, you may help someone thinking of renovating their home.
Lastly, take a few minutes off your celebration and give a review to the construction company and the house removal company if you used one. Be honest with your review. Remember, the next person seeking those services may use your opinion of the companies' services to make their choice.