Whether you’re just married or have made the decision to move in with that special someone, it can be a challenge to merge two households. Not only do you have two people with different styles and different ideas of what a home looks like, but you also have the issue of actually moving your belongings.
Some people choose to move into their partner’s home, while other couples will move both their homes into a new one. It doesn’t matter which one you do; you still need to be sure that everything will fit together in the space you have. We’ve put together a guide to help you with the move.
Sort Through Your Things
Everyone has items they no longer need but are holding onto for some reason. This is the perfect time to eliminate all the junk and extra stuff you’ve collected during your life. That doesn’t mean you should throw everything out, but it’s a good time to prioritise your belongings.
You’ll want to set aside things you really want. For example, if your dining room set is a heritage set you were gifted by your grandparents, you may feel quite strongly about keeping it. Make a note of the things you absolutely want to keep. These are items that you can either insist on placing in the new house or you can ensure that they are going to be in storage if they can’t be used.
This is a good time to eliminate anything that you really don’t need, including items that have been piled up for ages without use.
Compare Your Major Furnishings
Once you’ve narrowed things down to your favourite must keep furnishings, find out what the other person has marked as their must keep furnishings. This is where compromise becomes paramount.
If you like your partner’s sofa set, but don’t care about yours and they like your dining room set but are willing to part with theirs, you have no issues. Unfortunately, it rarely works out that way. You may both be in love with a particular table and neither willing to give it up. This is when you’ll need to figure out a compromise.
With tables, for example, you may use one as a desk in another area of the house, or perhaps one table could be put into storage for the time being. In this case, you would determine which table best fits the ambiance you’re trying to create in your new home.
Compromise on Décor
One of the most challenging aspects of moving in with someone else is that they may not have the same idea of what looks nice. If you have an avid comic collector with anime posters and swords to display, but the other person is more interested in their cow print collectibles, you will need to determine how to fit everything into the same space.
Usually, it is best to compromise on spaces. For example, the kitchen is the ideal space for the cow collection, while the anime posters could go in the bedroom. Giving each person space they can keep their collectibles and interesting items will make everything go smoother.
Many angry discussions have been had over a partner who insists on having something the other considers unsightly, so try to figure this out before it becomes a big problem.
Sell Off Your Extras
Inevitably, you’ll end up with duplicates of some items. Since life as a couple tends to cost money, it’s a good idea to sell off some of those extra items and make some money from them. Everything from furniture to kitchen supplies can be sold off.
Some of the things you’ll want to rid yourself of if you have duplicates include:
Furniture: No one needs two dining room tables or three sofas. You’ll have to pick which to keep and then get rid of the other. Either sell off your extra furniture, give it away, or if you can’t part with it, put it into storage.
Dishes: You’re likely to have far too many dishes if you put everything together, so if that’s the case, narrow it down a bit. Things like two butter dishes or three gravy boats simply aren’t necessary, so some can be taken away.
Beds: Most people have a rather nice bed they would prefer to keep, so this will require some testing. Who has the best bed? Or should you simply get rid of both and buy a new one for your new life together?
Books: Do you have duplicates of certain books? You might as well get rid of them! Books take up a lot of space and you probably don’t have much to spare considering you are blending two homes together.
Appliances: Again, no one needs two mixers or two microwaves. It’s time to get rid of some of these extras and make some extra cash.
There are likely to be a number of things that you just don’t need extras of and in most cases, it will be pretty simple to sell them so you can use the money on something as a couple.
Donate Where You Can
This is an excellent time to get rid of things that you don’t wear or use. If you don’t want to sell them, consider donating. Items for kitchens, for example, are often welcome at women’s shelters and many people will be thrilled to receive some decent furniture when they haven’t got any at all. There are many places you can donate to, but don’t overlook your own family.
Check if anyone you know is interested in picking up the items you are no longer using. There will usually be plenty of people who are willing to take items that are still in good condition. Anything extra may be donated to the second-hand stores in your area, as they will usually be able to sell them. However, in most cases, donation is the simplest option and allows you to do some good in your town, helping others with things they need.
Encourage your partner to do the same, so you can make double the impact!
Make Decisions Before Packing
You may be tempted to move everything over to the new place and then make decisions, but this is rarely a good idea. Once it’s there, you probably won’t take it out again and then you end up with an overcrowded space with too many items that you just aren’t using.
Instead, take the time to eliminate everything possible before you pack. Then you have minimal boxing up to do and less to haul to your new home. It’s the best way to make your move nice and smooth. Just make sure that people who are purchasing or taking items are available to pick them up before your moving day. It’s difficult to adjust if they don’t show up and you have extra furniture to move when you’ve cleared a small truck with the removals company.
It may help to mark things with stickers to determine if they are staying or going. It can also be helpful to start throwing things away a few months ahead of time unless you want to hire a skip and get rid of large amounts at a time. It’s impressive how much one person can collect.
Communicate with Your Removals Company
It can get confusing when you’re moving items from one place to another, but when you’re moving things from two places to one, it becomes more complicated. You may also have side trips to a storage unit where you will each store the items that you will not be using in the new home but you still want to keep.
Take the time to explain the situation to your removals company and get advice on how to ensure the move goes smoothly. The removals company should have a good plan in mind when they set out and should know where the items are to be picked up from and dropped off.
Without proper communication, things can go ridiculously wrong on your moving day, so plan carefully, talk to the removals company and go over the plan with them again on the actual day. Most removals companies are more than happy to work with you to ensure your items get where they need to be.
Find a great removal company
Are you planning a move? Whether it’s close by or far away, you’ll need a good removals company. Essex Removals is at your service, ready to provide the moving services you need.
