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Moving Tips

6 Stress-Free Moving Hacks And Packing Tips For Newbies

May 27, 2021

There is no denying that relocating to a new place builds up anticipation and excitement. After all, a new chapter of life awaits you. However, let’s not forget, the moving process is not a piece of cake. You won’t even realize how many household items you might have accumulated over the years. You need to wrap up everything in your house and safely take it with you to the new place. The stressful and challenging moving and packing process burns out all the energy and excitement of relocation. Even the most expert individuals find the moving and packing process quite daunting.

However, luckily, some proven hacks can make moving less stressful if you are a newbie and save your precious time and energy tenfold. So read on below to discover simple tips and tricks that can make your moving experience stress-free and enjoyable:

Plan ahead

First and foremost, you need to have a clear moving plan to save yourself from stress and frustration. One better way is to start planning about your move once the date of moving is confirmed. Doing so can keep you from running and scrambling at the last moments. You can also sort out all your belongings in a relaxed manner by starting early. To start packing weeks before the actual moving date is a perfect way to keep everything in control.

Packing in a rush increases the chances of getting things damaged or irresponsibly placed in the boxes. So make sure to purchase packing supplies beforehand to pack everything securely. Whether you are moving within the country or cross-country, getting all the moving resources can help you move seamlessly. These resources can guide you with which services are best for home inspections, self-storage options, cleaning services, and much more.

Label boxes

Don’t just start packing randomly. Since there are many household items to pack, making a packing list can save you from hassles. You can define in the lists which items will go in which room or which items you need to discard. Once you have listed down everything, start putting things in different boxes. Make sure to label your boxes on all four sides, as it will save your time when you unpack these items in your new place.

Declutter

Picture this; you are halfway done with your packing, only to realize you don’t even need a few items in your next home. It would be a wastage of time, and all your efforts would go down the drain, leaving you frustrated to no end. That is why it is essential to clutter unnecessary belongings to save your time and effort. The best way is to start with your storage room. Look for items that you haven’t used in months; chances are, these are the items that you won’t need in your new home.

Don’t hesitate to take help

There might be a chance that any of your friends or family members might have gone through at least one move in their life. Instead of starting from scratch, asking for help in your moving process can save you from stress. While relocating is somewhat depressing, too, having them around is a great way to lift your mood. However, make sure not to take too much of their time as they might have other commitments also. You can ask them if they could spare a few hours and help you with your packing.

Keep paperwork safe

Your whole house might look like a messy place during packing. Due to this, few essential documents might go misplaced. Thus, a better option is to set aside all your necessary documents, including insurances, resume, passport, visa, etc. You can place them in a box or file that you have easy access to, so you don’t have to run like a mad man later on when you need them. Ensure to keep a soft copy of all your documents in dropbox or any other location to have all your paperwork readily accessible.

Prepare yourself for unforeseen situations

No matter how robust your plan is, some things don’t turn out as you expect them to be. Instead of worrying, it’s better to check out some of the best travel packing and house moving tips and have a backup plan for worst-case scenarios. Suppose your mover company has ditched your plan, no worries. Have a backup plan by listing down last-minute moving services that can help you get out of this crisis. Or, if you are facing a parking or traffic jam issue, it would be wise of you to book your parking space for the moving truck beforehand.

Conclusion

Although moving is a dreadful experience, you can save yourself from stressful times and enjoy this time with the proper planning. Often people overlook their healthy routine during moving procedures. Make sure to get enough quality sleep and intake healthy foods. For smooth moving, it is crucial to stop procrastinating and follow your plan rigorously. Remember, it is okay to feel everything as chaos during the relocation. Take deep breaths and allow yourself to relax even if a lot of work is pending to maintain your sanity.

Cleaning

5 Time Savers for Household Tasks

August 28, 2020

Chloe Taylor

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Are you always on the go and not have time to clean or do some chores? Unfortunately, some don’t have a house helper to tidy, vacuum, or do laundry. That’s why some hate household chores, especially on days when they are in a rush. They can’t be bothered with a simple household task, and they go home to a great pile of housework. Household chores are tedious and never-ending tasks that eat up most of our time, and time is gold. It is something we cannot buy. So, we have to maximize our efficiency in doing household tasks to save time for more exciting life activities and rest. Make the most of your time. Check our time savers for household tasks!

Do Weekly Groceries and Create a Weekly Meal Plan

The household task is not all about cleaning. You have to prepare food on the table, too! To make things easier for you, create a weekly meal plan. The meal plan will guide you in which items are already in your fridge or cupboards, and what to buy. Creating a shopping list before you go to the groceries will help you know which aisle to go and item to pick. Also, it helps you not waste time buying unnecessary items. If you really have no time to go to the supermarket, you can do grocery shopping online and have the items delivered to your home. By that, you don’t have to drive to the store, scour through the aisles, and unpack the groceries at home. The weekly meal plan will also save valuable time from thinking of which meal to cook for each day.

Save Time When Cleaning and Dusting

Cleaning and dusting is the most lengthy task on household chores, especially if you have a large house. Now, how could you save time? Set 15-minutes on your time to clean and dust your home. Cleaning, dusting, and decluttering day by day could save you time when the general cleaning day comes. If you have a two-story home, it saves more time if you start on the second floor and clean your way down. As you clean and dust, gravity’s power will make bits of dirt and dust fall to the floor. So, to avoid doing it again, have a pattern that could help you clean efficiently. Not going to lie, there are corners of our house that we do not like– they are too difficult to reach! In this case, you need to use a vacuum cleaner to suck dust and crumbs. Before you start vacuuming, make sure to pick up all loose items on the floor and move some furniture to make it quick and easy for you. Lastly, have each of the family members to help out when cleaning and dusting. It is best to be hand-in-hand in cleaning, especially in this pandemic. We have to protect our family from Covid-19. Also, teach them how to develop a good habit of clean as you go (CLAYGO). It will genuinely make cleaning easier if you do not have to follow crumbs of mess.

Spend Less Time Doing Laundry

We always have dirty laundry and, each day it piles up, it never gets empty. To spend less time doing laundry, sort all your clothes every time in the basket. It would be best to provide each family member at least three separate laundry baskets to sort their clothes by color. Do you do your laundry a couple of times each week? Americans do an average of 8 to 10 loads of laundry each week. It is best to choose one day a week to do the laundry to save time and laundry detergent. It will save you time in doing multiple cycles in the laundry, folding, and putting away. Also, you can make your homemade laundry detergent for frugal tips.

But, if you want to save a lot of your valuable time, use dry cleaning and laundry service. We are now in modern times. It is easy to appoint a schedule for laundry services by contacting them through their phone or website.

Invest in High-Quality Dishwasher

Washing the dishes by hand takes up a large portion of your time. If you are a busy person, investing in a high-quality dishwasher could be worth the time and water you will save. Buying a dishwasher will help you clean pots, pans, and dishes neatly half the time you do dishwashing by hand.

Keep Organized

Some think that the real challenge is organizing. Little did they know it is the most efficient way on how you could save time. Place things in a designated place where you could quickly put them back after using them. You do not have to re-organize your home in just a snap. Do it small and regularly. You wouldn’t notice that you have already organized your home. Try out these time savers for household tasks, and you will surely be amazed at how time-efficient you can be. Spend less time on housework and more on the things you love and with your loved ones!

Cleaning

Extraordinary Household Uses for Baking Soda

September 4, 2015

Stella Van Lane

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There are dozens of ways in which you could use baking soda around the household. It has a natural effect of regulating pH (numeric scale used to specify the acidity or alkalinity) and helps in maintaining its neutral level. Thus, it can be used for housecleaning, but also as a beauty and health remedy. So, here are some non-conventional ways in which you can use baking soda.

Stove problems

If your stove is dirty, just sprinkle the baking soda over it, sprinkle boiling water. Why boiling? Well, you want the baking soda to dissolve. All you need to do is wait for thirty minutes. Have a cup of coffee. Then scrub the stove and chase way the dirt.

Floor and Furniture Cleaning

Add about a ½ cup of baking soda in a bucket of warm water-mop. Rinse clean to remove grime and dirt, and to make your floor sparkle. A bit of baking soda on a damp sponge will rinse off scuff marks off the floor, but also does wonders when it comes to cleaning furniture. Rub lightly with a sponge and then wipe it with a dry cloth. Baking soda is non-toxic, therefore safe to use around children and pregnant women.

Freezer and Refrigerator

Pour 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda in a quart of warm water. Remove all food particles and wash the appliance with soapy water first. After that, rinse with bicarbonate solution to freshen everything up and remove the soap residue, then wipe with a clean, dry cloth.

Laundry
If you use liquid detergent, add a half a cup of baking soda to your laundry, in order to give the detergent a boost and regulate the water’s pH value.

Coffeemaker and Dishwasher
Clean these household appliances by adding baking soda and running an empty cycle.

Garage Oil and Grease
You can clean grease spills and light-duty oil by sprinkling baking soda on the spot and scrubbing the stains with a wet brush.

Natural Mattress and Carpet Freshener

After removing bedclothes for laundry, sprinkle baking soda on the mattress, leave it there for a few hours and then vacuum. It will freshen the mattress up and it will smell strikingly fresher.

Clogged Drains
Baking soda can be used for unclogging sinks. You need 1 cup of baking soda and a cup of vinegar. Pour the powder down the drain, then pour the vinegar. The drain should be plugged with a sink stopper and left like that for about half an hour. After that, pour a kettle of hot water after you unplug the sink.

household