On The Move Removals

We all know that being a teenager is tough. It’s that fine line between adulthood and adolescence and if you add to this the heady cocktail of hormones and physical growth, it’s easy to see why. That said, it’s often no bed of roses for the parents either and with a constant barrage of tantrums and opinions, many parents are continually walking the tightrope between keeping the peace and total uproar. If this is what it’s like on a daily basis, just imagine if you have an impending move coming up. Just how do you keep them on side? Here are some great road-tested tips for moving with teenagers.

Keep them in the loop
Surprisingly there are a number of parents who don’t want to tell their kids about an upcoming move because they fear a knee-jerk reaction. Think about it for a second. If the shoe was on the other foot and you weren’t told until the last minute that you were moving house, how would it make you feel? Instead, tell them at the earliest opportunity and keep them in the loop. Give your teenager a chance to have their say, they’ll appreciate it as being heard tends to go a long way.

Create a connection
One of the best ways of getting your teenager on board with an impending move is to sell it to them. Try to create a connection between something they love to do and your new area or neighbourhood. If they love sport, then find out if the area has good facilities. Alternatively if they like shopping (what teen doesn’t) find out about trendy clothes shops for young people. Once you’ve made that connection and done your homework, then set about ‘selling the sizzle!’

Losing touch
Friends are important in any walk of life but particularly when you’re a teenager. With this in mind it’s no surprise that your teen is probably worried that they’ll lose touch with their friends. If it’s not a major out-of-state move then make a promise and set a date with your teen to have their friends over as soon as possible. As for making new friends, then that will probably take care of itself.

Delegation
Most teens crave taking ownership, so when it comes to moving day why not give them some. Ask them if they would like to take responsibility for packing their own room and unpacking it when they get to the other end. Give them the chance to rise to the challenge and they’ll thank you for it.

Teenage years are complicated at the best of times but that doesn’t mean to say that home life has to be. By following these top tips it’s going to make for a less stressful move all round and a happier family life.

If you want total peace of mind with your house move then contact On The Move Removals. We’ve been moving the families and businesses of Brisbane and the suburbs for many years and over time have become Brisbane’s most trusted local movers. Why not call us on 044 993 2603 and let us give you a quote. We guarantee that you’ll be pleasantly surprised

There are many reasons that people downsize. It could be that the family has flown the nest and the house is just too big. It could be that you’re moving to a more expensive city or neighbourhood and have to downsize in order to stay on budget. Alternatively, it might be that you need to save money on the rent/mortgage and/or bills. Whatever your reasons – one thing’s for sure, you’ll have accumulated a lot of ‘stuff’. As a result you’ll have come to the realisation that you won’t be able to take everything. With this in mind here are four top tips to help you to downsize your belongings before downsizing your home.

Is it broken, torn or just plain worn out?
Okay, so this is where you have to get a little ruthless. If it’s broken, damaged, torn or worn out then you need to seriously ask yourself if the item is really worth taking with you? Are you likely to get it fixed or repaired, or does the cost of repair outweigh the cost of buying a new one? If the answers are ‘no’ and ‘yes’ respectively, then you should think about either throwing it away or recycling it.

Stuff you haven’t used?
It’s always best to go through your objects in a systematic fashion and that means room by room. If the item is serviceable, then the next question you should be asking yourself is “Have I used this item in the last year?” It pays to keep in mind when answering this question the fact that taking less stuff is going to save you money on removal fees. Therefore if the answer is no then it’s a pretty safe bet that you won’t ever use it. Obviously if it’s of sentimental value then that’s a different story, but if it’s a state-of-the-art yoghurt maker that you purchased on a whim back in 1998 and which has been gathering dust ever since, then you probably know what you should do.

Is it going to fit into your new property?
It could be that you’re downsizing from a 5 bedroomed house to a 3 bedroomed property. In this case, there probably isn’t much call for the other two beds. The same goes for larger bits of furniture. It would be far better getting a return on your investment by selling them, or giving them to someone in need, rather than putting them in the garage or storage because you have no room for them inside your house.

Finally… do you really like it?
You know that ugly old old vase that was left to you in a will by a distant aunt, the one that’s been gathering dust on a shelf in the upstairs toilet? Well now’s the perfect excuse to relieve yourself of it. Remember, “someone’s tat is somebody else’s treasure”.

So there you have it 4 top tips to helping you to downsize your belongings for your impending move. Now that you’ve downsized your belongings, then you might want to think about hiring the right removal company. Here at On The Move Removals we have been helping the people and businesses of Brisbane relocate for many years. As such we’ve become Brisbane’s most trusted local movers. For a seriously competitive quote contact us today on 044 993 2603 and start the ball rolling towards a stress-free and happy move.

So your impending house move is drawing ever closer and you’re just about getting through that list of 101 things to do. You’ve got the removalist booked, you’re just about packed and you’ve arranged a time to pick up the keys to your new place. In fact right now you’re feeling pretty smug, so after a long day you find an old cup that’s been left in the drawer, pour yourself a glass of wine and flop down onto the sofa. However before long it suddenly dawns on you that you’ve actually forgotten to tell people that you’re moving!

Sure you’ve told your parents and close family, but what about your extended family? Are they aware of your new address, or even that you’ve moved? It isn’t just friends and family either. There are a whole host of other people you really should be telling.

Professional contacts
Your employer will certainly need to know if you’ve moved addresses as will other professionals such as your doctor and dentist. If you have regular treatment at the hospital, then they’ll also need to know about your move. If you have kids, then don’t forget to tell the school?

Utilities
After your professional contacts and extended family and friends, the next group of people you should be telling are the utility companies such as gas, electricity, water, telephone (both landline and mobile) and insurance companies. Your bank will obviously need to be informed as will other companies such as health care, credit card companies and of course, if you want to receive mail – the post office.

Government organisations
Finally when you’ve got through all that lot, there’s one more hurdle and thats’ governmental organisations. Places such as the tax office, electoral register, local council, government pension companies, the vehicle registration office, and of course social security, will all need to be informed.

Phew! That’s a lot of calls to make, especially if it’s a last minute rush. Thankfully technology means that you can also email and make changes online, but nevertheless… it’s still all got to be done. By breaking it down into groups and tackling them in blocks, it makes the task in hand that much easier to manage. Also by starting as soon as you know your new address, you won’t feel like you’re up against it, especially with all the other ‘stuff going on in your life.

Now you’re an organising expert you can be rest assured that a good removal company such as On The Move Removals will help make the moving day itself go like clockwork. Contact us on 044 9932 603 for a competitive quote and guarantee yourself a stress free move today.