Relocation Tips: Preparing Your Attic, Garage, and Storage Spaces for a Move

In the chaos of moving, it’s easy to overlook spaces like attics, crawl spaces, and storage units. However, these often-forgotten areas can house valuable or essential items that you’ll want to take with you to your new home. Here are some key points to consider when preparing for a move with ADSI to make sure nothing gets left behind.

Attic Areas

One common area that homeowners forget about during a move is the attic. Attics often become the final resting place for items that are infrequently used or have sentimental value. However, our moving crews are not able to climb into attics for safety reasons.

This means that it falls on you as the homeowner to make sure all boxes and items are pulled down out of your attic before moving day. This task can be time-consuming, especially if you’ve accumulated many items over the years, so be sure to plan ahead of time.

Here are some tips to keep in mind as you pack your attic:

• Start Early: Attics can be full of items you haven’t seen or used in years. Start the process early to give yourself time to sort through everything.
• Safety First: Retrieving items from the attic can be dangerous due to limited space and potentially unstable flooring. Use a sturdy ladder, wear appropriate clothing, and have someone spot you if possible.
• Check for Special Items: Attics often contain items that require special handling, such as antiques, heirlooms, or holiday decorations. Pack these items carefully and let your movers know if anything requires special attention.

Garages and Storage Sheds

Garages and storage sheds often serve as “catch-all” spaces, accumulating a variety of tools, equipment, and possibly hazardous chemicals.

Don’t wait until moving day. Take the opportunity to declutter your garage in advance. Not only will it help you locate those essential lawn and gardening tools for your new place, but you’ll also create space by letting go of unnecessary items.

Safety Considerations for Non-Allowable Items

For the safety of you and our movers, certain items are not allowed to be packed into the moving truck, including chemicals, cleaning products, aerosols, and propane tanks. Remember to check ADSI’s full non-allowables list. This list outlines what items can be hauled in the moving truck and which items will need to be packed and transported separately.

If you choose to transport items from our non-allowable list in your own vehicle, be sure to seal them and store them in an upright position, turn on any safety features, and lock tools and equipment in a safe or “transport” position to minimize injury risk.

Crawl Spaces

Crawl spaces are another area that can be easily overlooked during a move. These low-clearance areas often house tools, equipment, and other items that you might not use every day but still need to take with you when you move.

When packing tools and equipment, make sure to keep these safety tips in mind:

• Wrap tools well: Securely wrap sharp tools in paper or padding to minimize the risk of injury for you and our movers. Write “sharp” or “blade” on the outside of sharp objects, so your movers know to handle with care.
• Dismantle if possible: If your tools can be broken down into smaller parts, do so. This not only makes packing easier but also helps prevent damage during transit.
• Be mindful of hazardous material: Remove batteries from power tools and drain fuel from items like lawnmowers or weed trimmers before packing.
• Use sturdy boxes: Power tools are heavy, so use sturdy, reinforced boxes to pack them. Use their original packaging if available.

Again, our moving crews can’t retrieve items from these spaces, so it’s crucial that you remove everything from your crawl spaces before moving day.

Storage Units

If you’re planning a long-distance relocation and your family uses an off-site storage unit, this can present an added layer of logistical coordination. Keep these tips in mind when tackling your storage unit:

• Plan ahead:  Don’t leave emptying your storage unit until the last minute. Start early so you have ample time to empty the unit and bring the items back to your home to be loaded onto the moving truck.
• Sort and declutter: Use this opportunity to sort through your items and decide what you really need to take with you. If there are items you no longer need or want, consider selling, donating, or discarding them.
• Get help: Consider enlisting help from friends or family, or working with your ADSI relocation consultant to determine the best course of action.

Communication is Key

Finally, it’s essential to keep open lines of communication with your relocation consultant. Any items in these storage areas that will be traveling with you to your new home should be communicated during your in-home estimate. This will allow your mover to more accurately calculate the cost of your relocation and take all of your items into consideration.

When you’re preparing for a move, it’s easy to focus on the visible, everyday items and forget about the things tucked away in attics, crawl spaces, and storage units. But with careful planning and thorough preparation, you can ensure that nothing gets left behind.

Work with a Trusted Moving and Storage Partner

Looking for more packing tips and moving assistance? ADSI Moving Systems and our team of expert movers are here to help. Reach out to us today to get your free quote.