Like with any big change, moving can be a hassle, but it doesn’t always have to be. Though it’s not always easy, by planning and using these simple tips, you can ensure the transition of moving to Malta is smooth and trouble-free as possible.
Figure out how long you have until moving day
Even if you’re on a tight schedule, taking a few minutes to create a plan and organize the essentials can go a long way in maximizing the time you have left.
- If you’re lucky enough to have extra time before moving day, planning carefully and wisely can help save both time and money later on in the process.
Determine how far you’ll actually be moving
Renting a truck or hauling your belongings yourself may be an effective and economical way of moving across town or even to a new city, but longer distances may require the assistance of reputable professionals. For those travelling overseas or to a new country, they’ll ensure things run smoothly and everything from your furniture to your pets are taken care of.
- When moving to Malta, becoming familiar with customs and bio-security requirements, as well as shipping methods, will ensure there are no unwanted surprises when you arrive at the airport.
Create a budget
Knowing how much you can afford to spend on a move beforehand is important to streamline the process. Have you saved enough? Do you have time left to reconfigure your budget? Are partial or full moving costs covered by an employer?
- If your employer is assisting in the financial aspects of a move, ensure that you keep written proof or contracts; even verbal agreements should be documented for the worst case scenario. Should things go wrong, they’ll make sure you are properly reimbursed.
- Even when dealing with a professional moving company, keeping a record of any written agreement, contract or receipt will come in useful in unexpected circumstances. Similarly, read any and all fine print and keep a detailed inventory list of your belongings that have been signed by both you and the moving company for your records.
Did not find a job yet? Find out how you can find a job in Malta.
Maximize overlap time
If you find that your lease or purchase agreement allows for it, gaining access to your new place of residence before officially moving out of your old one can help ease the stress of a move. Instead of relying on one trip or storing your belongings in a facility, an overlap in time will allow you to move things in slowly and also help in the case of a delay in closing.
- If you’re not fortunate enough to have an overlap and must move some things to a storage facility, check for services in your area that can deliver storage containers to you so you don’t have to make multiple trips later on. This can help cut down on added stress and may even cut down on costs depending on your alternate mode of moving to Malta.
- If you find you’re expected to move suddenly, in most cases, your lease will likely include a minimum amount of notice to be given to you. These situations can include being posted overseas or your landlord has opted not to renew your lease. Though your first order of business, in this case, should be to find a new residence, using this time to also plan and pack as much as possible before moving will help ease stress when the big day comes.
- Alternatively, overlap can be a bad thing. Try not to get yourself into a situation in which you’re paying double rent. In these cases, the benefit of extra time is not worth the additional costs.
Take a minimalistic approach
Moving is a great time to pare down belongings and get rid of anything you deem unnecessary. Not only does this help declutter your life but it makes the task of moving much easier, as the amount of things you have to move is lessened.
- For those who find themselves moving rather regularly, it’s important to hold on to essentials that you can’t do without.
- If you’re moving to a smaller place, you’ll likely be in a position in which you have no choice but to do a bit of purging. Though it might initially seem hard to let things go, the reduction of clutter and extra possessions can kickstart a new, simpler way of living.
Decide how you’ll get rid of belongings you don’t want to moveNot everyone has the space to take everything in a move. One alternative is to sell, donate or simply give away anything you can’t take before you finally leave.
- For anything of great value, especially antiques or furniture, you might consider selling at an auction or estate sale to the highest bidder.
- For everything else, websites like Craigslist or Freecycle are great ways to find potential buyers. For things that you might have trouble selling, especially large items, you can always leave them on the curb, free to anyone interested. In cases like this, you’ll find it doesn’t take long before they’re gone.
- Another great way to sell directly is by having a garage sale.
- Contact local charities to find out what items they’ll take or could use. In many cases, they’ll make pickup calls for items too big for you to move.
- Much like charities, your community may have a recycling centre in which you can donate items to be resold; the profit goes back into the community and you reduce likely waste.
Get help
Getting friends and family onboard to help is a cost-effective way to move. It doesn’t hurt to ask early, either. If you can’t lock down any commitments, try your hand at finding a volunteer you can pay to help pack and move.
- Even if friends or family members can’t help with the actual move, they can be a big help with preparing meals once all of your kitchen appliances and equipment is packed away.
- Similarly, friends make great babysitters for children or pets once the move is taking place to reduce stress and worry about one less thing.
- Family and neighbours can also help on the day of by washing your bedding once you’ve stripped the beds before leaving. In this way, it will be clean and ready for use on the first night in your new place.
Consider challenging or special items when moving to Malta
Just because an item is big doesn’t necessarily mean it will be a challenge to move—a sofa can be loaded into a moving truck easily with just a few people. Especially heavy or awkward items, however, may need specialized help.
- If you’re employing a moving company for assistance, ask about their packaging techniques; they may be able to wrap certain items to keep them safe. Follow up by asking about their breakage policy.
- Get references from trustworthy sources or people who have used a moving company or mover before. This is especially important when moving valuable or fragile items.
Keep a master list of contacts
There’s more to moving than just furnishing your new place. Part of your duties will include contacting government agencies and businesses as soon as you move to inform them of your address change. As monthly bills begin to come in, follow up to ensure they’re aware of the changes. Add these numbers to a planner to ensure they're not lost.
- If you live in a country that offers a standard form to alert agencies and institutions of your address change, filling it out is a much easier way to make changes than by contacting each one individually.
- Mail forwarding may also be an effective way of receiving all of your mail after your move. Though it may cost money, if you’re expecting to receive important mail, it’s a better option than losing your letters and bills.
- For those who can’t forward their mail to a new country, ask a friend or family member if you can forward the mail to them.
- If you need a temporary solution to paying bills, you may consider opening a joint bank account with a family member that allows you to transfer funds for them to pay your bills for you.
Schedule repairs and/or cleaning
Before you move into your new place, try scheduling any cleaning or repairs to be done in the interim. If you have to make any repairs to the residence you’re leaving, make sure to schedule those too in order to recoup any deposits you may have put down when first moving in. These tasks are all easier done when the residence is empty.
- Inform your real estate agent if you’d like to set up a cleaning company to assess your new home before moving into setup an appointment. This will give you the chance to set up a cleaning in advance of moving while, at the same time, encouraging the seller to ensure the place is as spotless as possible upon leaving.
Make reservations
If you plan on renting a truck or using a moving or shipping company, try to make reservations as soon as possible. In some areas, demand for these services can be high, especially at certain times of the year. In college towns, for example, the end of the school year is particularly busy. Also make sure you book your flights and check tips for finding affordable flights.
Acquire the packing supplies you’ll need
For most people, cardboard boxes, newspaper, bubble wrap and packing tape are moving necessities, but they may not think about extras like carts, dollies or special carrying cases.
- Though used cardboard boxes may do just fine to move across town, some companies sell higher quality moving boxes in bulk, which are especially useful when moving fragile items long distance.
- Make sure to label all boxes and items appropriately. These include terms such as “fragile” or “This way up”.
Plan how you’ll do the unpacking
The job isn’t done when the boxes arrive at your new residence. In order to make sure unpacking goes as smoothly as possible, try labelling boxes by which room they’re going to or will be unpacked in rather than where they came from.
Pack the essentials separately
For items that you know you’ll need on the first day and night in your new place, pack a special box or boxes that contain these essentials. This will help you get through the first few nights before everything else is fully unpacked. Things to put in this survival pack may include medications, eyeglasses, pet essentials, etc.
- It’s also a good idea to pack one box with a few key kitchen utensils or tool, such as a tea kettle, small pot, a few food items and liquid soap. This will help prevent you from digging around in larger, taped-up boxes before you’re ready to properly open them.
Pack methodically
Make a plan to pack less-frequently used things first when starting. If you have the time, pack early and pack smart. This way you won’t be packing up necessities while you still need them. By keeping a planner and using these tips, you’ll also end up unpacking in reverse order, opening boxes with the most important items first and the least important last.
