super easy storage – The Interiors Addict

10 design gurus share their top tips for moving house

They say moving house is one of life’s most stressful events… up there with the death of a loved one and divorce. But, it doesn’t have to be. With thorough preparation and planning moving can be relatively easy, even cathartic, there’s something so liberating about starting anew! So to take out the guesswork we asked our favourite design gurus to share their top tips for moving house.

Stylist and author Jason Grant: Make a schedule

When it comes to moving break down tasks and make a schedule: a month before, a week before and a day before. Keep to task and book movers based on recommendations. Great removalists are everything! Also moving house is the perfect to time edit what you have – don’t move stuff that you don’t need.

Interior and event stylist Steve Cordony: Spring clean

I just moved house two week ago and used it as an opportunity to spring clean. Packing every single thing you own gives you the chance to edit and cleanse – from your objects and accessories to your bed linen and wardrobe. If you get stuck on items make two piles: keep and maybe. Once you have finished, go through the maybe pile and you will have a clearer idea of what can go.

Steve Cordony

Stylist and hotelier Lynda Gardener: Have your new home in tip top shape

I think making sure your new space at the other end is in perfect readiness for your arrival is so important. Have it painted, perfectly clean and ready to go. That way you can un-pack your boxes with excitement and anticipation of decorating your new space.

Interiors Addict founder Jen Bishop: Check out mobile self storage options

Super Easy Storage are a flexible mobile self storage company. It’s the new way to store your things. You no longer need to drive to a storage facility and rent an expensive storage unit; they can complete the process from start to finish. Their storage specialists help assess exactly the right amount of space you need, bringing the storage unit to your house or business, packing and stacking your module in order to maximise every square inch. They come to you, load you up, then store everything away, a one-stop solution! Or you can choose to fill your storage unit yourself and store it secure and dry on your own premises until you’re ready to move. Also great for storing things temporarily while you’re having renos done! Keep reading to find out how you can win a $500 Super Easy Storage voucher!

Incy Interiors founder Kristy Withers: Pack ‘like’ products together

Moving house is my most hated thing on earth, probably because I have done it so many times! Make sure when packing that you are packing all ‘like’ products together. There is nothing worse than getting to the other end and finding some things for the kitchen, others for the bathroom and random things for a bedroom all in the one box, it just adds to the pain!

Interior designer and presenter James Treble: Label, label, label

Clearly label all boxes with a black Artline pen, especially the fragile ones. That may sound straight forward but so many people don’t do it, or they write in really small print! I go big and bold, as that way, you can easily put things in the right place room by room, and nothing gets broken by your poor removalists!

Artist Kerrie Hess: Hire professionals

Invest in professional packers. Even if it’s just for the kitchen and bathrooms. Having all of your plates, glasses and cutlery packed professionally will save so much time and protect your breakables. I would also have art professionally packed; consider using an art transporter if your art is valuable and the move is local.

Stylist and designer Juliet Love: Cull your belongings

Don’t pack everything into boxes thinking you will organise them at the other end. It’s much easier if you clear out cupboards with a mission to let go of as much as possible. Be ruthless, use large bags or boxes plus clear labels to help you sort through everything then and there. The beauty of tackling your move in this way is that you’ll be left with a fresh canvas to decorate your new home, with only your best pieces making the cut.

Three Birds Renovations director Lana Taylor: Get the gear

Use the right packaging materials. In my opinion boxes from Bunnings won’t cut it. You need proper moving boxes and zip up bags (like the ones you get from Storage King) of all different shapes and sizes. Proper packing tape is also crucial. A roll from Woolies will come unstuck before you can say: “Noooooo!”

Interior designer Greg Natale: Invest in packers

When it comes to moving I thoroughly recommend paying someone to pack for you. Also make sure you label your boxes and use moving as an opportunity to de-clutter!

For more information on Super Easy Storage visit their website.

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WIN A $500 SUPER EASY STORAGE VOUCHER FOR YOUR NEXT MOVE

We’re giving one lucky reader the chance to win a $500 voucher to spend with Super Easy Storage and make their next move or reno that much easier! To enter and to read full terms and conditions, go here. Competition closes 13 May 2018.

Why I wish I’d known about mobile self storage last year!

Sponsored by Super Easy Storage

Last year was not exactly relaxed; moving not once but twice (we had six weeks between homes, waiting for settlement), then when we finally bought a house and moved in, the renos started. There’s nothing like ripping out your kitchen and all your floors to make life interesting!

Something I really wish I’d known about last year was mobile self storage! This service, offered by Super Easy Storage, allows you to rent small (or large) self-storage modules for as little as $19 per week, and store them where you want. So, rather than do what we did when we sold our apartment, which was pay removalists to pack up and take everything to my in laws’ empty double garage and then unpack it, then do the same again six weeks later when we settled on the new house, we could have packed the modules at our leisure (rather than all on one hectic day), store them at their warehouse (you can store them on your property if that’s option but obviously we didn’t officially own ours at that stage), and then brought them to the new place, again at our leisure, later.

Not only does this often work out cheaper, but your belongings are safe and dry (and if you can store them on your own property you save there too). What happened with us is that when we removed everything from the in laws’ garage six weeks later, a lot of things had been hit by the dreaded mould and had to be thrown out.

Good to know for next time, eh?! I’m hoping you can all save yourselves time and money by me telling you about this!

The other time this would have been amazing, was when we did all our floors late last year. The thing about doing floors is you have to get everything off the floors and out of the way, and because we had a lot of levelling that needed doing, and a lot of wet cement around, we couldn’t really move things from one room to the next (which wouldn’t have been much fun either!). So, we had to pile everything up in the carpeted rooms we weren’t touching, and when I say piled, I mean poor Seb’s playroom was unusable, so we had pretty much no clear rooms in which to relax during the four-day process. It was so stressful!

Four days where we had to move pretty much everything for new floors to be laid!

We couldn’t fit everything in the rooms that weren’t being touched either, so ended up with our huge modular sofa and dining table on the patio outside, just praying that the roof over them wouldn’t spring a leak (and yes of course it rained). Everything was okay but I had a few sleepless nights there!

But what else could I do though, I thought?! Well, as it turns out, I could have packed everything into some Super Easy Storage modules and had them sitting in the front yard. Now they tell me!

There are so many situations where these self storage modules could make life easier and save you money. Renos in particular can be a real nightmare to live through, so if you can just get things out of the way while messy work is happening, while still keeping them safe and dry on your property, happy days! And all for an affordable price.

I love that mobile storage removes the travel time of getting your things to a warehouse, which is often out of town and not convenient or close by. It’s also a much more efficient process and I love that. Saving time and money (especially time!) and making life easier, especially when you have a toddler running around, is the best. Moving house and renovating are right upon there in the stress stakes so anything that minimises this is a Godsend.

Super Easy Storage (formerly known as Super Cheap Storage) either let you keep the modules on your own property (if that is possible) or they’ll come and collect them for you and take them to their warehouse. It’s just one less thing to worry about. And when it comes to packing and unpacking the modules, you can choose to do it yourself or pay them to do that too. You really can tailor the experience to your needs and budget. There’s also no lock in contract, you just use what you need for as long as you need it.

To give you an idea, one of their large 10m3 units (one of the largest on the market) will comfortably fit the contents of a studio apartment, including appliances. And they’re made of industrial materials so if you’re storing on site, they’ll be secure and dry and you’ll be the only one with a key. To work out how many or what size modules you might need, you can use their handy online calculator.

When else could you use them?

To declutter your home when you stage it for sale
If you’re renting your home out unfurnished while you move overseas for work temporarily
To store family heirlooms you don’t have space for in your current home but would love to keep hold of for when you have a bigger home later

They’re just a few of my ideas!

Find out more about Super Easy Storage’s flexible and affordable services.