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The entire moving process can take a toll on everyone, even the best planners. However, to make life a tad bit easier, there are some smart moving tips that you can find online to guide you through the moving process so that you do not miss out on any crucial steps. To help you further, we have narrowed it down to these five smart tips, which you can try for a faster and less stressful move.

Create a schedule or calendar for easy planning

Moving is a stressful process. To avoid any last-minute panic attacks, it is always good to indicate your plan on a schedule or calendar so that you will know how much time you need and how much time you have. List down all the important dates like your packing timeframes, calling a mover, contacting a self-storage service if you are in between homes during your moving dates.

Planning should start at least a month before your moving day. If you need help creating a schedule, you can always go online and google for a simple moving day template and revise accordingly.

Evaluate all items and decide how long you need for packing

Take a look at your home, closet and furniture. If you have many items at home, it is time to go through your things and decide whether to donate, throw or keep. If you find it hard to let go, consider finding a friend or family member to help you with this packing process.

Donate items that are in good condition. Get rid of things you have not used in years or are in bad conditions to donate or sell. Purging can be hard, but it will definitely lighten your load and save you time in the unpacking process at a later stage. Need more packing tips? Click here!

If you are in need of extra storage space to store your bulky furniture items or seasonal clothing, you can also opt to store them in a FSD approved self-storage provider like Extra Space Asia during the home transition period. Once your new home is ready, you can simply move everything from the storage unit back to your home easily.

Keep important things and documents with you

You should have one box to keep all of your essential things and document during your packing process. This box should include important personal documents, your new home keys and documentation, medications, prescriptions, necessities such as toiletries, toothbrushes etc. If you have kids, you should also pack some of their food and toys in the box.

The box should include things you cannot do without daily so that you don’t have to go through the multiple boxes to find them. In this case, even if you are too tired to unpack at your new home, you will still be able to survive the first night in your new home.

Set your budget and find your mover fast

Once you have indicated how much time you need to pack all your items, you should call some movers to get a few quotes. Moving can be expensive if you have many things to move. Therefore, it would be good to make some cost comparison and find out the average moving cost before deciding one. If you need some tips on how to choose a moving company you can trust, click here.

Unpack food and kids’ stuff first

Even when you have finally moved everything to your new home, there are still more to be done. Once you have cleaned up the common areas and give your home a good vacuum and mop, it’s time to unpack. Don’t stress yourself out trying to unpack every single box right away. Instead, you can unload all of the necessary items, food items and maybe all of your kid’s stuff first so that they will feel at home and play while you handle the other matters. The best way to unpack is to figure out where everything should go before going full-on unpacking.

Even if you are too tired to do anything, remember that you still have that one box that contains all of your essential items to survive the first night in your new home.

Finally, regardless of the outcomes and inevitable hiccups that may occur, remember to enjoy the process of setting into your new home!

Just moved into your new home and wondering if you still need that storage unit that you rented during the transition period? Don’t fret, and let us help you decide if you should continue renting that storage unit. Here are three cases where the self-storage unit will still come in handy even when you have moved to your new space.

The new home is much smaller than your previous home

We understand that most new home settings can be smaller than the old homes due to limited land space. As such, when you move and bring over all of the items from your previous home to your smaller new home, you might find it hard to store everything. If you have included ample storage space in your new home to keep all your items, then you do not have to extend your storage lease.

However, if you still do not have enough space at home to store your family or personal collection, a self-storage unit might be useful. With the storage unit, you can store those hardly used seasonal clothing and furniture pieces or even memorabilia.

By renting a self-storage unit at storage providers such as Extra Space Asia Self Storage, you will be able to upsize or downsize your current storage space according to your storage needs. In this case, you will only be paying for the storage size you require.

More people living in your new home

Living with your extended family or the in-laws? When you have more people staying at home, your living space will tend to become smaller. In such cases, it would be beneficial to continue your storage lease to enjoy more space at home. If you are a personal collector or hobbyist, by having a self-storage unit, you will also enjoy extra space to grow your collection.

A storage space is like an extension of your home where you will enjoy 24 hours access, any time and any day. To minimise the storage rental cost, you can also share your storage unit with your family members and divide the storage cost among your family.

You can maximise the storage unit space by setting up shelves to utilise the depth and height of the storage space fully. In this case, your family members can each enjoy a dedicated corner in the storage unit too.

Own a home business that requires business storage space

If you are a home business owner, a self-storage unit will continue to come in handy for your business purpose even after you have moved into your new space. You can convert your storage unit to a business storage space where you can store all of your business inventory and document. With a storage unit, you will be able to enjoy more space to grow your business and be able to maintain a neat and conducive working environment at home.

Self-storage is a good business storage option as you can enjoy maximum flexibility on your storage duration and choose to either store long term or short term. You are not tied into any leasing contract by renting a self-storage unit with storage companies like Extra Space Asia, unlike a warehouse space that usually comes with at least a year contract.

At Extra Space Asia Self Storage, you will also be able to choose from a range of storage unit sizes depending on your business needs which will be more cost-efficient in the long run. With round-the-clock access to your business items and documents coupled with a state-of-the-art security system, you can be assured that your business inventory is in good hands. If you would like to find out more about the various storage solutions that Extra Space Asia Self Storage offers, you can contact us at 3974 6000 today or visit any of our storage facilities located at Sai Wan and Hung Hom from Monday to Saturday, 10am to 7pm.

Many will ask why we need to store our items and furniture in a self-storage facility during the moving or renovation transition period. A self-storage unit can be a lifesaver, especially during these stressful transition periods, as it provides you with a temporary storage space for all your items while you move into a smaller home or nowhere to keep all of your belongings.

It is also a storage solution to store your furniture during your home renovation to protect them from dust. When researching for the best storage fit for your needs, here are some tips on how you can choose a self-storage solution.

Search for storage providers who offer short term storage plan

During these transition periods and renovation times, most people are looking for a short-term storage solution (approximately three months or less). When you are finding a mini-storage facility, it’s important to find out the shortest storage plan available.

This will help cut down on the unnecessary cost when you only need to store for one month. If you are looking for a self-storage facility that offers less than one month of storage, you can choose to store with providers such as Extra Space Asia Self-Storage. Our facility provides a minimum 14 days storage period as compared to a minimum of one month storage period at most storage facilities.

Look for a storage facility near your home

If you are planning to store your furniture and belongings in a storage facility, it is always good to find the storage space nearest to your home. This will help cut down the travelling time and cost if you are thinking of moving your items by yourself to the storage unit. By choosing to store in a storage facility near your home, it will also be more convenient if you need to store or retrieve from your storage unit. For Hong Kong, it will be quite easy to find one storage space near your home as there are many storage providers available. However, it is important to choose a reliable and FSD-approved option so that you can be assured that your items are in good hands. Click here to find out more on how you can ensure if the storage provider is FSD-approved.

Choose the storage provider that has a person in charge at the facility 

In Hong Kong, most of the storage facilities are unmanned. This means that there is no one at the storage facility, and should you need any assistance, you will need to call the provider and wait for them to come to the storage facility. With a professional present at the facility, you will enjoy peace of mind knowing that if you need immediate assistance during operation hours, there is someone there to assist you immediately. The on-ground service staff will also act as a form of security as with them around, you can be assured that your items are stored in a safe environment. If you are looking for a mini storage in Hong Kong with on-ground customer service executives, you can always store with Extra Space Asia Self-Storage.

Store with a storage provider that offers a wide range of storage sizes

Unsure about the storage size you will need to store all your items? It is good to visit the storage facility that you plan to store your items before confirming all of the details. This will help you to better understand the storage surroundings, the available storage sizes and also know who to find should you face any problems down the road. If you choose a storage provider such as Extra Space Asia Self-Storage with a wide range of storage sizes, it would also be more convenient for you to scale up or downsize your storage space to fit your changing needs. This will also be a cost-effective storage solution as you will still be able to enjoy more space at home and also save the cost of relocating your items to another storage facility.

Choose Extra Space Asia Self-Storage

Founded in 2007, Extra Space Asia has over 60 storage facilities with over 15,000 storage units across Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Taiwan and Japan. Our industry-leading presence in Asia gives us credibility and allows us to operate self-storage facilities of the highest standards worldwide. We’ve also always strived to build facilities to improve people’s lives and work. This is professionally delivered through our cutting-edge services, uncompromised security, and a wide variety of storage unit sizes available 24/7. If you’re looking for storage solutions for personal, family or business use, rest assured that your items are in the safe hands of Extra Space Asia.

Come visit our FSD-approved mini-storage facilities located at Sai Wan and Hung Hom today if you’re looking for a mini-storage space and storage service near your home or office space or a place to purchase storage boxes! Feel free to call us at 3974 6000 or WhatsApp us any time at 6629 6624 if you prefer to communicate via instant message.

Packing and protecting your furniture is definitely a step not to be missed. Before the move, it is important to ensure that everything is packed well. This crucial step will help ensure that all your belongings and furniture are in good condition during the transportation process and when they arrive at your new location. Here are some moving tips on how to pack and protect your furniture for moving.

Measure your furniture

Once you have made a list of what items you would need to move, you should measure your furniture items, especially big furniture like the dining table. This measurement stage ensures that your furniture and belongings can pass through the doors, corners, lift safely without hitting and damaging the items. If you plan to store your items in a self-storage unit during this moving or transition period, the dimensions will also come in handy to determine the storage size you need.

Inspect and clean your furniture

Before the big move, it is important to inspect your furniture to check if they are all in good condition. Note the furniture or personal belongings that have any signs of damage. During this inspecting period, it will also help you decide if the furniture is worth the effort and money to move to the new location. Once you have inspected them, remember to clean them up before packing them. It is good to ensure that all of your furniture pieces are free from dust, dirt and coarse particles that may damage the delicate surface of some sensitive furniture materials. 

Disassemble your furniture when needed

If the furniture can be disassembled easily, you should disassemble them to make it easier for the movers during transportation. If you are storing your furniture in a self-storage unit, disassembling big items such as bed frames, sofa sets, dining tables etc, will help optimise the storage unit space more efficiently too. That is because you are paying the storage unit based on the amount of space/area you have rented, so it will be more space-consuming if you store the items in their original state. Remember to also safekeep all the small elements like bolts, nuts, screws in a fastening bag so that you do not misplace them during the move. 

Secure your furniture 

For furniture items such as cupboards, drawers or any items that may open during the move, you should use stretch film and tapes to ensure that they remain safely closed throughout the move. In cases whereby your furniture sets include a fragile element such as glass table tops, shelves etc, you should pack and protect them with either bubble wraps or a thick blanket so that they will remain in good condition during the move. If you need any packing materials such as bubble wraps, stretch film and packing boxes, you can always purchase them at Extra Space Asia Self-Storage’s Box Shop.

Cover your furniture

Covering your furniture’s exposed surfaces help to keep your items dust-free and protected at all times. You can also tape some protective covers on your furniture and personal belongings to keep them from unwrapping during the moving process. If you plan to store your furniture in a self-storage unit, the protective cover can also help keep them dust-free during the storage duration.

Extra Space Asia Self-Storage – Your trusted storage provider for all your home storage needs

Looking for a secure and Fire Services Department (FSD) approved mini storage facility in Hong Kong to store your furniture items? You can choose to store them with Extra Space Asia Self- Storage. We offer both short and long term storage to cater to all your storage needs. Contact us today at 3974 6000 or visit our Sai Wan and Hung Hom storage facilities, and our friendly Customer Service Executives will be glad to assist you.

Learning how to pack your items efficiently can help to make your moving process easier and smoother. It will also help to make your unpacking tasks much easier after the tiring moving process. With plenty of moving tips that have been tried and tested to work, why not give them a try when you are packing for the big move? Here are some moving tips on how to pack moving boxes efficiently.

1.Pack your items in the right size boxes

When you are packing your items, it is essential to choose suitable box sizes to fit your items. If you are packing heavier item like books and folders, you can try using a smaller box. That is because if you were to use a large box for these heavy items, it might be a more challenging job for movers to move them, and it might also have a higher chance of breaking. Thus, it’s always a good choice to balance out the weight of the boxes. 

2.Don’t leave spaces in the boxes

Remember to always fill in the empty gaps in the boxes with some bubble wrap or newspaper or cloth. These space fillers will help to protect your items from moving too much around the boxes. The cloth or bubble wrap will also help protect fragile items from knocking into one another during the moving process. If you are packing glasses, use a box with cardboard dividers to protect these fragile glass items and wrap them with paper to protect them further. 

3.Pack accordingly to your room allocation

During the packing process, it would be good to pack accordingly to what goes in each room. When items in the same room are placed in the same boxes, it can make the unpacking process easier. While packing your room items, you should also sort your things by category, e.g. all of your clothing in the same box and shoes in another box. 

4.Label each box 

Include a liner or two on each box when you are packing. These labels will be useful during the moving process, unpacking process and even the sorting out process. Besides adding words, you should also include a number on each box to keep track of the number of boxes that you are moving. It is good to also keep an inventory list to keep track of the number of boxes and the content to ensure that you have packed everything. If the items in the box are fragile, do remember to also add a “Fragile” sticker and arrow to show how the boxes should be placed.

5.Tape the moving boxes well

During the packing process, it is important to tape up every moving box well. You should always use a few tapes to close the bottom seams if you place heavy items in the cardboard boxes to ensure that the tapes can keep the box close when it’s lifted. Once you have finished packing your items into the box, you should use the tape and go around the top and bottom edges a couple of time to ensure that they are fully taped up.

If you need any packing boxes or packing materials like bubble wraps or tapes, you can always purchase them at any of our Extra Space Asia storage facilities located at Sai Wan and Hung Hom. Call us at 3974 6000 to find out more.