Moving to Tasmania can be an exciting adventure, but it can also be a stressful experience if you don’t plan well. While most people focus on what they should pack when moving, it’s equally important to know what not to pack. Here are three things that you should never pack into your moving boxes when moving.
Don’t Pack Pets
While it may seem obvious, it’s important to note that pets should never be packed into moving boxes, nor transported to your new home in the moving van with the rest of your belongings. Moving is already likely to be a stressful experience for your animal pal, so it’s important that they’re transported very carefully to minimise anxiety and maximise safety.
Most people wouldn’t think about putting a large animal like a dog or a cat in a moving van, but the same rationale goes for small pets too. They could be endangered in a moving van if anything fell, and the stress could be too much for their small bodies to handle.
Ideally, you should always move your small pet and its habitat separately. Purchase a safe carrier or container for your cat, dog, fish, reptile, or rodent, then empty and dismantle (if possible) their tank or cage. The habitat can be moved with the rest of your items, while you transport your pet in your car. Pets in small tanks and cages that can fit on your lap may be able to be moved without being separated.
If you’re unable to carry your pet with you when you travel, ask your moving company to recommend a reliable pet relocation or pet boarding service.
Don’t Pack Dangerous Items
You may think it goes without saying that dangerous items shouldn’t be packed into your moving van. However, many people are unaware of just how many common household items are flammable, explosive, or corrosive. Packing these items could result in the rest of your furnishings becoming damaged in transit. On the worst end of the scale, even your hired moving professionals could be seriously injured.
The more obvious items you shouldn’t pack include guns, known acids or poisons, fireworks, and petrol. On the less obvious side, beauty products like deodorant and nail polish, cleaning supplies, gardening chemicals and fire extinguishers can all be hazardous during a move.
Your easiest solution to transporting these items is to sell, donate or dispose of them and buy new ones when you reach your new house. If this isn’t an option for you, you’ll need to contact a professional removalist company trained in hazardous materials transportation.
Don’t Pack Food
Most removals companies won’t allow you to transport food because perishable items can cause big problems. Fresh and frozen foods can spoil quickly in the high Australian heat when they’re on the road. Spoiled food will soon begin to smell, and this smell could seep into the rest of your items. It’s also a haven for mould growth and pests, neither of which you want to bring into your new home.
Of course, you don’t want that food to go to waste. Instead, try to use it up before you move. Challenge yourself to only shop for the items you need in the weeks leading up to your move, cooking with your existing foods where possible. You may be surprised at what delicious meals you can come up with.
Anything that’s left over can be given to friends and family or donated to a food bank. Remember to focus on using up fresh and frozen foods first, as many food banks won’t accept them. Non-fresh and non-frozen items like canned goods are also easy to transport in your own car if you’d rather keep them yourself.
Conclusion? Hire a Removalist!
Avoid the headaches and make moving to Tasmania easy by hiring a professional Tasmanian removalist to take care of everything for you. We’re Price’s Removals & Storage – Tasmania’s favourite local removalist with over 70 years’ industry experience. With branches in Hobart and Launceston, we’ve got you covered. Contact us today for all your removals needs or browse our Moving Hub for free moving resources.
