Making sure you’ve packed everything

You are an organised person, scheduled your move way in advance, numbered all your furniture and packed everything carefully… and after fully unpacking and settling in you find that there are things missing: an odd earring, one of your work tools…

And then you realise you probably left them at your old place.

Here are some places to check before you hand your keys over to the agent or landlord:

• In the back of the drawers (shine a light at the corners just to make sure)
• Top shelves (use a ladder so you can see at the very back)
• Run your hand through the back of every shelf and cubpoard in the kitchen, pantry and laundry.
• Scan the garden, garage and the front yard or the balcony and hanging line if you’re in an apartment, especially for toys, loose items like clothes, tools that may not have been put back where they should be.
• Under the bed and sofas!
• On the window sills especially behind curtains.
• Before you vacuum, look at the floors carefully.  These are where you’ll find coins, jewellery, keys, etc.
• Wherever you hide spare keys.
• Any valuables you may have hidden in places that are particularly hard to find (under a floorboard, or buried in the backyard).

A final tip: make sure you pack and account for all your small items!!!  If the removalist finds something precious in the truck box they will tell you but chances are you left it behind in the old unit/house.