Here at Vestner we’ve gone through rapid growth in recent years. We now have 12 staff working out of our Christchurch headquarters and at the beginning of the 2018 our busy workshop was pressed for space. It seemed like the ideal time to branch out to a new, larger premise that could support our expanding team and growing business.
It’s with great pride we can now call 3/6 O’Briens Road, Sockburn our new home. But it wasn’t an easy move, with 20 years’ worth of history, furniture, tools and dust having accumulated at our old Addington site. It was an emotional time for our team, some of whom had been with us at Addington for near on 17 years.
We had to think carefully about how to carry out the move with minimal impact on our day-to-day operations and it got us thinking about how hard moving must be for some of our elderly and disabled clients, who have a whole other set of challenges to consider when relocating. As such we consulted some of our most valued clients and industry experts and compiled the following points to help you in your next move.
This is one that will become obvious as soon as you begin looking for a new place to live. You’ll no doubt be evaluating the ease of access as soon as you begin looking at listings on the internet or in your local paper.
If you have a platform lift, elevator, or stair lift installed at your current home, you’ll need to make sure there is adequate room to install it at your new home, should it still be required. If you have your sights set on a house, don’t hesitate to contact us to make sure it is suitable for your personal mobility aids.
A move can be a blessing in disguise for those prone to hoarding unnecessary clutter. Use the move as an opportunity to go through all your possessions, deciding what’s important and what’s not. Remember, it’s a waste of energy moving junk from one spot to the next, so get ruthless with your decluttering and remember every item you throw away, sell or donate to charity is another item you won’t have to move!
Moving can be a daunting task, especially if you are disabled or lack mobility. So, call on your friends and family for a helping hand. Ask them kindly to lift high and heavy boxes down to a level you can work with, and then take over if possible. If you’re unable to do any lifting, then stand by with clear directions and keep a steady flow of tea, coffee and snacks.
If you can afford the service, a moving company can do much of the packing/unpacking and all the heavy lifting for you.
When you arrive at your new home, there are certain items you’ll need to access more quickly than others. Think about what’s going to be most important to you first. The main one is the means to eat and sleep. Get the beds made up and the jug located first and foremost. If you are taking medication you will need this close at hand too. Think about the order things are packed into your moving truck and how quickly they’ll come out – if you need it first, pack it last. Potentially lifesaving items like your medication should be carried with you, rather than in a moving truck or a box which could be put in the wrong room or worse yet, lost.
Moving can be an extremely stressful time so it’s important to pace yourself and not overdo it. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and on a much smaller scale, it’s not essential that you have your new place fitted out and everything unpacked in a day either. Just be sure that any enlisted helpers keep a path clear of boxes, so you can go about your business. Then just chip away at the job one box at a time.