Moving, on its own, is already tiresome. It often feels like it involves a million tasks. Packing a life’s worth of belongings is tedious to say the least. Loading and unloading heavy pieces can feel impossible if you are not used to physically strenuous activities.
How much more stressful it is if you must do it all on your own or if you are trying to squeeze into a smaller new space. Luckily, you can hire a moving company to make things easier.
Professional movers will have the necessary skills and experience – they will know what to do. From the simple task of choosing the cardboard boxes in the right size for all your stuff, to packing fragile items and stuffed animals and having a moving truck ready, a moving company will be fully equipped for the move.
Hire All Around’s assigned Movers and your relocation will be stress-free and seamless. They have a nationwide network of reliable local movers and can assist you in both ends of your move. They can even accommodate same-day bookings.
Whether you decide to do a DIY move, book a labor-only moving service or a full-service moving package, these moving tips and tricks can help you.
1. Create a checklist, schedule & budget to save time and money.
Before you go deeper in your search for moving tips and moving hacks, start asking yourself the basic questions, like:
- How much time do you have before moving day?
- How much money can you spare for moving expenses?
- Are you doing a long-distance move?
- Will it be more expensive?
You can only save money once you are aware of your budget limitations. Get creative and think outside of the box. What are the things you can ask for free from family and friends? Who among your peers has relocated before and can ask for moving hacks that have been tried and tested?
Here is a simple checklist you can use in creating your own:
3 Months before the move
Make an inventory of all the things you will bring with you.
- Look for a new house.
- Drop off things for donation.
- Have a yard sale for unwanted items.
- Research for a reliable moving company
- Buy packing supplies.
2 Weeks before the move
- Pack things you do not use often and label these boxes.
- Pack most of your clothes and personal effects
- Book a mover and a moving truck.
- Remove curtains and other non-essential items.
- Put back home appliances inside their original box.
1 week before the move
- Pack your essentials, medication, and important documents in one bag.
- Start ensuring everything is packed and ready for transit.
- Book cleaning services
- Check furniture and expensive items for damage before wrapping and packing them.
- Drain water and gas from hoses, tanks and lawnmowers in your house.
- Disassemble furniture and appliances.
- Book a hotel in your new location.
- Book childcare or pet care services
On the day of the move
- Determine which boxes should be personally handled by you. If you have a vehicle, select some boxes, and you will deliver them to the new house yourself.
- Turn off water and electricity.
- Make sure you lock the house and inform the new owners you have moved out.
2. Declutter, donate, give away or sell stuff you no longer use before packing it in cardboard boxes or garbage bags.
A major packing tip is in reducing the number of things you have. This is the perfect time to get rid of things you no longer use.
Resist the urge to buy new items months before your move, a new set of clothes can wait. You do not really need new furniture or a new TV. You can buy these items once you have completely relocated and settled in your new house.
Remember, if you pack lighter you will be able to move faster also. Before you know it, you have completed your relocation journey. If you continue adding new things to the items you will bring, it will take more time and effort before this stressful phase in your life ends.
Packing takes so much time and costs can build up to something considerable. A single box may not be expensive but if you need to purchase a lot of big boxes and smaller boxes, the cost can easily add up.
You can choose affordable materials and can even improvise. For example, you can use a garbage bag for inexpensive and easy to replace items. However, just make sure these will not get thrown away by mistake.
If you live near establishments like mini groceries and stores, ask if they have old boxes, plastic wrap and bubble wrap they can spare.
You do not really need to buy high-priced wrapping supplies but if you are transporting expensive fragile items, it is better to wrap them generously than to be anxious the whole time about whether your things will survive in transit.
3. Pack your essentials in a bag for easy access.
You will thank yourself for packing a small bag of things you cannot live without. These can be simple things like your toiletries. You will be dead tired from the move and the last thing you want is to look for a drugstore so you can finally wash your face of grime and dirt at the end of the day.
Imagine arriving at your new home and needing to look for the aircon’s remote control before you can finally rest.
How about waking up and not knowing where the coffee machine is or in what box you put your prescription medication. Do not let important documents get lost and be mistaken for bunched up paper that can be thrown away by mistake.
For the following items, put them inside your bag or in a small luggage you can carry all throughout the move:
- toiletries like toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, soap, shampoo, wet wipes, alcohol
- prescription medication if you have some.
- first aid kit with band-aid, bandage, medicine for fever, headache, stomachache, and allergies
- contract of lease or sale for your new house
- written quote from your mover if any
- permits and licenses as may be required by your home association or condominium association for move in
- laptops, cellphones, power banks and chargers
- a snack
- an energy drink or bottled coffee
4. Eat all the food remaining in your fridge and pantry.
Clean out your pantry. Do not grocery shop at least 2 weeks prior to the move to avoid rotten produce and spoiled food. You can always replenish food stocks from the local grocery store once you reach your new house.
Next, resist the urge to purchase things – especially those which you cannot consume before moving day.
Take note that whatever you bring into your house during the transition will need to be packed and transported come moving day. You will not be able to thoroughly enjoy a new oven or a new coffee machine before you need to pack them again.
Aside from the space they will take up in the trailer or truck, you will need to find a separate box for these items.
If these are perishables, these will more likely go bad even before you unpack. Do not stock up on foodstuffs prior to your move and buy only the things you can eat or consume within the week.
Once all your cooking pots and pans are in boxes, try to eat out or order food instead of opening these boxes. You must consider daily food takeout expenses when crafting your budget.
Besides, with all the packing and moving tasks, we bet you no longer have the energy nor inclination to cook things from scratch.
5. Do not put important items in boxes. Personally bring them to your new location instead.
For important documents, small expensive pieces like jewelry, gadgets like laptops and cellphones, it would be better to bring them personally.
If you do not immediately separate these items, it might be harder later to locate them. Chances are, you will be anxious the whole time especially if these are irreplaceable items.
Bringing these items personally will also reduce the chances of it missing during the move. However, doing so can be more challenging if you are moving to a new state or a new county.
Research and inquire early on if there are city laws which would require you to apply for a permit when moving certain items. You can start by asking your movers if there are items you have that they cannot transport.
If you have valuable wood furniture or larger moving equipment of considerable value, inform your mover before packing these things in large boxes. Label these boxes as fragile so that anyone who loads and unloads the box will be extra careful.
FAQs
How can I make my moving process easier?
For your peace of mind, follow the following steps to ensure you have a hassle-free move. These are the most important key points:
- Plan to make your move less stressful.
- Creating a moving checklist early on even before you pack boxes can save you from a lot of trouble.
- Hiring professional movers is usually a game changer since you no longer need to do tedious things by yourself. Here are a few tips and tricks you can do.
Declutter before packing.
Before proceeding to the packing process and looking for packing tips online, identify personal items, furniture, household items and other things you can get rid of. This is an easy-to-follow tip before packing boxes and packing clothes.
Check all dresser drawers in your house and ask all family members to do the same. You will be surprised by how many things you own and how many of these things you do not use.
You can save space not only in the moving truck but also in your new house or office by bringing only the essentials.
Take garbage bags with you as you go through every room in your house. This would make it easier to pick up and discard trash and unwanted items you see along the way.
Pack strategically
You can wrap your clothes in large garbage bags but if you are worried that these might be accidentally thrown away, you can use a wardrobe box which has a metal hanging bar for hanging clothes.
To reduce bulk, you can pack winter coats in vacuum-sealed plastic bags.
You can easily look for useful packing hacks online but be careful also what you adopt. Make an inventory of things you need to pack and take note of fragile items. Once this is done, visit your local supplies store for the following:
- sturdy boxes
- box cutter
- plastic wrap
- shrink wrap.
- tie down straps.
- masking tape
You can also improvise and use toilet paper for delicate pieces like small earrings and use toilet paper rolls as temporary storage for necklaces to avoid getting them tangled.
Pack dishes and pack glasses away from your spoon, fork, knives and other sharp objects to avoid scratches. Wrap knives and sharp objects in dish towels and paper towels.
Do not leave empty spaces in between items in the box to reduce chances that the objects will move around, get loose and collide with each other during transit.
Color code boxes designating a specific color for every room in your house. Label with a list of items inside the box so you know where things are.
You will thank yourself when you can easily locate where your kid’s favorite stuffed toy is. Also write your name and contact number so you can easily identify that the box belongs to you.
Remember that once you put your things in the moving truck, you will no longer be able to monitor them!
How do I make my move less overwhelming?
Start by staying organized. Due to the number of tasks involved, packing and moving can easily get tiring and tedious.
The best way is still to hire a reliable professional moving company. Experienced movers will know the best packing tips and moving hacks. They will know how to securely wrap fragile items to avoid damage while in transit and the right size boxes to purchase. They will know what to do when the car suddenly breaks down.
Another piece of advice is to start with small things first. Put easy to grab items and lighter items that do not need heavy lifting in the moving box. Once you know how much time you have, you will be able to plan strategically what to do for each day until moving day.
Enlist the help of your family and friends whenever you can. They may know some effective packing tips for moving and moving hacks you can use.
Plus, they may also have small boxes or box cutters they can give you for free. This can also be a good bonding experience. The stress involved can either strengthen or weaken your relationship.
When things get difficult, remind yourself of the reason for your move. Your efforts will be rewarded in the end when you reach your new location. Your dream house or dream job is waiting for you.
We hope you found this blog post on 5 Tricks to Make Your Move Easier and More Efficient useful. Be sure to check out our post on Make Your Long-Distance Move Easier for more great tips!
Have Experience in the Moving Industry? Want an Additional Income Stream? Work With All Around Moving!
Are you possessing experience in the shipping industry? Or maybe in the moving industry? Are you looking for additional Income stream? Read All Around Moving’s opportunity that is just for you!
This program, affords experienced moving consultants with the unique opportunity to develop their moving & relocation consultant business from anywhere, any city U.S.A.
Get with a complete set-up to run your business. To learn more, click here.
