Moving is a stressful experience that can affect even the most organized people. For most, however, moving is a part of life that can’t be avoided. While moving can be stressful, there are ways to make it easier.
Sounds too good to be true? Discover how to make your move more efficient by using our moving and packing hacks.
Prepare yourself for your move
It is better to begin packing earlier than later. It’s important to know both what to pack and what not to pack when moving. Before we move on to the packing tips and tricks, let’s look at some moving hacks.
Do you want to do it yourself or hire a professional?
You may feel panicky and overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks that are involved. You will have a lot to do, but you should first decide whether to hire a company to move your belongings or rent a truck. If you are using movers to help you move, you can find reputable and reliable movers in our directory. You can find the best truck rental company by using our guide. Get at least three quotes, from three different companies. You can then move on to more important tasks.
You should research companies at least eight weeks in advance, get quotes from them and then hire them seven weeks prior to the move.
Make a moving checklist
In the same way that professional real estate photography helps sell homes, a moving checklist helps make moving easier. After you’ve hired movers or rented trucks, determine what else needs to be accomplished. Use our moving checklist, or make your own. You’ll need a list that will guide you throughout the moving process. Add new tasks to your list as they come up. Moving can be stressful. Staying organized reduces stress.
You’ll have to decide what you need to do based on your situation. Typically, you will need to cancel or transfer utilities from your old house and then set them up in your new one. Move your medical records if you’re looking for a new doctor. Moving with pets? It is important to collect the veterinary records of your pet. Notify the school that your children are moving and look for a school within your new district.
Set your budget
You don’t need to be shocked by the cost of moving. Use our moving cost calculator to estimate your costs.
Packing supplies are important.
You can use our packing calculator to estimate how many packing supplies you will need. You can then be certain to buy everything you need at the first store visit.
Enjoy your meal
Perishable foods will not be moved by the movers. You should try to consume as much food as possible before moving day. Make it a challenge and come up with creative recipes to see just how much food you can consume. Donate food that is unopened or has not expired to your local food bank. Your movers will pick up and deliver the food to the food bank for free if you are using a Move for Hunger partner relocation company. You should be able to find a mover that meets your needs since the non-profit partners with hundreds of moving companies.
Get rid of Stuff
It is impossible to overstate how much easier it will be to move if you organize all your things and donate, recycle, or toss what you do not need. These tips will help you get through the move.
Room by room, go through all your belongings
Do not skip the drawers. Make a list of everything you have and how much can be moved. Take stock of the furniture that isn’t worth moving.
Do a closet purge
Get rid of anything that doesn’t fit or is outdated, and/or hasn’t been worn in the last year. You can do the same with your kids’ closets, bathroom shelves and linen closets.
You can get rid of things you won’t purchase again
Ask yourself if you’d buy it if it wasn’t in your possession. You probably don’t want it if you would not spend money on it.
Donation pickup: Make arrangements
You can schedule a pickup in advance if you are donating large items, such as furniture or rugs. This will ensure that the organization you choose picks them up. You can find a list of charities who will pick up your donation so you don’t need to worry about transporting it.
Consider short-term storage
You can store items you don’t need in a temporary storage unit until you decide if you want them.
Hire a junk removal service
Cleaning garages, attics and basements can be a time-consuming task. A professional junk removal service can do the job for you. You can keep what you like and dispose of the rest. They will dispose of trash, clean the area, and donate items to local charities. You won’t need to move heavy furniture like a sofa or mattress, and you can focus on other things.
Save money when you move
Moving can be a costly endeavor. But if you just closed on your new home, then you don’t really have much of a choice, now do you. You can, however, keep your moving costs low by following these budget-friendly tips.
Compare at least 3 different quotes for moving services
You can get the best deal by doing this. Some companies may even be willing to lower their price if they want your business.
Consider all of your options when moving.
Compare moving companies’ prices with the cost of renting a truck or using a portable moving container to find your most cost-effective option. Compare moving companies’ prices with the cost of renting a truck or using portable moving containers to find your most economical option.
Free packing materials
Whether you’re moving to a great small town or a big city, it can get expensive. So saving on packing materials can always help. Calling local retailers and asking family or friends for free packing materials is a great way to get them.
Be flexible
Do you have some flexibility in deciding when to move? You can save money by moving midweek or mid-month. The demand for moving on weekends, the first and last days of a month or the first day of the next will make it more expensive.
How to pack your belongings for a move
The packing process is the most time-consuming. These packing tips are designed to save you time and ensure that your possessions are secure. Here are some packing hacks to make your move easier.
Set up a packing area
First, gather your packing materials. You’ll need boxes, packing tape and scissors, packing paper and bubble wrap, as well as old towels and blankets. Also, you will want to have plastic bags in various sizes including garbage bags and small sealable bags.
Set up your packing station on a flat surface. You could use a folding desk, the guest room, or if possible, your dining table to pack. You won’t have to waste time searching for supplies, and you can use this station to label and tape boxes.
Last, pack the packing materials
Keep tape and markers at the packing station until the end. You may need them at least on moving day.
Use your towels, linens and other soft items
Use linens or towels to cushion delicate, hard-to-wrap objects like lamps and vases. Dish towels can be used in the kitchen to wrap knives and other sharp items. Secure them with a rubber band. Many household items can be used to pack.
Pack your suitcases
Packing heavy items in suitcases is easy because they have wheels. You can use suitcases for things like heavy books or serving dishes that you cannot easily transport in boxes.
As you require, set up boxes
Set up boxes only when you are ready to use them. This will keep your workspace as organized and clear as possible. Take the box to the packing station once it’s filled for labeling and taping.
Color-code boxes
You can save time by labeling your boxes with a variety of colored stickers. Assign each color to a specific room. You’ll know what goes where quickly and won’t need to look for the marker each time you seal a box.
Place the destination rooms on boxes
You can also label each box with the room it is headed to. You can also label the boxes with the contents. However, this may confuse movers so it is only recommended if you are moving yourself.
Mark fragile boxes
This is especially important if your moving company doesn’t know how to handle some of the boxes.
Take photos of the box contents
Take a picture of the interior of each box after it’s been packed. This will help you remember what is inside later. You won’t be able to capture everything in the picture, but it will give you a good idea of what’s inside each box.
Create a bag of essentials for moving
Pack your personal items in a small suitcase or duffle bag. These include important documents, medicines, chargers and basic toiletries. You may also want to pack a few changes of clothing, as well as a few essential toiletries.
Create a moving essentials bag
You’ll save yourself a lot of stress on the first night you spend in your new house by putting together an essentials box. It should contain everything you need immediately after moving, such as paper towels, toilet tissue, water, plastic plates, paper cups, etc. You’ll also need extra clothes and diapers for a child as well as their favorite toys and food. You’ll need to keep your pets’ bedding, food, food bowls, leash, chews and treats, as well as their favorite toys and the litter box.
Keep the hardware in plastic bags
Put small hardware into a bag that can be sealed and labeled when you disassemble your furniture. You can tape it to the piece of furniture or store it in a large box.
