If there’s something in your house that you don’t like or don’t use, then don’t take it with you! If it just sat around your old house, then it will just sit around in the new one. Save yourself time, space, and energy, and don’t try to take it with you.
With those things that you are leaving behind, use them to bribe your friends to help you move. Tell them that, once they’ve helped you move, anything you left behind is free game! You kill two birds with one stone this way!
Even if you don’t think you need it or you don’t want to spend the money, GET A DOLLY! You have no idea how helpful it will be until you actually use it. A dolly makes moving so much faster and also keep you from throwing out your back.
Make sure to pack a first day box that has all your essentials in it. Bathroom supplies, kitchen utensils, shower items, etc., should all go in this box. That way, when the day’s over but you’re still not unpacked all the way, you don’t have to go searching for all your things.
Instead of finding or buying packing material like newspapers, bubble wrap, etc., just use all the soft things you already have at home. You can use blankets, stuffed animals, pillows, sheets, and other things to pad your valuable and fragile items.
Stick foam plates between your actual plates. This will help prevent them from breaking and also give you more grip when carrying them around.
The price you pay for a moving truck doesn’t depend so much on the company you use as much as when you rent it and where you’re going. Do some research to find the best times to move and play around with the drop off and/or pick up location to save money. You could save up to a few hundred dollars if you plan right!
It may be good to hire a babysitter for the day if you have young kids. It may cost a bit extra, but you’ll be WAY less stressed overall. Moving day already brings tons of issues, and making sure your kids are safe and entertained just doesn’t need to be one of them.
Before you move, if you’re taking your fridge them make sure to clean it out 24 to 48 hours beforehand. This gives it plenty of time to defrost, dry, and get neatly packed so that, when moving day comes, there isn’t a wet mess everywhere.
For things like drawer sets and silverware holders, try wrapping them up to keep things from falling out. It’s much easier to take a few minutes now to wrap them up then a long time down the road putting everything back that fell out.
For better boxes, cut handles into the sides. A simple triangle flap can make it so much easier when carrying the boxes, and it will help your back not hurt as bad, either.
If you’ve got a big team of movers to help you out, then make sure you assign tasks beforehand. Everyone should know exactly what they’re in charge of before the moving truck even opens in order to streamline things as much as possible.
That being said, make sure you plan for delays. Something always goes wrong on moving day, and you don’t want to be even more stressed out with a timeframe that’s too tight. Give yourself plenty of time and, if you’re lucky, you’ll end earlier than you thought.
I think color coding your boxes is a great idea. Simply put a piece of tape or paper on each box that indicates what room it’s going to. Then, when you get to the new place, put the corresponding color on each door in order for everyone to know exactly where each box goes.
If you’re taking mirrors or anything else similar, put an X of tape on the glass part before you pack it up. While this won’t make it 100% shatter proof, the tape does help absorb some shock or stress that can happen while it’s being moved.
