Whether it’s your first time, your umpteenth, or somewhere in between, moving always requires the same process. You pack, you load, you unpack, you unload.
The big steps are where the heavy lifting is (quite literally). But it’s how you prepare the small details that make all the difference in how easy or difficult your move becomes.
There’s a reason professional movers make it look so easy, though. They have years of experience to learn all the hacks that streamline those details.
Guess what, though? You have them, too, right here in this article.
Before your next move, use these tips to take the excess complications out of the moving process.
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The Packing Process
By far and with popular opinion, packing is the worst part of moving. Finding boxes and totes to fit everything, figuring out what to put where, how to store it while you’re waiting to move … it’s all a hassle, especially knowing you’re just going to unload it all later.
There’s an easier way to do it that makes it less of a headache from start to finish. The earlier you start, the better, and these tips can speed up the work:
- Check with your local Uhaul, storage sheds, or grocery stores. They usually give away sturdy boxes or sell gently used options at a discount.
- Aim for one room at a time, starting with the least-used areas. When you have packed up most of what you don’t use daily, you’ll have extra space to store your boxes from other places. Label each box with the general category of items and room you’ll want it to go in when the moving truck is unpacked.
- Purge as you go. Keep three large totes or heavy-duty garbage bags in the room while you pack: trash, donate, and sell. If you haven’t used any particular item in over a year and can’t see yourself using it in the foreseeable future, put it in one of those three bags. Before you move, get rid of the bags in their rightful places.
- Don’t pack the essentials until the day of the move, or the night before. Keep all of these in a tote or box labeled accordingly, and store those boxes in your personal vehicle.
With those few tips, you’ve eliminated many of the usual packing headaches.
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Get Organized Early
As soon as you have your new address, start taking care of the little things that often get overlooked closer to Moving Day.
Make a folder where you’ll keep all the related moving documents, like your current lease and new rental agreement, contracts for utilities and moving companies, etc. Keep your receipts here, too.
Call the utility companies at least two weeks in advance. It may take them that long to send someone out to connect your services. If you’ve hired a workforce housing on demand company, they should take care of this part of the job for you.
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Go Shopping
The goal is to move as little as possible, so you don’t want to buy new furniture or accessories yet. However, you will need some necessities to get you through the first few days.
Stock up on these must-haves before you move out:
- Cleaning supplies (paper towels, floor and counter cleaner, dish detergent, laundry detergent)
- Disposable eating utensils in case you don’t want to unpack the kitchen supplies quite yet (or you’re too tired to do dishes)
- Simple pantry items to feed you and your crew for a few days
- Cold food that you can store in a cooler during the move
- Bathroom basics (toilet paper, a shower curtain, towels, toiletries)
Walk through your first few days in the next place in your mind. Make a list of the things you think you’ll need, and add them to your cart, or pack them in your car, so you know exactly where they are. It will make moving-in life much easier.
Conclusion
Moving doesn’t have to be a drag. In fact, it can be exciting to start over fresh! Skip the dread of your next move and focus on the positive parts by using these professional hacks.
