Our Best Moving & Packing Tips.
Moving to a new house is a lot of work! Most of us moved several times in the past during college, but moving a big apartment or an entire house required much more strategy, which is why we set the best packing tips and moving tips out here.
1. Start Early!
Begin packing as early as possible. The last thing you want to do is be scrambling to throw things in boxes as the moving truck is pulling up.
2. Create A Packing Kit
Compile all of your packing supplies into one caddy or container, so you can easily move them from room to room as you pack. Fill a small cardboard box with permanent markers, packing labels, box cutters, packing tape and packing material.
3. Start With Non-Essentials
Clear out closets, basements and rooms you rarely use first. Once you pack them up, they can become storage space for all of your packed boxes. Getting those little-used items packed up early helped a ton, since you rarely use them anyway.
4. Box Everything Possible
Boxes are easy to stack on top of each other in the moving truck, especially if they are a few uniform sizes. It may be tempting to get creative and pack your things in baskets and containers you have already, but we highly recommend using cardboard moving boxes. They will make life a lot easier when it’s time to load up the truck!
5. Choose the Right Boxes for Your Move
The rule of thumb is that each box should not weigh more than 25 pounds. Remember that you may have to move the boxes yourself, from one room to another, movers have to carry them up and down flights of stairs, so make sure you're able to lift them easily.
6. Don’t Skimp On Packing Material
Use plenty of packing material! Purchase or ask friends for bubble wrap, packing paper and newspaper. Packing material will help prevent damages during moving. Clothing, pillows, blankets and towels can be used as padding inside boxes of breakables.
7. Keep Parts And Pieces Together
Use stretch wrap and plastic baggies to keep screws, table legs, cords and other parts together. We're capable of disassembling anything that you have, and we follow the same rules, spatially if items are going to a storage.
8. Purge As You Go
There’s no point in moving things you no longer need or want! By starting to pack early, you’ll have time to purge a lot of items before you get stuck moving them. Set up boxes for items to donate or post items for sale on Facebook and Craigslist.
9. Label, Label, Label
Every box should be labeled with the room it will go in in the new house, along with an inventory of what’s inside. This will make it easy for your moving crew to get things to the correct room and then you’ll be able to easily locate things after you move.
10. Mark Boxes With Special Notes
Mark boxes with extra notes like “heavy”, “fragile” and “unpack first”. This way your moving crew will know to take extra care with those items.
11. Map Out The New House
Map out where everything goes. Draw furniture layouts so your movers can put things in the correct place. Mapping things out in advance will help your moving crew know exactly where you want everything without having to ask a million questions all day.
12. Keep Essentials Handy
Pack a plastic tote with essentials for moving day. You’ll want some basic office supplies like markers and box cutters, any medications you need that day, toilet paper and soap for the bathrooms, paper plates and cups, etc.
We hope these packing tips and moving tips help you with your move! Whether it’s across the country or across town, it’s always best to get organized, start packing early and reserve a moving crew.