Moving houses is a beautiful experience. You get to pick up the parts of your life that you like and put them in a new chapter of the same. However, it’s a humongous task all the same. There are a lot of bits and pieces that can go wrong.
Regardless of whether you’re hiring movers to deliver your life to a different part of the country or do it yourself for a couple of blocks, there are always things you can do to make the whole process easier. So here’s a list of moving tips, tricks, and hacks to help you out. These tips and tricks will cover the entirety of your luggage and let you breathe a little better in the midst of the chaos that only comes with moving!
Tips For Packing
Start Early
Given the size of the task at hand, it’s no wonder that any amount of time may seem less. So, we recommended that you start with the process as soon as possible. There are a thousand things to take care of: arranging the packing equipment, packing everything up, arranging the movers, and the actual process of moving.
We suggest that you start with the easier pieces of this puzzle as soon as you have a signed lease. Things like making lists, deciding on what to carry, and how to carry can be easier when you have the time, not so much when the clock is about to hit zero. So, start as soon as possible and make sure you get through this whole task nice and easy.
Make A Moving Checklist
As easy as it sounds, making a moving checklist is one of the most mind-rattling tasks in this process. You need to shuffle around your entire place to figure out what to carry, you need to research utilities and amenities in your new neighborhood, then choose one from that list.
In fact, almost everything you’d need in the process of moving and after you settle in would be made easier if you narrow things down in a list and take it from there. Our suggestion is to start from your house and work your way outside, right until you get to your new place.
That way, you can cover all the bases and do that without much of a hassle. Another trick that you can use is to keep in mind what you do not want. That way, when you put things on your moving list, you can automatically confirm that it’s only the things that need to be on there.
Use The Right Boxes
Using a box of the correct size is the most fundamental part of the process of moving. It’s very important to make sure that the stuff you’re putting in the box are a tight fit. Otherwise, all the different items in a box might move around.
While it would not be such a big deal for boxes full of clothes, things like crockery and other fragile things will easily go for a toss if the things inside a box have space to move around. Moreover, a box of the wrong size will mean that the boxes will have a chance of being damaged altogether when there is a load placed on top, possibly damaging other boxes and the things inside them while they’re on the move.
On the other hand, a box of the right size that’s packed properly will save you time and effort on the move.
Label Every Box
Labelling every box might seem like a task when you start out. However, you need to keep in mind that when you set out to move the entirety of your living quarters by any distance, it’s easy to lose track of what box went where.
In order to avoid that, there’s a very simple system of marking that you can follow. You can color-code all boxes with sticky notes and also mark them with room and floor instructions. That way, you can just spot a box while it’s being unloaded and put it in the right room.
Don’t Mix It Up
This one is rather simple. When you’re packing, pack boxes according to rooms. That way you can ensure that you don’t have to dig through a pile of them to find something for one room and something else for another.
The more important part is making sure you do not put things from one room into a box for another one. Otherwise, the process of unpacking will take a lot longer than necessary. You can ensure that you avoid the confusion by packing a box for a specific room in the same room in your old place. Meaning, pack the box for your kitchen and put everything that you want to put in your new kitchen right there.
Use Towels And Linens As Padding
While packing equipment is necessary, it’s also expensive. In order to save a little bit on the money for the equipment, you can use your towels and linens in place of packing mats and/or friction mats. This way, you can ensure proper packing of your breakable belongings while saving up some space that would be used for the towels otherwise.
Moreover, if you are using single-use packing equipment, you would be creating a lot of trash. So, using the stuff you already own will help you make the process of moving that much more eco-friendly.
Take Care Of Your Electronics
Electronics require a lot of attention when you’re moving them. There are a lot of wires and cables that attach to multiple pieces of machinery that break rather easy. It’s of immense importance that you pack your electronics carefully.
The easiest way to make sure you are packing your electronics properly is to pack them individually. Use appropriately sized boxes and pack only so much that the box can handle. Moreover, make sure you pack the box with things like packing peanuts, packing mats, and enough tape to increase the strength of the box. After all, your CPU or refrigerator does cost a lot more than anything you’d use for moving.
Tips For Moving
Make A Moving Folder
A moving folder is something that you could carry around like a manager on-site. You can make a folder with all the lists you make, along with receipts, bills, and paperwork that you’d require when moving in.
A moving folder will make it very easy for you to keep track of all the paperwork that will be generated, helping you avoid panicking on the day of moving because you cannot find the receipts that you’re supposed to hand over to the movers.
Set Your Budget
While it sounds like a mundane and straight-forward task, it’s very easy for it to blow a huge hole in your pocket, without you even realizing the extent of the damage. The fact that there are many different payments to make makes it even harder to keep track.
The best way to make sure you do not get to your new house with pennies in your pocket is to set a budget. Research all the expenditure you’ll need to make and set a budget accordingly. This way, you won’t come up short-handed with the money and can rest assured that you’re not going overboard with the spending.
However, we definitely suggest having a little bit of emergency cash in reserve. The process of moving is tedious and there is always a chance that things might go wrong just enough to make you pay extra for something. An emergency reserve will help you take care of any problem that arises without having to run to the bank.
Book Early
Believe it or not, the packing companies that do a good job get booked very fast. Even if that’s not the case, having all the bookings and appointments confirmed will make sure that you do not have to stress about them in the last few days before the move.
Things like installing electronics, plumbing, TV, phone and WiFi require you to make a booking with the concerned company beforehand. Make sure you book everything as soon as you decide on a place to move to so that you can rest assured that the service will be available on the day of the move.
Schedule Utilities
Utilities like electricity and water, amongst other things, will require you to contact the department that handles these things in your neighborhood. The thing is, if you fail to schedule these utilities to be accessible on the day you move, you might have to move into a dark, waterless house.
This will not just make the process of moving a little more difficult, it will make living in your new house a little more difficult. Moreover, getting a hold of these things also takes a lot of time. So, if you decide to get it done after you move, you might have to stay somewhere else until everything gets sorted.
Prep A Go Bag
A ‘go-bag’ is a bag that contains everything you would need in a situation. When it comes to moving, your go-bag might include a few snacks, water, your moving folder, and all the keys involved in moving from house to house.
A go-bag will also allow you to carry the smaller delicate items that you might not be comfortable storing in boxes that the movers will carry. However, you need to make sure that the go-bag does not become too heavy. Otherwise, it would beat its own purpose of making things easy and you might have to hand it to the movers as well.
The D-Day Plan
Stay Hydrated And Eat Well
As basic as it sounds, it’s very easy to forget to drink some water or have meals when you get engrossed in the process of moving. The thing is, all of the tasks in this process require you to be on your feet and focused for extended periods of time.
Failing to take care of your intake will directly translate into a much longer and even more straining time for you. You would be moving into a new house and starting a new chapter in your life. Would you really want to be so dehydrated and hangry?
Plan For Your Kids And Pets
Kids will be kids and they will require their fair share of attention, or distraction, regardless of what’s going on in your life. You need to make sure that you have go-bags for your children as well, that might include games, food, and everything that would keep them busy.
As different as they are, your pets will also require attention. If you don’t make sure you have arranged for something to keep them busy while on the move, you’ll have an angry pet nibbling at your head while you’re trying to unpack literally everything.
Finish Packing A Day Before
The day of packing is stressful as it is. You have an entire team of people swarming your house, picking up everything and throwing it in a truck. If you don’t hire movers to do it, you’ll have to do all the lifting and moving yourself!
The thing is, if you have any task hanging on the day of moving, that will not just add to the stress, it will also add to the time required. You’ll have a thousand things to take care of. Make sure that you get done with everything a day before moving, except the actual act of moving. Make it easier for everyone and most importantly, yourself.
Summing Up
There are a million ways that you can go about the process of moving. Regardless of which one you choose, you need to have a few tricks up your sleeve to make it as easy as possible. These moving tips and tricks aren’t full-fledged plans for you; these are just ideas that you can use in the order that suits you the best.
When you move, we hope that you have the best possible experience in the process and carry that feeling throughout your life until you move to a new house. Lastly, do all the research you need beforehand and do everything as safely as possible.