We've never heard anyone say that they love packing and moving. No matter how excited you might be to relocate or move into that dream home, moving is just a pain!
Luckily, there are a lot of ways you can make your next move more organized, so that it can go faster, easier, and, hopefully, less painfully.
Whether you are hiring professional movers to help with the heavy lifting or not, these moving tips, tricks and hacks will get you ready in no time.
Let's check out the top tips for an easier move!
Top Moving Tips For Your Next Move:
1. Cling Wrap Everything: Wrap it around your drawers, so you don't have to empty them. Wrap it around your silverware holder, so it's ready to go as soon as you cut the cling wrap. Wrap it around trays with small pieces that would be a pain to lose. Cling wrap the doors shut on nightstands, the refrigerator, etc., so they don't bang into things and get scratched. Buy cling wrap in bulk and cling wrap everything.
2. Color Code Each Room: Give every room a color and stick to it. Use this color to mark boxes, either with colored dots, colored labels, colored markers, or whatever else you have.
3. Stack Boxes By Room: As you pack and stack, organize boxes by the color/room they belong in. Then, load them into the truck together and take them into the new house together. This will keep everything in the right room.
4. Buy Mattress Covers: It's easy to forget or think it's a wasted expense. But, think about how many people have rented that truck before you and what they could've put in it. Buy mattress covers, people. This will save you the headache of trying to wrap them with something you have at home.
5. Label Cords: Before you pull that cord out of the wall, get some bright tape, write on it what the cord is used for, and then stick the tape to the cord. Now, when you move, you won't have to guess where the cord belongs. Take it a step further and tape the cord to the back of the object it belongs with and snap a picture of how it looks.
6. Pack a First Night Box: Before things get too far, take a few minutes to assemble a first night box. Here are the things to consider putting in it:
Pajamas
Sheets for beds
Toilet paper
Paper towels
Toothbrushes
Phone chargers
Mini-hygiene kit
Dog or pet food
Snacks
Water bottles
Sentimental stuff for kids, like blankets or things they sleep with
Some toys/books to keep kids busy
DVDs to play on a laptop or tablets until a TV is hooked up
A set of towels and wash cloths for baths
Change of clothes for the next day for everyone
Now, set that box in the front seat of a car so you don't forget it and accidentally put it with all of the other boxes.
7. Bag Small Pieces: When you take something apart, put all the pieces in a sandwich bag, write on the bag what the pieces are for with a Sharpie, and tape them to the back of the object. Sometimes these bags will come loose, so make sure to write on it.
8. Don't Overfill Boxes: We know, it's annoying to see wasted space, but you don't want things to smash each other in the box or to break the backs of your movers. It's better to leave a little space in heavier boxes.
9. Get Free Boxes: On that note, don't buy those boxes unless you really need them to all match. Go on a neighborhood site weeks in advance and say you are ISO moving boxes. People that are moving will be happy to unload their boxes to you rather than having to recycle them.
10. Rent Plastic Moving Bins: Some people actually rent a ton of plastic moving bins instead of using disposable boxes. The cost is less than buying boxes and you have a sturdier box to work with that doesn't require any tape, saving you even more money.
11. Buy Tape Online: Amazon is your friend. Consider more affordable tape, rather than name brand. Duck Brand has a ton of great reviews and will save you money. Buy in bulk - we both know you'll use it.
12. Buy Bubble Wrap Online: You will waste so much money buying Bubble Wrap in those small quantities available at Target and your local office supply store. Buy big spools of bubble wrap online.
13. Use Soft Things to Wrap Breakables: Take all of those tablecloths, thinner blankets and other soft thing and use them to wrap breakables objects - rather than bubble wrap.
14. Fill Objects Before Packing: All of those vases, cookie jars, and other objects should be full before packing. Fill them with napkins, socks, other objects. Try to use items from the same to prevent total mayhem when unpacking.
15. Use All Containers Like Boxes: Get out all of those suitcases, bags, laundry baskets, and bins and use them like a box. Don't move anything that could contain other objects empty.
16. Wrap Hanging Clothes in Trash Bags: One of our favorite tips that will save you so much time is to cut a hole in the bottom of an extra large trash bag and then put as many hangers through it as you can. Tie off the bottom to prevent clothes from falling out. Stack clothes and then when you arrive at the new place, just hang up the hangers, cut off the trash bag and voila! Serious time saver.
17. Keep Kid Bins Ready: Have kids? Have a bin for each kid that holds their special items you do not want to lose. These will go with your first night box to make sure you have what you need right away.
18. Stock Up On Rubber Bands: These are your new best friends. Use rubber bands for all sorts of things: Keep lids on things, keep doors closed on cabinets and other things, holding the locks open on doors that lock on closing, and much more.
19. Declutter As You Go: Don't pack anything you don't need. Declutter as you go. Keep bags for trash and giveaway handy.
20. Use Doorstops: Yup, we all know the fun feeling of a door slamming on you when you're holding a giant box. Buy a big pack of doorstops and use them religiously.
21. Vacuum Seal Bulky Items: Big blankets? Huge winter coats? Piles of thick sweaters? Time to get some vacuum seal bags and get to work.
22. Pre-Clean Your New Place: Wherever you're going, make sure it's clean in advance. Either you or a cleaning crew should get in there and make sure it's move-in ready before you unload a truck of boxes.
23. Keep Snacks & Water Handy: Make sure to have these things on standby, both at the place you are leaving and the place you are going.
24. Take Photos As You Pack: Snap photos of important objects as you pack them to have the condition prior to moving recorded. Also, take pictures of what's in certain boxes that are more valuable.
25. Number Boxes: Make sure to number boxes as you go or keep a running list of how many boxes you have for each room or space. It would be wonderful to think that every person is honest and no mistakes could ever be made, but we all know that's not reality. Keep track of what you have before you leave, so you know what you should have on the other side.
26. Use Foam for Dishes: Buy foam storage for your dishes. It's the best and most efficient way to pack your dishes.
27. Pack Plates Vertically: This will reduce chipping, breakage and use space more efficiently. You can also buy boxes designed just for dish storage.
28. Change Your Address: You can put in your change of address up to 2 weeks prior to moving! This will give time for the transition so you don't miss anything. Ask a friend or neighbor to collect any mail that still arrives at the old address. Sign up for paperless invoices for as many bills as you can, too, to eliminate lost bills.
29. Schedule a Donation Pickup: It's free and it'll help you get all those things you want to donate off to their next home without having to fill up a car. Plus, if you are donating larger items, it'll really save you the time and the stress of figuring out how to get them to a donation place.
30. Get Cash for Movers: You'll want to tip them for all their hard work and you might finish late. Have cash on hand in advance.
31. Plan Food: You'll get hungry and your crew will, too. Find a food place that delivers near your new location and be ready to place an order to keep everyone's energy up.
32. Check Everything: Before you say goodbye, check every single cabinet, drawer, closet, room, top to bottom.
33. Rekey Your New Place: If you're being handed old keys - be ready to have that place rekeyed as soon as you can for security.
34. Alert Credit Cards: If you're moving a significant distance, alert credit card companies you use that you're moving, otherwise they may flag charges and freeze cards.
35. Plan for Pets: Moving with pets can be a safety hazard. Plan to get all pets to a safe place before you start moving things around and then remember to pick them up on your way out of town. Read our post with more tips on how to move with pets here.
36. Clean As You Go: If you're responsible for cleaning to get that deposit back, clean as you go. It can be a real nightmare to finish moving only to have to spend hours cleaning when you are already exhausted. Better yet, have cleaners lined up to help you out.
37. Leave a Care Package: If you're selling a home, you're the expert. Make sure to leave important things the new owners may need, such as keys, security codes, extra light bulbs for that one special light, paint swatches for the walls, and some take-out menus of local restaurants.
38. Defrost the Refrigerator: Empty out and defrost the fridge at least 24 hours before moving. Donate any food you won't finish to neighbors or to a local food bank.
39. Use Cotton Balls & Pads in Cosmetics: All that makeup isn't cheap. Put a cotton ball or pad underneath the lid to keep them from turning to dust during your move.
40. Fill Holes with a Soap Bar: This quick tip will help you get that deposit back. Use a white bar of Dove soap and gently rub it over holes to fill them.
41. Take Pics Before You Go: Get a good video or series of photos of the condition of your home or rental before you go, so no one tries to claim that you left the place in shambles.
42. Setup Utilities: You want power in the new place, right? Set that up in advance, so you don't get there and realize the lights don't work.
43. Find a Place for the Kids: Just like those pets, they can sometimes be more work than help. Find a fun place for them to go while you're doing the heavy lifting.
44. Build Beds First: Once you get to the other side, start with those beds. You'll want a nice place to sleep more than anything else.
45. Plan a Fun Surprise: Have something fun planned after all that moving to get everyone excited about their new home. Whether it's a local place you can go eat, a new park to take the kids or even just picking up a cake from a local bakery to celebrate - these are the moments you'll all remember most when you look back on that move.
There you have it! 45 moving tips to help keep you organized for the smoothest move of your life.
Do you have any moving tips we don't share here? Put them in the comments below, so we can all learn from them!
If you're looking for to sell or buy in the Sacramento area, we'd love to help. Give us a call at 916.524.9733.
Thanks for reading!