Nobody enjoys moving. Even if you’re excited about the new home you’re moving into, it can do nothing to overcome the dread of packing everything you own into boxes and moving everything from your home to a truck and into your new home. It’s so miserable that people will stay in the same place even if they are unhappy with it to avoid the process of moving. While nothing can eliminate the misery, there are steps that can be taken in order to make your move easier. Here are a seven tips for moving:
Did you prorate rent?
If you're moving in or moving out of a prorated rent. It'll save you some money so you can pay for those extra odds and ends like tipping your movers or replacing old furniture easier to do.
Does it spark joy?
There’s no better time to get rid of what you don’t need than when you’re moving. It’ll lighten your load and shorten the entire process. Let’s be honest, most of what you have stuffed away and even some of what you have out in the open are things you don’t need and almost never use. Take this opportunity to toss it all in the dumpster or even donate what you can to a local homeless shelter.
Don’t procrastinate
This is the most obvious advice to give and the most difficult one to follow. You already dread moving so naturally you’ll put off packing until the very last minute. Unfortunately, if you wait until the last minute this could make your life even more difficult. You won’t be as organized and you may run out of boxes without enough time to get more.
Plan ahead
Don’t wait until the last minute to book movers or reserve a truck. You don’t want to have everything boxed up with no way to move it. You also may end up paying a higher price if you wait to book movers or reserve a truck. Once you have your moving date, book everything you need. You’ll also want to schedule all of your utilities to be turned on and transferred into your name prior to moving in.
Boxes and boxes
Get your boxes well ahead of time and make sure you have plenty of extra boxes just in case. You never know what will happen and you may accidentally ruin some boxes rendering them useless. If you need extra boxes in a pinch, try going to the closest grocery store and asking them if you can purchase some of their banana boxes. They are a perfect size and incredibly sturdy. Also, make sure you have plenty of packing tape along with newspaper and garbage bags.
Pack with strategy
You don’t want to put your heavy items in the big boxes because they will become too heavy and difficult to carry due to their awkward size and weight. Keep the heavy items in a smaller box and make sure you pack the heavier items and keep the lighter items on the top. Try not to leave any empty spaces in the boxes. This will ensure you use as few boxes as possible and the items don’t rattle and shift during your move.
Kitchen essentials
When it comes to your food, you can toss most of it. Definitely toss all of your perishables and if you have any snacks and dry goods you can take those with you. You’ll need something to snack on when your kitchen isn’t all set up at the new place.
When it comes to boxing up fragile items from the kitchen like your dishes, make sure you wrap each dish up individually with packing paper. Bunch them together in bundles of 5 or put them on their side. Never lay them flat. After that, stuff any empty spaces in the box with packing paper to give it cushion and make sure they don’t shift in the box.
Label maker
This may sound unnecessary and something only somebody with a type-A personality would do, but make sure you label all of your boxes. This will save you time when it comes to unpacking allowing you to quickly place things in their proper room before rummaging through them. It’ll also help you identify which boxes are filled with fragile or heavy items so you know how to handle them.