Master list move tips
100 Moving Tips from our Master List
100 Moving & Packing Tips
Take a look with us.
Master List of 100 Moving Musts
Pack smart
Donate old items
give items such as clothes, kitchen items and household goods that you no longer want to your local Goodwill or Salvation Army and receive a tax write off!
Hunt down free boxes
Grocery stores, liquor stores, craigslist, Home Depot etc are all places to seek out free boxes from.
Pack plates right
set plates on their side (vertically) with cardboard in between rather than stacking them flatly.
Pack bowls right
Pack bowls upside down on their rim. Stack them on top of each other with wrap in between the layers.
Essentials box
Pack a box of paper plates, silverware, cups, snacks, cleaning supplies, toiletries, toilet paper, paper towels, coffee pot and any other essentials you will want first when arriving at new home
Prep for arrival
Pack one dresser drawer with toiletries, towels and sheets for easy access upon arrival at new home.
Label boxes with duct tape scheme
Use different color tape for different rooms and create a key to refer to so you don’t forget what goes where! This will also help the movers know where to place the boxes.
Box holes
You can make carrying the boxes easier by cutting triangular handles in the sides (the point at the bottom and the long side closer to the top.)
Space saving
Tape together like items such as brooms and mops for easier loading and unloading
Efficient packing
Use your crock pot and pots/pans to fill with pantry items or spices before you pack into a larger box.
The bags are packed
Use suit cases and luggage to pack your heavy books, shoes etc.
Keep the pieces together
If you have screws, nails or small parts to a piece of disassembled furniture you can use clear tape to adhere the pieces together.
Pack glasses safely
Use wine bottle boxes for packing your glasses safely.
Saran wrap comes in handy
Wrap saran wrap around your liquid items like cans, bottles, body wash, shampoo and hand soap.
Grocery plan
Your final grocery shopping should be done two weeks before the move. Do your best to eat all your perishable foods the last couple of days. Have leftover meals the last night or two before the move or avoid cooking and have pizza or sandwiches.
Fill appliances
You can use your appliances to store items in if those will be moving to your new home.
The fridge
Defrost your refrigerator the day before your move
Utilities action plan
Call your utilities company to schedule the day you wish to turn off the utilities at the old house and turn them on at the new place
One room first
choose one room (a community room like the living room or dining room is best) that will be your first to completely unpack and set up. This will be the room you can all rest and gather in when the rest of the home might be overwhelmed with boxes.
Load last unpack first
Label the box of essentials “Load Last” so you know what it is.
Avoid breaking glass
Remove light bulbs before packing your lamps so that nothing breaks or gets messy in the moving process.
Plant Care
When moving plants to your new residence via your car, try not to let it rest against the windows, as the leaves will scorch. Take plants in your personal vehicle where they will have more room than being crushed in a moving truck.
Keep the Refrigerator fresh
Once you have thoroughly cleaned it out, you can place baking soda or coffee grinds in it for an added freshness
Care for your cosmetics
You can use a cotton ball to keep powdered items from cracking or things from spilling out of their casing.
Sentiments
be as sentimental as you need to. Those precious memory items should come with you in your car where they’ll be safely protected.
Ask for discounts
Don’t hesitate to ask moving companies if they are offering discounts. During the off-season especially, moving companies might give you a cheaper quote.
Apartment Move
You deserve that security deposit back. That’s why we encourage you to go through these simple, extra measures to leave your apartment in tip-top shape.
Clean the apartment
don’t leave grease on the kitchen back splash. spray down the bathroom and kitchen areas with disinfectant. dust and sweep/vacuum after everything has be removed from the place.
Repairs
Fix any holes in the wall or paint any room you can, repair whatever may have gotten damaged.
Invite the landlord over
Have your landlord do a walk through inspection a week or two before your move. You can communicate and agree on the condition of the apartment. This insures that the landlord won’t charge you falsely for any damage etc.
Keep it friendly
Leave on the best terms possible with your apartment landlord. You never know when you may need a reference for another apartment.
The key is
Have all your keys ready to hand back
Final notice
Give a 30 day notice to the landlord if you will not renew the lease.
Don’t leave anything behind
you’ll burden the landlord and the future tenant and may get charged for the removal! Just be safe and clear out ALL your possessions. 35) Take photos of the whole building when you leave so as to have proof of the condition you left the place in. It’s an extra legal measure that could greatly benefit you in the case that a landlord would accuse you falsely of damage to the place.
Moving Animals
Pets are an important part of the family. They bring laughter, comfort and joy to life, so you want to make sure to give them the best possible move experience. You can do this by keeping them calm and well-adjusted. Happy pets make your life easier. Here are a few ways to give your pet a happy move while you can also keep your own peace of mind.
ID tags
Update your pet’s I.D. tags with the new home address.
Talk to the vet
Retrieve a copy of all your pet’s medical records from your vet.
Stock up
Have extra pet medication in case it takes time to locate a new vet for your pet’s medication in a new city.
Vet suggestions
Before you move ask your vet to recommend a new vet hospital or vet office in your new area. You can also make some calls to have a couple ideas in mind.
Have a pet plan
Don’t fluster your pet in the midst of the moving chaos. If at all possible arrange to have a friend or family member watch your pet while the bulk of moving happens.
Keep animals contained
Move your animal in a crate inside your personal vehicle if possible. This way you can be near your pet and keep it safe for the journey inside a crate.
Make it familiar
Set up a space in your new home as soon as possible with your pet’s favorite, familiar items. Trying to recreate the pet’s old space as much as possible will help the animal transition to the new location better.
Clear Out That Kitchen
The kitchen might be your packing nightmare. It’s the place in the home that gets the brunt of action but even the most organized home owner could forget a thing or two when packing up the many parts of a kitchen.
Weigh the cost
If you are downsizing, take into account the cost of items. If your toaster is not of much value and you can find a smaller one after you’ve moved, then choose to get rid of it.
Inventory
your new kitchen’s space and needs matter. Will you need all your mini appliances? Is there enough room for all your dishes or do you need to donate some?
Fragile food
place into hard containers so they don’t crack, break or crumble.
Heavy items
canned goods are heavy to move usually cheap to purchase. Consider donating yours to a food drive or food pantry instead of moving them all.
Expiration
Be sure to check all the expiration dates on your food before donating or packing.
Pantry Packing
if the items are expensive (like spices, for instance) then find a way to pack them (see tip 11). If the item is cheap to replace (flour, sugar) then consider giving it to a neighbor or getting rid of it.
Cleaning Closet
Go through your cleaning supplies and make sure that you don’t have double items of anything. If you are trying to downsize, you can try to combine a liquid product from two half-full bottles down to one.
Be Careful
Are any boxes fragile? Mark them “FRAGILE.”
Be thrifty
Use sheets, blankets and pillows as protection to keep glass items safe in boxes. You’ll save money that would have been spent on bubble wrap or styrofoam, and you’ll save space.
Not the newspaper
Newspaper is not your safest wrapping material. Try using bubble wrap or blankets.
Breakdown the Bedroom
You may find that you have a lot more “stuff” tucked away in nooks and crannies of your home. The bedroom is the number one place that unnoticed stuff accumulates. You can handle it though!
When to start
6-8 weeks out from your move.
Seasons
Keep the season in mind. Will it be fall and winter where you are moving to? Go through the summer/spring clothes first and pack them away.
One year test
whatever you have not worn in over a year can be donated. You likely won’t miss it.
Sort it out
go through all of your storage items and boxes of “stuff.” Make sure you aren’t bringing along items you could live without.
Pack precisely
Labels are your friend. Label the top and sides (or use colored tape, see tip 8, according to each room’s color).
Count the boxes
Be especially thorough and number your boxes for each room so that when you are unloading you know when something is missing.
Furniture fortitude
Group the closet
Tear down
Keep track of parts
Weight limit
Note the weight
Lighten the dresser
Drawer wrap
Remove items from drawers to make lighter, or if you wish to keep the items inside, you can wrap the drawer with plastic or saran wrap to keep contents from spilling out.
Downsizing
Give away piles
Locate the various people whom you can give your extra items to. You can choose your parents, sibling, friend etc. or donate to a thrift store (see tip 2).
Spots
designate a different spot for the items going to each place or person so you can stay organized.
Receiving piles
As you go through each room of your house, sort the items and place them by the chosen recipient’s pile.
Start big
go through all of the large furniture pieces and measure their size to insure they will fit in the new space. If they won’t fit, decide where to donate them or consider selling on craigslist.
Least First
The areas that receive the least amount of attention will be the easiest to organize. Start in the attic, basement, spare room etc.
Keep or not
Sort the “keepers” from the “get rid of” items.
Pile then Pack
Make piles of similar items and then pack them in appropriate size boxes.
Clear out immediately
Get your piles of donations out of your sight as soon as possible. The longer its around the more nuisance it becomes.
Ask yourself
decide what to keep with the following questions:
- Can you remember using it recently?
- What is this items purpose? Do you need it?
- Do you love it?
- Does it hold a memory or sentimental feeling?
- Can you imagine a year without it?
- Can you imagine a year without it?
- Would you replace it after you got rid of it?
- How good is the condition?
- Will it last much longer?
- Does it need costly repairs?
- Can you think of someone who would like it or benefit from its use?
- Can you think of someone who would like it or benefit from its use?
- Does it fit with your new home and new area?
Flexibility
Late night frenzy
New mind
Ask for help
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Remember
Celebrate the successes
Stay positive
Moving Day
Here are a number of things to keep in mind on your big day. It will run smoothly if you are sufficiently prepared, well-rested, and focused on the right things.