Top 10 Tips for Moving

Top 10 Tips for Moving

Written by Lilly Woodard

Prepping for a move involves a lot of brain power. There are a lot of things to plan, people to talk to, and chores to do. It can get overwhelming easily and quickly. This list provides the top ten most important tips for moving!

Things must be done before the move and on the day of.

In Advance

1. Plan ahead

Having a plan is important whether you have to move in three months or three weeks.1 Once you figure out how much time you have, plan how quickly things will get packed up. Would you pack one room a weekend? Or one room every two days? Either way, having a plan will help you get things done and keep you on track. Consider and plan what to pack last and what you need to do every day until the day of.

2 Start packing and declutter!

There are ways to make packing and moving the packed boxes easier. As you’re packing rooms into boxes, declutter as you go. Getting rid of our things can be difficult, but there’s no better time to lighten the load than moving.

If you struggle with whether to get rid of an item, there are a few ways to think of it. If it’s clothing, if you haven’t worn it in over a year, or if it’s not your style anymore, get rid of it. If it’s not clothing, is it something that you can see yourself repurchasing? If not, get rid of it.

Take pictures of the back of electronics.

It can be frustrating to set up electronics when you need to remember how to do it and no longer have the manual. To alleviate this frustration, when you are disconnecting and packing up items like TVs or other machines, take a photo of the back so you can see how everything books up. Additionally, this can be helpful with intricate furniture.

Measure, measure, measure!

The saying goes, “Measure twice, cut once.” While we’re probably not cutting anything mid-move, you’ll probably run into tight fits and squeezes. Make sure to measure doorways, rooms, and places where you plan to put things.3 Then, measure your items. Knowing the measurements will help you decide where to put things and if getting through the doorways is possible. This is part of planning ahead!

Know your inventory.

Take inventory of everything you pack, or at least the items important to you. Take photos of boxes before you seal them. This way, you can confirm you’re not missing anything; if you are, you’ll know what you’re missing. Photos of the boxes’ contents can help you figure out what boxes to open first, especially if you need something specific. Thinking smarter and prepping this way will make unpacking less stressful.

Set up mail forwarding and other services

Before you move, make sure to set up mail forwarding to your new address. USPS recommends setting this up two weeks in advance so the change has time to go into effect. Mail forwarding lasts for one year, but you can pay to extend it if needed.

Along with this, make sure to schedule the services you will need. Schedule your internet service installation, electrician work, movers, and any other services you will need the day of or soon after your move.

The Day Of

The day of your move is going to be chaotic. There will be boxes, people, and maybe even animals to manage. Ensuring you have a few essential things down will make the day smoother.

Pack a first-night bag

Everything is packed up, and at the end of the day, you’re going to be tired, and you won’t want to sort through the boxes. Packing a first-night bag with the essentials will be helpful. Things like a change of clothes, pajamas, toiletries, and whatever else you need for an overnight stay will be good and helpful to have in a designated bag. Make your night as stress-free as possible.

Dress appropriately

Are you moving in the summer or the winter? Dress for the weather. You don’t want to wear something for the wrong temperature and suffer while working. It seems straightforward and like common sense, but it can be easy to forget in the chaos of moving your entire life.

Move obstacles and clear paths as much as possible

For you, your friends, or your movers, you want to make it as easy as possible to bring in boxes and furniture. Ensuring no hazards are in the way will help everyone relax and worry less. We don’t want any accidents or anyone getting hurt.

Finally, don’t skip a final walkthrough of your old home. It may seem redundant, but you’d be surprised at the little things we can forget. Doing a thorough walkthrough of your old home will help alleviate anxiety about forgetting something, and you may even see something you did forget!

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“Moving Tips.” Architectural Digest, https://www.architecturaldigest.com/reviews/moving/moving-tips.

“Moving Packing Tips.” A Beautiful Mess, https://abeautifulmess.com/moving-packing-tips/.

“Moving Packing Tips.” Real Simple, https://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/organizing/moving/moving-packing-tips.

“Top Moving Tips.” Move for Hunger, https://moveforhunger.org/top-moving-tips?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwnqK1BhBvEiwAi7o0XwYpZi_DO1gEIxP7IMmt0AX-HEwfx4UtT8QwrD-p6XdMetpspJkpFBoCeDIQAvD_BwE.

“Moving Tips & Moving Hacks.” Moving.com, https://www.moving.com/tips/moving-tips-moving-hacks/.