10 Top Moving Tips & Tricks

Moving can be stressful, and not everyone knows what we know as professional movers. Preparation is a huge portion of the moving process. We’ve curated a list of 10 top moving tips to help make your move a little bit saner (and a little bit cheaper!). Here’s some of the top suggestions we’ve found:

1. Masking Tape on Mirrors and Other Large Glass Pane Items

   

   
   Add a large marking tape X across the front surface of items such as mirrors, framed pictures, glass front televisions, and glass doors. It’s not going to prevent anything from breaking, but it will help absorb impact in case it gets dropped, and if it does crack or break, it will hold the pieces in place in the frame and prevent them from making a large mess.

2. The Benefits of Pallet Wrap

   There’s a reason warehouses use pallet wrap (plastic wrap) to secure a lot of items on pallets. It’s easy to wrap it on and keep things from sliding around. A single roll of pallet wrap can be useful for dressers, bureaus, filing cabinets, and other items that may shift or open during your move. You can also use it to keep boxes shut without tape, since the pallet wrap clings to itself.

3. Paper Bags, Newspaper, Magazines, and More!

   

   Anything bendable and paper-like can be used to cushion items during a move. You can use newspaper, magazine pages, paper bags, or even plastic bags if you have an abundance of those. Ball up these items and push them into crevasses to keep items from moving around while spending time in the moving truck.

4. Label label label

   Make sure you label all of your boxes! This way when you’re looking for that ONE item you KNOW you packed, you’ll know where to find it. Sometimes it’s even helpful to make a small list of general items that are inside the box. For example, you might write “basement” on the box, then also “Christmas stuff, Halloween stuff, Valentine’s Day stuff” so you know, exactly, what’s in there. It’s also helpful to label each side of the box so you don’t end up with any mystery boxes at the bottom of any stacks, making more work for yourself. Invest in a large felt tip marker to keep writing clear… Or, buy fluorescent labels to make sure you can REALLY see your labels clearly! You can also use a color coding system with labels for what goes where.

5. Use your soft things to cushion items

   Are you (or is your kid) an avid stuffed animal collector? Well guess what… Instead of packing them separately, you can use them to cushion valuables. You can also utilize bed sheets, towels, blankets, and comforters to help insulate items and keep damage from happening to your valuables.

6. Don’t get locked out on moving day – always have a spare key

   

   A lot of people will be coming and going from your home on moving day. With doors opening and shutting constantly, it’s a good idea to make sure you keep your keys on you, or make it unnecessary to open and close doors. Prop a door or two open (if weather permits). Make sure you have a key on you just in case. You can also use rope, tape, or rubber bands to keep the mechanism of your door from closing up, so it makes it easier to get in and out without the risk of locking yourself out.

7. Don’t buy boxes!

   Saving money is an essential moving tip, right? With a little preplanning, you won’t need to go out and spend money on boxes. You can participate in a box recycling program. You can also ask department stores when they receive shipments and have them hold boxes for you to come pick up and use. Ask around – someone you know may have moved recently and may have items such as wardrobe boxes they can give or lend to you. If you’re down to the wire and need to buy a few boxes–we sell packing materials!

8. Put hazardous items in their own box

   Liquids used for cleaning, as well as powders and the like, should be put in their own box, preferably a plastic box, in case they spill. This way you know what to secure in case you have pets or children. Just keep in mind there are certain items you should NOT mix, and may be better in their own separate boxes – i.e. bleach and ammonia.

9. Take photos of your electronics

   

   Sometimes it’s hard to tell what cable goes where once you unplug it. Before you move, take a photo of your setup for electronics such as televisions, computers, DVRs, gaming systems, and anything else that may have complicated wiring. You may save yourself a headache once you get to your new home!

10. Take a photo of your old place

    Can’t figure out what went where or what to do with an item? Take a photo of your old place before you start moving. For one, it’s nice to have a photo memory of your old place. Secondly, it helps you reorganize the flow of your new place. You’d be surprised what kind of layout you were used to before and how hard it is to get into your head that the cups are now kept in the upper cabinet instead of the lower one. Acclimating can be difficult in a new home, so try to take it easy on yourself and follow at least some of the flow you used to have.

Do you have any special tips we should add for moving that helps save you time and stress? Let us know in the comments below!