Moving from one house to another can be stressful. Luckily, having a few handy moving tips and tricks that can make the whole process a lot easier. Check out these tips below.
1. DIY Box Handles
Make picking up and lifting heavy boxes a little easier by cutting handholds in two sides of the box with a utility knife! Leave the top flaps of your triangular cut-outs attached and simply fold them in. You should also reinforce your cut edges with a little packing tape so that they don’t rip (especially the top corners).
2. Padding & Space Fillers with Soft Items
Place stuffed animals, pillows, sheets, blankets, and other soft items in trash bags and use them as padding next to fragile items in the moving truck. It also helps fill up irregular empty space in the truck so your belongings won’t shift around during the move.
3. Defrost Your Refrigerator
Plan ahead! Don’t forget to defrost, towel dry, and clean your refrigerator 24-48 hours before moving day. This will help prevent a stinky, wet mess.
If your refrigerator will be sitting for a while, it’s important to clean it REALLY well. Otherwise, all of the little food particles that are left behind start to stink. It will be a nice surprise for you when you go to open it up at the new house.
Also, if you’re trying to save space for a long-distance move, consider utilizing the empty space in your fridge for lightweight items, and don’t forget to pad the handles and the face of the fridge really well because they dent very easily.
Don’t forget to defrost, towel dry, and clean your refrigerator 24-48 hours before moving day.
4. Masking Tape on Mirrors
Use masking tape to place a large X on your mirrors and glass frames. It won’t prevent it from breaking, but it will absorb shock and keep the glass in the frame in the case that it is dropped or shuffled in the moving truck.
5. Take a Photo of Your Cords
Trust me, this moving tip and trick will save you tons of time! Before you disconnect your computer cords to be boxed up, take a quick snapshot of the cords on the back of your television and other electronics so that you can remember where they all go!
6. Use Rolling Luggage For Heavy Items
If you’ve got them, use your rolling luggage bags for really heavy items like books. Now you can avoid the heavy lifting and simply roll the bags onto your moving truck.
7. Put Hanging Clothes in Garbage Bags
Keep your clothes on the hangers while still protected in garbage bags! This saves the hassle of taking them on and off of the hangers. It also keeps your clothes all together in the order you had them hung, less wrinkled, and ready to hang up when you get to your new home.
Just poke a hole for your hangers to fit through the bottom of the bag. You can’t fit as many clothes in this way, but they stay in better form, and you can tie the bottom off with the drawstring closure. Label each bag (mom’s side, dad’s side, etc.) and then you can hang them up where they belong before easily ripping the bag off.
8. Pack the First-night Box
Chances are, you’re not going to be able to unpack and organize your new home the day of the move. But, this quick-moving tip will save you searching for your contact solution, makeup remover and more! Pack a labeled box with all of your first-night essentials and load it last so it’s the first thing off the truck. Better yet; keep it in your personal vehicle.
You might want to include: toilet paper, toiletries, medications, snacks, basic cleaning supplies, coffee and a coffee maker, a first-aid kit, a utility knife, pet supplies, a night light for the kids, bedding, disposable plates, cups, and utensils.
It is also a good idea for each member of the family to pack a small bag that contains personal belongings that they might need for the first couple of days. Just pack as if you’re going on a short trip! This way everyone has a change of clothes and anything else they might need.
9. Safely Pack & Move Plates
Because foam plates are already in the shape of a plate, it makes perfect sense to use them to protect your delicate glass and ceramic plates. Place one in-between each plate to prevent them from chipping or breaking.
10. Plastic Wrap is Your Friend
Of all the moving tips and tricks I have for you, this is the best! Use plastic wrap to keep items in their place. No sense in emptying your drawers or silverware tray when you can use plastic wrap to keep drawers shut or smaller items in their intended container.
11. Paper Bags in Place of Newspaper
Paper bags are perfect for protecting glass cups and small bowls in the moving process. Double the bags for extra protection. Bonus: there’s no ink-bleed like you’d get from the newspaper.
12. Use Wine Cases for Your Glassware
Visit your local bar, restaurant, or winery, and you’re bound to come home with several empty wine box cases! The inserts in these boxes are perfect for protecting glass cups, wine glasses, and vases.
13. Make a Packing Supplies Basket
Put together all of the things you need for packing in a basket! This way you can carry it around with you and have everything at your fingertips. You might want to include: packaging tape, labels, scissors, Sharpies, a screwdriver, baggies, a utility knife, and a bottle of wine.
14. Double on Fitted Sheets
If you’re anything like me, you have a closet somewhere in your house with old sheets and blankets. Use those fitted sheets to protect your mattresses on moving days! Put one on just like normal, and then place another on the bottom for complete coverage. This will keep dirt and debris off of your mattresses in the moving process.
15. How to Pack Jewelry
When traveling or moving, jewelry has a tendency to get tangled, broken, or lost, but there are a few cheap and easy ways to prevent this from happening. Here’s an easy, organized moving trick!
Connect your necklaces through a toilet paper roll to prevent them from knotting. This is great for a short trip or packing up for a move.
Use egg cartons to store and protect small pieces of jewelry like earrings, rings, and bracelets.
16. Keep Screws & Bolts Organized
When packing and preparing for a move, that usually involves taking furniture apart, it’s really easy to lose those small screws, bolts, and nuts if you’re not careful. Simply use packaging tape to tape them to the underside of the furniture you’re disassembling. For larger parts or for several pieces, you can also place them in a Ziploc baggie before taping them to their corresponding piece of furniture. Now it will be a breeze to put them back together at the new home!
17. Storage Bins for Seasonal Items
If you don’t already have your seasonal items stored in plastic bins, invest in them now! Pack all of that stuff up that you only use once a year in bins, and you’ll be able to easily identify what needs to be stored in the attic or garage come moving day.
18. Invest in Convenient Boxes
Sure, it’s a good idea to start saving boxes months before the move, but it’s also an excellent idea to invest in boxes that are made for particular uses. Check out this wardrobe box! It might be a good idea for expensive suits and coats. There are also boxes made for framed artwork and mirrors, packing paper that won’t leave ink stains, and box cell inserts made for separating delicate items.
19. Drain Gas & Oil from Lawn Equipment
Gas and oil are considered hazardous and flammable. It’s probably not a good idea to pack a lawnmower or weed eater full of gas in with the rest of your stuff in the moving truck. Be sure to drain it out before loading it up. Your lawn mower needs a good tune-up every now and then anyway.
20. Utilize Everything!
Think outside of the box with this moving tip! Literally. Use your pot holders to safely hold knives, store socks inside of shoes and boots, use the inside of your washer and dryer for storing pillows and bedding — anything you can think of to fill up empty space! This will save much-needed room on the truck.
21. Print out Bright Colored Labels
Packing is a tedious job! Writing and labeling every box is something you will have to do over and over again. Plan ahead and print out brightly colored labels. Now you can just slap it on to identify each box. It will also be much easier to pinpoint a box — you can see it from across the room!
22. Use a Moving Key
Instead of labeling every box, use a moving key! This way you can just slap on a colored sticker or label without having to write on every box. Or, for instance, you can write the contents on each label, but easily be able to identify the room the box goes to by its color.
23. Use Towels to Protect Boxed Items
Wrap your delicate kitchen items in towels and hand towels for extra protection. You can also use them to fill up extra space in a box to prevent the items from shifting and potentially breaking.
24. Pack it Tight
Once you’ve got all of your household items on the truck, you’d think you were safe from breaking them from a drop, but all of those items are at risk of being shuffled around on the bumpy road — probably your best bet for damage. The tighter you pack, the better! Try to fill every nook and cranny, almost like a Tetris game. This way the items are less likely to shuffle.
25. Lay Everything out First
If you can, place everything outside on the lawn or driveway before loading up so that you have everything in your eye’s sight before determining your strategy.