Not running related, but many people have asked me for tips for moving. I’ve moved twice since 2020-from New Jersey to Northern California and now to Southern California. Plus, as a military family, you’ll never know when you’ll move again.
While we will be moving again this year, it is “only” half a mile away. You still have to move all of your things and pack it from one house to another.
My most important tip for moving is keep your important documents separate and make sure they stay with you. No one wants to lose the essentials or find them in their new house years later.
Tips for moving:
Put Important Documents Into a Lock Box and Bring it With You:
My biggest tip for moving is to keep all your passports and important documents in a lockbox. Then keep that lockbox with you. During a move, you never know where things will end up, and it’s better to keep the essential things with you.
Make a Moving Binder:
Keep important moving documents in a folder. This could include moving contracts, house buying documents, everything that has to do with a move. While most everything is available online, I recommend having a hard copy. You never know if something will get lost, and having a hard copy allows you to alleviate stress.
Purge Things:
In the months leading up to a move, I ask myself:
Do I need this?
Have I used this?
The answer is often no and it’s just extra stuff you’ve accumulated. You can also get rid of things at your new location, but the more you get rid of before, the less you have to pack.
Begin Packing Sooner Rather Than Later:
Pack clothing and off-season items when you are done with them. We had our winter clothing packed last March because we knew we wouldn’t need it until well after our summer move.
Book Moving Services Early:
To reduce stress, a tip for moving is to hire someone professional (not friends) early. We prefer it. Moving during the summer is often easiest for children and work, but it is the busiest, and things book up. Usually, during peak moving season, we have a different neighbor moving every week. You don’t want or need the stress of being without movers if that is what you prefer.
Tips for Actually Packing:
Invest in Equipment:
If you move often and prefer to move yourself, stock up on supplies. A big tip for moving is to get supplies well before you move. One reason I prefer to move with a company is they have their own.
You need at a minimum:
- Box cutters
- Markers and Packing Tape
- All sizes of boxes
- Garbage Bags
But extra things you’ll want include a dolly, furniture pads and covers, and rope to tie down things.
Use the Right Size Boxes:
You want to pack heavier items in smaller boxes and lighter items (like sheets and towels) in larger boxes. Packing heavy items in large boxes can make them too heavy and give the boxes and items more of a chance to break.
Tape Your Moving Boxes:
Don’t be skimpy on the tape. You don’t need your boxes coming apart.
Pack Heavier Items on the Bottom and Lighter Items on Top:
This goes for packing boxes and packing a moving truck. Heavier things go on the bottom of the box and heavier things go on the bottom and towards the front of the truck. This makes it more balanced.
Don’t Leave Empty Space:
One of the biggest tips for moving is don’t leave empty space in the boxes. Space makes it more likely for things to break. Fill the empty space with towels or blankets. By using towels and blankets, you don’t have extra paper to unpack later.
Don’t Pack Items from Different Rooms in the Same Box:
Another big tip of moving, pack rooms individually. This makes it much easier to unpack when you get to your new destination.
Label and Innovatory Every Box:
Make sure to label and inventory every single box. Keep your inventory with you (in your moving folder). That way, you don’t lose anything in your move. Unpacking can be chaotic and overwhelming, and without an inventoried list, you may forget about items until months down the road.
Learn How to Pack The Kitchen and Wardrobe:
Both the kitchen and closet are the hardest areas to pack. For the kitchen, learn how to pack dishes and fragile items. These items are most likely to break, so it’s essential to learn how to pack them appropriately.
As far as wardrobe, several types of boxes make packing clothing easier. One of my favorite boxes keeps clothing on hangers and makes it easy to pack them.
Moving can be challenging, but these tips can make it easier. Truthfully, I think moving is stressful, and I find hiring a professional moving company saves time and stress. Since you don’t have to buy packing supplies, it can often save money.
If you’re moving this year, good luck, and hopefully these tips for moving helped you.
Questions for you:
What are your tips for moving?
What is the most stressful move you’ve had?