How can you make moving easier? Moving can be time-consuming and stressful. However, with a little strategy and some smart moving tips, you can make your move easier, faster, and more stress-free.
13 Top Moving Tips
1 – Pack Dishes Vertically
Instead of stacking your dishes bottom down in a box (like you stack them in a cabinet), slip them vertically into the box. First, wrap each dish in bubble wrap or packing paper, then slide your dishes in vertically. This will help prevent the plates from bouncing—and breaking—when your moving truck is on the road.
For extra safety, pack dish towels around the extra space in the box to keep your dishes from moving around.
2 – Use a Wardrobe Box for Clothes
This moving tip may seem a little excessive, but this single tip can save you more than a couple of hours in folding, packing, unfolding, and re-hanging.
Wardrobe boxes are specially-designed boxes with a wardrobe bar in the top. They come with a metal hanging bar that allows you to keep your clothes on hangers during a move. This saves time while packing and unpacking, as well as keeping your clothes from wrinkling excessively during the move.
These boxes are slightly more expensive than traditional moving boxes, but make it much easier to move clothes to and from closets. If you’re short on funds, you can also make a wardrobe box yourself using a tall box and a wardrobe bar.
3 – Tape Hardware to Furniture
Many pieces of furniture such as bed frames, shelving units, or dressers with attached mirrors may have hardware that need to be removed during a move. Instead of risking losing these small pieces in pockets, jars, or another “safe place” that you’ll inevitably misplace, pack hardware individual bags and tape the bag to the furniture using packing tape. This ensures the hardware is never separated from the furniture, which prevents frustrations when it’s time to unpack.
4 – Cover Tops Of Toiletries With Plastic Wrap
There’s little more frustrating during a move than a bottle of shampoo or soap soaking an entire box of goods. Prevent this messy mishap by unscrewing the top of the bottle, placing a small piece of plastic wrap over the opening, then screw the lid back on. This moving hack creates a better leak-resistant seal that can handle long-distance jostling and fluctuating elevations.
5 – Pack A Box Of Things You’ll Need Right Away
Moving and unpacking almost always take more than a day. That’s why it can be a lifesaver to pack in a plastic bin the things you’ll need first. Include things like:
- Hand soap
- Hand towel
- Paper towels
- Toilet paper
- Phone charger
- Batteries
- Flashlight
- Power strips
- Box cutter
- Garbage bags
- Basic tools
- Cups (for water)
- Basic cleaning supplies
6 – Pack A Box Of “Unpack First” Items For Each Room
This is probably one of our favorite, most useful moving tips. Once your moving truck arrives, it can be easy to get overwhelmed by boxes to unpack. Instead of digging through boxes to find that “one thing” you need, plan ahead by packing the items you’ll need first in an “unpack first” box for each room. This should include the items that you use regularly.
For instance, pack a set of dishes for the family, cutlery, a single frying pan, the coffee maker, and the toaster in the “unpack first” box for the kitchen instead of mixing them with lesser-used items such as casserole dishes or stock pots. This makes it so you can quickly unpack your day-to-day items and pace yourself for the rest of the unpacking process.
7 – Take photos of the backs of your electronics before unhooking
When you’re packing up your electronics, take an extra moment before you unhook the wires to take a quick photo. It can be quite the process to get your electronics set up “just so” the first time; taking a photo to see how you connected everything will make it a breeze to get everything reconnected in the new home. It will also help match up inputs to your previous settings so you can navigate your system from memory instead of having to re-learn in your new place.
8 – Make The Beds Right Away
Trust us, after a long day of moving and unpacking you’re going to want to take a quick shower and collapse into bed. The last thing you’ll want to do is to search for pillows and fit sheets and blankets into family beds when you’re already exhausted. Prepare ahead of time by making the beds right away when you first arrive. Make this process even easier by being sure to pack sheets and blankets in your “unpack first” boxes.
9 – Label Boxes Based On The Rooms They Will Be Going Into
Instead of packing and labeling boxes based on where they are in your current home, pack and label them based on where they will go in the new home. This will help prevent confusion from your long-distance moving company as they carry boxes into your new home. It will also prevent you from having to rearrange boxes between rooms as you unpack.
10 – Pack A Towel, Toiletries, And A New Shower Curtain In Your “Day Of” Bag
You’re probably planning on packing a “day of” bag or suitcase with clothes and toiletries for your first day in your new home. Make this bag even more useful by adding a towel and a shower curtain. Be sure to include any necessary medications, a first-aid kit, and an extra change of clothes for good measure.
11 – Put a cotton ball in pressed powder cosmetics to prevent breakage
Don’t let a bumpy truck ride spoil your favorite cosmetics. Save pressed powders by putting a cotton ball over the top before closing the lid. This helps keep your powders from breaking and fragmenting.
12 – Hire A Sitter/Pet-Sitter For The Day
Instead of trying to wrangle kids or pets while you’re moving boxes in and out of the house, invest in a babysitter and/or pet-sitter for the day. This will make the move go more smoothly, save you stress and worry, and ensure a more enjoyable day for your child or pets.
13 – Buy Some Stretch Wrap For Keeping Things Together Like Curtain Rods
Curtain rods, table legs, and shelves can be secured together with stretch wrap. Not only does this make the pieces easier to find when you’re ready to reassemble the furniture, but it also makes these smaller pieces easier to carry. Stretch wrap can also be great for keeping cupboard or armoire doors closed.
Get Started
Are you preparing for a long-distance move? Let Great Canadian Van Lines help! Our long-distance moving company serves cities throughout Canada as well as to the United States. For more information or to schedule a free, no-obligation quote, contact Great Canadian Van Lines today!