Fifteen Essential Moving Tips for a Fast and Easy Move

We’ve put together the ultimate list of top moving tips and hacks that lower stress better than yoga

Why is moving so stressful? When we look at the stats and see that many remember moving as the most stressful event in their lives, it’s hard to believe. That is, until we have our first relocation flop.

There are so many moving parts during a move. The possibility of something going wrong, and even just thinking about it, could be enough to raise your cortisol levels. There’s scheduling, packing, expenses, added debt, and a long list of upcoming unknowns—moving hits on several stress triggers. Saying goodbye to family, friends, or a long-term home can feel heartbreaking. 

Thankfully, you can take steps to make your move much easier. Try out our top fifteen moving tips that will help your move be efficient, easy, and stress-free. Looking for long distance movers?

THE PRE-MOVE PREP

1. Focus on what’s most important

While managing all the many details during a move, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s most important to us—like our family, friends, and lifegoals. Taking a step back and remembering that our possessions are not the most important thing in the world can help lower moving stress almost instantaneously. 

2. Create your moving checklist and calendar

With a thorough moving checklist in hand, your move will play out much smoother. Write down every task you need to complete before your move. Include list items related to packing, switching utilities, changing your address, forwarding mail, enrolling children in school programs, hiring movers, buying parking passes, defrosting fridges and freezers, etc. If any items need to be completed by a certain date, put them on the calendar now to make sure nothing time-sensative slips through the cracks. 

3. Build your moving budget

Several variables, like where you’re moving, when you’re moving, who you hire, and how much stuff you have, can affect the final cost of your move. Sketch up a budget at the beginning so that the prices don’t rack up. 

If you’re hoping to keep the cost low, be flexible with your moving date (busy dates like the first and last weekend of the month tend to be pricier). Pack completely so that your hired movers are there the shortest amount of time possible. 

4. Hire help 

Moving house takes time, focus, and a lot of muscle. Thankfully, you can hire out the physical work. Find the best movers in your area that you can trust, and book your movers in advance. Hire cleaners for your old and/or new home to cut back on your hours. You may also need some help watching the kids and pets on moving day. Set this up in advance, and jot down backup sitters in case there’s a last-minute cancellation. 

5. Notify the right people

Informing the right people about your upcoming move and change of address can make your transition go a lot smoother. Update your address with the post office, DMV, tax agencies, and any government programs or services, like Medicare, you’re a part of. 

Let your landlord, utility companies, insurance companies, and service providers know about your move. Update subscriptions, banks, credit card companies, friends, and family as well. 

THE MOST EFFICIENT MOVING SEQUENCE

1. Purge before you pack

Before you start filling boxes, strip your home of any clutter and unused items. Don’t haul off things you don’t really love. Declutter and donate any excess stuff, and give yourself a much lighter load to move. 

2. Work room-to-room

Thinking about packing everything you own can make your head start to spin. Take it one room at a time, starting with the rooms you use the least. Tackle closets, guest rooms, and storage spaces first. As you get closer to move day, work your way into bedrooms, the kitchen, and living room. 

3. Pack first week essentials 

After the truck is unloaded into your new home, the last thing you’ll want to do is start unpacking boxes. Make the first few days much easier on yourself, and pack a bag of essentials. Grab your suitcase and toss in a few days of clothes, your toiletries, bedding for the first few nights, and a kitchen kit. This way, you can brush your teeth, get dressed, and have some coffee the next morning before ripping into a pile of boxes. 

4. Clean it before you fill it

If you have the room in your moving schedule, pop into your new home and give it a good sanitary wipe down before moving your things in. Clean surfaces, inside drawers, baseboards, and floors so that you know that no past grime will transfer onto your own things. If you don’t have time, you can also hire professional cleaners to sweep through before you move in. 

5. Transfer your most precious items personally

Keep your important documents, expensive jewelry, and important valuables in a safe container and move it in your own car personally. If you do have to hand over your personal items to a moving company or move them in a pod, make sure to list these items and document where they’re stored so you can keep track of them. 

OUR FIVE FAVORITE PACKING HACKS

1. Snap a pic of tech setup and furniture builds

You’ll save yourself time and a headache in your new place if you take two seconds on this tip. When packing up your tv, computers, printers, and appliances, take a picture of the setup before it’s disassembled. Do the same for shelves, tables, and beds that have lots of legs, pegs, and screws. After disassembling, throw screws, wires, or any removed pieces in a ziplock and tape it to the item.

2. Stop leaks with saran wrap

Properly pack anything that has the potential to spill. Opened bodywash, shampoo, and conditioner and other toiletry items tend to leak during a move. Keep the transfer a clean one by adding a layer of plastic wrap between the bottle and lid. Check your kitchen cabinets too. Oils and condiments frequently find ways to squeeze out of their packages. If you’re keeping these items during your move, package them in a way that won’t cause a mess and more work down the road. 

3. Fill box gaps with linens

If you want to save a buck and pack two items at once, use your own belongings as packing supplies. Instead of using bubble wrap and moving blankets, use towels, curtains, and linens to pad fragile items. Place small glass items into socks, wrap picture frames in t-shirts, and use throw pillows to separate artwork.

4. Keep labels clear and simple

Sure, if you’re into color-coded boxes and decorative labels, go wild. But if you’re simply trying to get your stuff safely from A to B, all you need is a sharpie. After packing each box, write on the top of the box the room in your new house where you want that box to be unpacked. Often we accidentally pack things that we end up needing a few days later. If you have time, also jot down what’s inside the box so you can find any needed items quickly. 

5. Keep furniture full

There’s no need to remove items from their drawers just to put them right back after the move. Keep the clothes folded and tucked away in your dresser drawers, your office supplies in your desk, and your documents in their file boxes. If weight becomes an issue when loading and unloading the truck, just carry each drawer one at a time. 

The Right Help Makes All The Difference During a Move

What if you could snap your fingers and have your move completed for you? At LongDistanceMovers, we help you skip some of the most stressful tasks during a move. 

We can connect you with the best professional moving companies in your area so you don’t have to handle your move alone. 

Reach out, sit back, de-stress, and let the best professionals handle your move.