Broken dishes. Spilled liquids. Lost items. Moving is a minefield of potential problems. However, there are some tips to help alleviate the most common issues encountered and problems when moving.
10 Important Moving Tips that Are Very Helpful When Moving
1. Saran Wrap Your Liquids
Moving open containers of liquids? Avoid the mess of a spilled bottle of dish soap by covering the lid with saran wrap. Secure with the original lid or a rubber band.
Some moving companies won’t agree to move anything with a broken seal. Ask your moving company and plan accordingly.
2. Pack Plates Vertically for Your Move
There’s nothing more disappointing than opening up your box of dishes only to find crumbled shards of ceramic. To help your plates arrive intact, stack them vertically rather than one on top of the other. This takes much of the pressure off the thin middle sections of plates.
3. Keep Sandwich Bags on Hand
Sandwich bags are always a good idea to have around during a move. Especially if you’re disassembling furniture, it helps keep all those small nuts, bolts, and screws in one place. Don’t forget to also label each sandwich bag to help keep everything straight.
4. Take Pictures of Electronics Before Your Move
Did the fat wire go to the printer? Did the green wire connect into that port? The backs of electronics can be a maze of jumbled wires. Snap a photo to set your home office back up with a lot less hassle and confusion.
5. Organize Your Moving System
Make a packing game plan, and you’re more likely to cut down on the time and stress of a move.
Rather than labeling boxes with what’s inside, label them with the intended room on at least two sides. This will help the movers know exactly where to put them.
Also consider color-coding your boxes according to room or house level. This visual cue will also speed up the moving process.
6. Keep Your Drawers Intact
To minimize breakage of items within drawers, stuff towels or socks into the excess space. This will eliminate rattling and cut down on the boxes and space needed to pack those extra towels and washcloths.
7. Pack a Survival Bag
Don’t get stuck without your wallet, phone, toothbrush, and medications. Pack and set aside an overnight bag of essentials to use the day or two before the big move.
8. Use Clear Plastic Bins
Pack the items you’ll need right away in clear plastic tubs, and label those tubs “open first.” After a long day of moving, there’s nothing worse than frantically opening boxes to find a saucepan or whatever else you want immediate access to.
9. Use Creative Packing Material
Help eliminate some cost and waste associated with your move by wrapping fragile items in socks, pillows, cushions, or clothes. This saves you from buying rolls of unnecessary bubble wrap.
10. Plan Your Food
Timing and planning are crucial to a seamless move. Try to plan your last grocery store trip so you don’t have excess perishable food on move day.
Also try to clear your refrigerator so you can defrost it. A fridge that hasn’t been properly and fully defrosted could leak in the moving truck and damage or compromise the boxes around it.
