Moving and Packing Tips for Stress-Free Moving

The best way to start your preparations is to create a checklist. It works like an organizer where you can control the process and see an overall situation. Because it is almost impossible to keep everything in mind, especially when it comes to something as multitasking as the moving process, spend some time creating a list. 
Typically the checklist consists of

• Items you are going to bring with you 
• Belongings you want to get rid of 
• Tasks you need to complete

Write everything down, and then check if there is something you forget about, as the more complete your list will be, the lower chance you miss some of your items. 
Also, creating a checklist is among the essential tips for moving. It helps not only to remember tasks but also to see your progress and make adjustments when needed. So the first key to successful moving is a reliable and interactive plan you can work with before starting to use packing paper and putting everything in boxes.  

Alongside the checklist, budget planning is the first step to preparing your move. Make approximate calculations and determine how much you can spend for your relocation. It may help you to select between various types of services you can try. For example, you can make everything on your own and just book a moving truck, or if you have enough budget get some extra services, like packing, furniture assembling/disassembling, unpacking, temporary storage, items set up in a new house, etc. 
Usually, long-distance moving costs around $5000, for the local moving services price typically may take up to $1000. See how big is your budget and consider the most suitable options you can apply for your moving.

Before moving to a new house, explore your future neighborhood. If you have kids, the last weeks prior to the relocation are worth spending seeking a new school and preparing all the necessary documents. Also, it is recommended to find new contacts (doctor, vet, dentist, etc) in that area. Same, check the neighborhood’s infrastructure near your house. These moving tips may help you to adapt faster and prepare to live in another place even before moving in.   

This advice is among the most important moving tips. Create a folder where you can keep all your documents. When packing and preparing for the move, pay attention to all the papers that you find. Bills, bank statements, rental or purchase papers, moving contracts, property agreements, new addresses, etc., all are better kept in one folder to avoid any possible hassles in the future. 

In addition, if you have the opportunity to create a digital copy of documents, do so by uploading the papers to the cloud or saving them on your computer.

The moving truck rental should be started in advance when you have enough time. Early booking has several advantages:

• You can choose from many options that best suit your budget and amount of items.
• You save money, as by booking a moving truck ahead, you will avoid the situation when there is not enough free transport company can provide, which means that you may have to pay more.
• You protect yourself from unexpected changes in the moving date. Sometimes companies have too many orders, thus you may face a problem when there are no available trucks, which can significantly ruin all your plans.

That’s why it is worth resolving the issue with transport rental before moving on to using packing tape and bubble wrap.

Until an expected move-in date, contact utility providers to schedule all the necessary services related to your new home. Also, if there is no Internet connection in the house, it’s the best time to fix this issue, so that you won’t experience any inconvenience upon arrival.

Many people start ordering services for their new property once they move in. However, in our moving tips, we recommend doing this in advance, as it will make the house comfortable for you, as well as help to adapt to a new place faster.

Till the moment you start packing belongings, you need to get the required number of moving boxes (make an inventory of items before that). You can get packing supplies yourself or set this task to a moving company.

Make sure you have enough cardboard boxes, as well as packing paper, bubble wrap for fragile items, packing tape, etc for all of the belongings you are going to bring. In addition, you can research packing tips for moving or ask your company to determine which supplies exactly you may need.

Sort your belongings before packing. For example, books or other heavy items are best packed in small cardboard boxes, while for linens or pillows larger moving boxes are a better option. Also, try not to load your large boxes with a lot of heavy things, as this makes it much more difficult to carry out and load them into the truck.

Besides that, determine items according to their affiliation and rooms, as well as avoid mixing things from different rooms in one box.

Finally, in packing tips for moving, it is often recommended to set aside a room in the house you can use as a storage unit, where all of your boxes can be kept so that it will be more comfortable for movers to take them.

When packing your belongings from the same room, do not forget to label this on the box. Understanding where and which items are will greatly simplify the process of unpacking in a new place.

In addition, you can number all your boxes and write them down in the list, which may help you to get better control of the process.

The main thing here is to close both the bottom and top seam, then you can make a couple of turns around the top and bottom edges of the box. These actions can prevent items from falling out if the box is accidentally damaged or during loading it into the truck.

Because having too many boxes makes the process much more difficult and long-lasting, one of the most popular moving tips is to make the best use of the space in the box.

When packing your belongings, place heavier items on the bottom, leaving the top space for the lighter ones. Also, empty spaces can be filled with towels, packing paper, clothes, or other small things.

The better you use the space, the less work you have to do.

In order not to get lost in numerous tasks, when there is less and less time before the move, start packing your things in advance.

If you have created a checklist, take inventory of all your belongings. Then sort them by priority.

The items you don’t use or rarely use are best packed first, moving up to the daily ones. Also, when it comes to your wardrobe, pack clothes for other seasons (for example, if it’s summer, you can put your winter wardrobe in boxes and vice versa) a few weeks before so that you have less work to do closer to the moving-out day.

If you pack at least a small part of items every day, then the whole process will be much easier. Moreover, by doing such you can devote valuable time to other important tasks.

Since carrying things out of the house means that your furniture and other bulky items will slide onto the floor, it may cause some damage. Therefore, before the moving team arrives, take care of the flooring and carpets.

Also, if you have large furniture or items that could theoretically damage doorways or walls, protect those areas as well.

Your involvement will help complete the move in the best way. When necessary, give instructions to the moving crew, answer their questions, and also express your opinion. With this kind of cooperation between you and the movers, you will get better control over the process and make the task easier. Also, being involved makes you more likely to not forget anything, which will help you avoid unpleasant surprises once you arrive at a new place. 

If you have furniture or appliances that need to be disassembled before loading, prepare a small box where you can put bolts, screws, and other little pieces that you will need later to reassemble them. Because these little things are very easy to lose or forget, make sure you have them all handy.

Besides that, you may want to prepare another box for adapters, chargers, HDMI and USB cables, etc., as the electronics (TV, PC) will also need to be unplugged before packing if you haven’t already.

If you are renting, take photos of the clean house before moving out and send them to the landlord. This step will help you avoid unnecessary hassles, such as cleaning and repair fees at check-out.

Also, when moving into a new house, it is recommended to take a couple of pictures as well to record the apartment’s condition once you move into it.

After you have successfully moved and are satisfied with the work done, do not forget to thank the movers with a tip. In addition, leave your review as it helps a lot of other people when planning their relocation, as well as it allows moving companies to improve their services by rewarding responsible movers and firing the unprofessional ones.