
Summertime is a great time for moving. Kids are out of
school, people are getting married, houses sell well, plus the weather is
usually good so your vintage leather sofa won’t get destroyed in Uncle Bob’s
pickup during a rain storm or on the way out to the moving van.
No question about it, moving is a chore. Here are some ideas
on how to make sure you get your stuff safely from here to there, whether you’re
hiring it all out or moving it all yourself.
1. Declutter as you pack, room by room, shelf by shelf. Have
some boxes set up for “Recycle” and “Donate.” If you haven’t used it in a year,
get rid of it. Save yourself time and only carefully box up the stuff you’ll
move. Have your kids do the same thing. It’s OK to get rid of books!
2. Use what you have as packing material. Wrap your dishes carefully
in your clean dishcloths, kitchen towels, and pillowcases. Use your bath
towels, sheets and blankets for the big stuff: planters, lamps and accessories.
Not only will you save money by not buying extra packing materials, you’ll save
time by not needing to wash all your dishes after wrapping them in newspaper (the ink can be very difficult to remove from glassware) or going to buy more wrapping paper.
Fill the voids between stacks of dishes and at the top with other clean towels,
clothing, socks, etc.
Save or scrounge boxes. If you have room, keep them together
to save time, or flatten them to conserve space until you need them.
Uline,
UBoxes and
Office Depot sell new boxes, you may be able to find used boxes for
sale near you.
Alien Box and
Rent-A-Green-Box rents these green reusable, stacking plastic containers, there may be a similar company near you.
3. Label all your boxes as you pack them, with the room name they’ll go
into and the date. Add important details of the contents like “pots and
pans” or “living room books” so you’ll know what you need to unpack
immediately.
4. Box everything, even if it’s lightweight. Lampshades,
baskets, fake flowers, lamps, fans, throw pillows, etc. are all awkward and often
fragile, so they need protection. Nest the lampshades and baskets to save room.
Boxed items can be stacked to save room in the truck or trailer. Nothing slows
a move down more than tiny loads of ungainly items.
5. Use small boxes for books and heavy stuff. Trust me. These
get ungainly fast.
6. Don’t wrap stuff that doesn’t need it. You do not need to
wrap each utensil, fork and spoon separately. Do keep them together. Wrap the
sharp knifes carefully for safety.
7. Clean and repair stuff before you pack it. Keep dusting rags
and tools handy and if you can’t fix it, get rid of it.
8. Keep similar stuff together. Chances are you’ll find stuff
easier if they share the same space in your new house. Unpacking will go
faster, too. Take the contents of each drawer, pull out stuff to get rid of and
pack the rest into a single pillowcase, including the organizers, after you
clean them of course! Put all these pillowcases into a single box marked “Under
Kitchen Sink,” “Her Dresser Top Left,” “Pet Grooming Stuff” or whatever.
9. Don’t throw away menial stuff that you think you’ll replace when you
move, such as cleaning supplies, yard tools, etc. Even if it’s nearly
worn out. If you don’t pack it, it’s likely you’ll need it right away when you
get to your new house, after you forget to replace it.
10. Do throw out old makeup, lotions, shampoos, etc. Move only
the stuff you’re using now. Also use the opportunity to get rid of all the old
foods and samples in the back of your pantry, the old batteries, pens, outdated
coupons, maps and phone books.
11. Pack up essentials separately, as if you’re going on a trip.
Toiletries, a few changes of clothing, a few towels, medicines, your pets’ food
and dishes, what you’ll need for a few days until you get everything unpacked.
12. Only open and unpack a box if you need something in it.
Store these less essential boxes, and in a year or so, if you haven’t opened a
box, you probably don’t need it.
13. If you’re moving within the same city, consider loading up your car
with the most fragile things each trip even if you’re hiring professionals.
You won’t need to stress out yourself or your friends.
14. Don’t try to do everything in one day. Start weeks early. Packing
takes time, especially if you need to clean and de-clutter as you go. Start
with the least used stuff first, and don’t get into a box again until it’s in
your new house!
15. Use the right tools for the job if you're doing it yourself. In addition to trucks and trailers,
U-Haul rents or sells moving blankets, hand trucks, dollies, appliance straps, water bed and aquarium pumps, and a huge variety of things that will make your life easier.
16. Enjoy. Take breaks, moving is hard work but it can be fun. It’s
an exciting change, make the most of it!
Let us know your ideas, we’d love to hear what you think.
Horror stories are fun too.
Until next time!
-Elaine Bothe
Labels: DIY moving, how to move yourself, moving boxes, moving furniture, moving supplies, moving tips, packing tips, reusable moving boxes