The biggest secret to a successful and relatively stress-free move is being prepared. Here are some useful moving tips that will make it easier.
Nothing adds chaos to an already busy time quite like disorganization. Luckily, there are easy packing and moving tips to make sure you’re ready for moving day when it arrives.
Follow these clever moving tips to make moving day as straightforward as possible.
1. Protect Valuables
No matter who is helping you move, accidents happen. By protecting your glassware, figurines, dishes, artwork and other valuables as you pack, you will prevent many (if not all) accidental breakage.
There are a few materials to choose from when packing depending on your budget. The cheapest material to find and use is a newspaper.
A newspaper is great because the sheets are the perfect size for many objects, and well, it can be found for free in most places! The downside to the newspaper is the ink. Black residue can get on your stuff, and it will be all over your hands, especially after packing up your kitchen glasses!
Another material is bubble wrap. Bubble wrap isn’t a free option, but it arguably offers the most protection to your things. Consider purchasing some bubble wrap to protect adored furniture or artwork.
Although the bubbles make for excellent de-stressing (pop, pop, pop), it’s a material that is thick in nature and requires some tape and tricks for successful packing.
If your budget allows it, consider purchasing sheets of packing paper. This is the best newspaper packing style without any of the ink. It’s a fairly low cost, with a box costing $8-$12 on average.
This is superb for packing most kitchenware and other small items, but it is not great for larger pieces of furniture or artwork.
2. Add Detail to Your Labels
To make sure the fastest and most organized move, color coördinate your labels by room. Clearly, mark the labels with the contents inside — you can’t be too detailed here!
Unpacking is always easier if you know roughly where everything is. This is one of the most useful moving tips you will greatly benefit from.
It can be tempting to rush this process. Take your time and detail your labels; you’ll be thankful you made the effort.
3. Consider Purchasing/Renting Reusable Bins
Cardboard boxes are no longer a must-have when moving. Although they are usually the cheapest option, reusable bins are the more versatile, eco-friendly way to go. You have two options for using reusable boxes.
Option one is to buy all the bins you need to successfully transport your belongings. This option will cost you the most at over $400 for a studio apartment and upwards of $800 for a two-bedroom place.
But when the move is over, you can resell your bins or use them for storage.Option two requires a little research to see if there are rentable moving boxes near you. Several companies offer bins with a rental fee.
This is more inexpensive than purchasing all the bins, but it means you have to have everything unpacked before pickup, which can add a little stress. However, not having to break down cardboard and recycle it after moving is blissful.
4. Know-How Many Boxes You May Need
Depending on whether you live in a studio apartment or you’ve got a two-bedroom place, figuring out how many boxes you will need is tricky. Moving boxes cost on average $1.02 – $2.30+ per box, the cost rising with the size of the box.
A studio apartment needs approximately 6 small boxes, 8 medium, and 8 large boxes, and then 5 extra-large boxes. A two-bedroom apartment requires 13 extra-large boxes, 13 large ones, 14 medium boxes, and 7 small ones.
Of course, this is just an average; if you have a tendency to hang onto things, you’ll require more boxes, because you may be able to get away with less if you live a minimalistic lifestyle.
5. Scavenge To Save
Buying boxes is a great solution if you have the budget. It saves time and is easier, but not everyone has the extra $35 to $100 (or more!) to spend on boxes — especially if the move is a last-minute one. Another option is visiting local grocery stores and asking to take some of their banana boxes.
These don’t always come with lids, but they are a tried and tested sturdy moving option for those on a budget! Along those lines, check any local merchandise stores, wine stores, or the like. Businesses are usually quite happy to hand over their boxes to you instead of breaking them down for recycling.
Consider posting a want ad to Craigslist or asking for boxes on social media. You may find you don’t obtain enough for the entire move, but enough to considerably lower the amount you spend on new boxes.
Be sure to check the quality of boxes you’re scavenging, making sure they are sturdy and have no water stains or soft spots — keep those contents in the box!
With these moving tips, your moving day chaos will be at a minimum and you’ll be ready to turn your new apartment into a home in no time! Happy moving!
Useful moving tips. It’s always best to be well informed before making any important decision.
It always best to start to pack early. You don’t want to rush the move last minute and break a few valuables.
Amazing tips! I think you can never go wrong with starting up the packing process early.
Wonderful article, people often associate moving with being so dreadful. Though it can be stressful during a move, being well prepared and knowing what you’re doing will save everyone time effort!
PS. Good idea to rent out reusable bins.
Some good and effective packaging and moving tips include: Ordering a lot of boxes in various sizes, I would recommend ordering fewer big boxes and more small boxes in order to pack your stuff smartly. Instead of using newspaper and magazine select special paper packaging, as this prevents ink stains which usually sticks over the objects during long distance moving. Do not forget to label your boxes so you must know which objects are present in the box and to which room those items belong to.
You made a great point when you stated that labels can’t be too specific especially when packing. This was helpful to read because I have a lot of specific appliances and devices that I need to know where they end up in since they’re very delicate, and not every person can handle them. To make sure none of these devices end up in the wrong place, I’ll make sure to label them in detail before finding a moving company to help me relocate.
Very Informative Post! These packing and moving tips help me to hire the right movers.