While moving to a new house or apartment is exciting, we all fear the stress that comes along with the process. Moving takes time, money, and patience, and it can throw off your entire life — you’re going to need all the help you can get.
Use these four tips to create a much calmer and less taxing experience.
1. Stay Local
It may be enticing to call up the big brand movers for help. However, you may find that your local moving companies will provide a more personalized experience since they know the area best.
For example, a local company will know which routes to take that create the least amount of turbulence so that your packed items don’t take any damage.
As a plus, you’ll be supporting a local business within your community!
2. Work Smarter, Not Harder!
When you think of moving, you probably imagine piles of cardboard boxes and back pain that sticks around for days. However, you can cut down on stress and physical pain by using simple strategies that make packing and shipping easier. For example, if you’re in the San Diego area, you can rent Boxbee plastic moving boxes for an easier move. These boxes don’t require any tape or box assembly – all you have to do is pack, stack, and go!
Here are some examples:
- Instead of folding away all your clothes into boxes, wrap a trash bag around your clothes hanging in your closet and tie at the top. Then, when you get to your new home, simply hang them up and remove the bag. No folding and refolding necessary!
- When packing dishware, stack plates vertically like records to reduce breakage.
- Take pictures of how your electronics have their wires plugged in to easily reassemble in your new home.
3. Start De-cluttering Before Your Moving Day
Many people wait until the day of their move to break out the garbage bags, but this only makes your day longer and more tedious. Take time in the weeks leading up to your move to tackle de-cluttering and downsizing. Doing this before your moving day can reduce the amount you will need to pack, giving you more space for things you absolutely want to bring with you. This also helps you start with your new home being organized and without unnecessary clutter.
We recommend beginning this process at least two weeks before the big day, but three is best if you want as much time as possible. We also suggest traveling section by section to make this task a lot less overwhelming. For instance, sort through your bathroom vanity one day and then move onto your bedroom closet on a different day.
4. Keep Your Essentials Handy At All Times
A huge mistake made by many families is packing away things they will need throughout the moving process. Keep a backpack with you with essentials you will need during the moving process, so you don’t have to rip open your sealed boxes on the moving truck.
Consider items you will reach for often, like packing tape, scissors, and labels. You may also need to keep toiletries on you if your move takes more than a day (and don’t forget a roll of toilet paper!).
Here are some other items to consider keeping with you:
- Bottled water and non-perishable foods
- Cleaning items, such as a broom and disinfectant wipes.
- Basic tools like a hammer and screwdriver.
- Dishcloths and paper towels
- Hand soap
- Pens and sharpies
Conclusion
Consider these tips to save lots of time on your moving day and keep panic to a minimum. Choose a moving company near you to receive a more personalized experience and benefit from their local expertise. Also, there’s never too much time before the move, so begin packing and decluttering a few weeks before. We guarantee that your stress levels will be much lower once the van arrives.