Essential Moving Tips
Some might call me a moving expert based on my history. I lived in six different apartments and condos in Chicago over 10 years and a house I purchased in my early 20s while living in St. Louis. The big moves came when I married my husband who was in the military. Over the past eight years, we moved five times:
2013 - Chicago to San Diego
2014 - San Diego to Virginia/DC Area
2016 – VA/DC to WA
2018 - WA to RI
2019 – Local RI Move
Moving is consistently ranked as one of the most stressful life events one can go through. If you are among the many making a move this summer, here are some tips I picked up that will hopefully help make your move a bit less stressful:
Label boxes according to what room they should go into at your new home. If you are unsure, label the box as “Storage” and get to it when you can (be sure to have a space in your new home dedicated to these boxes so they are together and not randomly placed around your new home).
Use colored tape for boxes that need to be opened ASAP. Boxes that you might want to consider opening quickly include bed linens, bathroom essentials, curtains if you do not have window coverings, coffee pot, wine or beer bottle opener, and a few dishes to get you through a day or two until you have unpacked. If you have kids, mark a box with their essentials to provide a calm transition into their new home.
Make sure you have a small box dedicated to tools (hammer, screwdrivers, Allen wrench) and any pieces needed to put furniture back together. This should be last box loaded on the truck (and therefore first off!) and have special tape so it is easy to identify. Most moving companies do this, but it is best to confirm before things get underway.
If you must take furniture apart, keep the pieces in a Ziplock bag that is clearly labeled with the furniture it goes to. If you have instructions available, put those with the parts to help the movers put furniture back together.
Tape nails used on wall frames to the back of the frames. I use painters’ tape for this since it is easy to peel off.
If movers are doing the packing, group similar items together. For instance, if you have tabletop picture frames around your home, group them all together so they are boxed together. That way, you can work on placing them around your new home at once. We box our photo frames, travel memorabilia, and knick knacks together so we can “accessorize” our home all at once after our furniture is placed. Bonus: It is fun to unpack these boxes and go down memory lane!
Keep a vacuum and cleaning supplies in your car. If you are not having a company clean the home you are leaving, it is always nice to do a broom clean after the movers depart. Also, it is good to have these on hand for the new home before movers start placing furniture that isn’t easy to move (like my three-piece section that is always a struggle to move and clean under).
Try to do a walkthrough of your new home when it is empty. Bring measurements of your furniture with you and check door frames and stairwells to ensure everything can get to where you want it to go (I had a box frame stuck outside since it did not fit up the attic stairs at one house). Mark where furniture should be placed (use painters’ tape on the floors). Also, I placed signs on the doors to help movers match the boxes to the room (Bedroom #1, Bedroom #2, Primary Bedroom, Office #1, Dining Room, Breakfast Room, etc.).
If it is financially feasible for you, we treat our movers to lunch. This small gesture can go a long way. And let’s face it, they hustle!
Check boxes before they are taped up. We have had some asshole movers fill large wardrobes with heavy boxes so they are nearly impossible to move and difficult to unpack.
Check wardrobe boxes with hanging clothes before they are closed. We have spent hundreds of dollars on dry cleaning to press my husband’s military uniforms and my work clothes after they were tossed (not hung) in these boxes.
Be careful of what you have movers pack. I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and we have had amazing movers but have had a couple that stole from us. All our prescription medicine was swiped from our medicine cabinet (the bottles were left but the pills were taken) and my husband had all his video games taken out of their cases (he was not happy when he went to turn on his Xbox).
Check high value items upon arrival in your new home. Typically, these are identified before packing and labeled with special tape by the movers. I always check two priceless lamps from my great grandparents and crystal goblets from my grandparents immediately to ensure they did not arrive broken.
While moving is stressful, try to stay positive. Look at it as a new adventure and a chance to purge old items and start anew. If you are stressed out and do not have the time needed to facilitate a move, consider hiring a professional organizer – many specialize in moving coordination! Check with ASPO or NAPO for a local organizer.
Remember that a New Home is a New Adventure and New Memories! xo