Behind the Scene
It seems everyone has at least one horror story about moving. That’s because there are so many details to getting your stuff packed up and moved safely from one place to another. And while you can’t anticipate everything, you can plan ahead to make things move a little smoother on the front end and the back-end. Here are 10 handy moving tips our team at Team Athey & Remarkable Property Management put together to help.
Before you even get started with the packing, we suggest you do a little unloading. For starters, you can go around your home and separate things you don’t use, need, or want into three piles—the “Give Away to Charity” pile, the “Garage Sale” pile, and the “Throw Away” pile.
To help you decide, ask yourself these three questions:
Do I absolutely love it?
Do I need/use it?
Do I really want it weighing me down as I carry it from place to place?
If the answer to at least one of these questions is not “yes” then it must go.
Okay, now. Let’s get to the actual packing and moving tips.
1. Use tag-a-room color-coded moving box labels or assign a different color duct tape to each room. Apply color-coded stickers or tape to all the boxes from that room when packing. Then when you reach your new destination, put the tape/sticker color on the door of each corresponding room. This is super helpful to your movers because they will automatically know which boxes go in which room without having to ask. Tape or stickers can be purchased at your local office supply store.
2. Pack a moving essentials bin with items you will need the first day you arrive. For example, paper plates and cups, disposable silverware, soap (hand & dish), toilet paper, plastic trash bags, sheets, towels, and shower curtain with rings. Also remember things that you’ll need to actually unpack. Think scissors, pocket knife, hammer, and a variety of screwdrivers. Honestly, just bring your whole tool kit or have it where you can find it easily.
3. Use clear tubs or large Ziploc bags to keep like things together. You will find this particularly useful for small drawer items in the kitchen or bath. Because you’re using see-through tubs and/or bags, you will immediately be able to find what you need.
4. Get empty boxes with cardboard partitions already in them from a liquor store or grocery store. The cardboard partitions keep breakables and glassware in place. Especially wine and liquor boxes. Just make certain the boxes themselves are sturdy.
5. Secure top and bottom of boxes with extra tape. Admit it. We are only human and it is our nature to overpack. Even if we think we haven’t, we need to plan to securely tape both the bottom and top of our moving boxes so we won’t have a surprise breakthrough moment. Which bring us to one of our most important tips . . .
6. DON’T OVERPACK! Movers are strong, but they are human beings. If you put a gazillion heavy books in a box, they aren’t going to look at you too kindly. Be reasonable. Boxes are cheap compared to the injuries or breakage of items that may occur if a box explodes in transit. Create easy-to-lift loads. Even your largest boxes shouldn’t exceed 50 pounds.
7. Think recycle. Collect sturdy used boxes from friends, family, and neighbors. And buy new quality boxes and packing materials from your moving company or local hardware store for your best stuff. New or used, these moving boxes and packing materials can be broken down after the move and resold or given to someone else.
8. Put furniture hardware/electronic cords in clear bags and tape to the item itself. This will keep all the small nuts and bolts handy for reassembling at your new place while at the same time ensuring nothing gets lost. You might also snap a photo of the back of your electronics so you’ll have a visual aid to reconnect cords when setting up at your new place.
9. Use stretching and moving wrap. Trust us, this wrap is a necessity in a move. Not only can you use it to cover and secure bins of items like toys or shoes, you can also use it to keep drawers in place on chests and dressers. Simply wrap it a few times around the entire piece of furniture. Clear plastic wrap is perfect for keeping rakes, shovels, mops, and/or brooms together. Just cluster them together and wrap, wrap, wrap around them.
10. Don’t pack hazardous items. Ammonia, paint and varnish, cleaning chemicals, fire extinguishers, auto batteries, heating agents like Sterno all should be given away, left behind, or carefully moved by you. These hazardous items should not be packed on a moving truck with your other household belongings. If you do decide to take them with you, consider putting them in plastic totes to prevent dangerous spills.
Put furniture hardware/electronic cords in clear bags and tape to the item itself. This will keep all the small nuts and bolts handy for reassembling at your new place while at the same time ensuring nothing gets lost. You might also snap a photo of the back of your electronics so you’ll have a visual aid to reconnect cords when setting up at your new place.
Use stretching and moving wrap. Trust us, this wrap is a necessity in a move. Not only can you use it to cover and secure bins of items like toys or shoes, you can also use it to keep drawers in place on chests and dressers. Simply wrap it a few times around the entire piece of furniture. Clear plastic wrap is perfect for keeping rakes, shovels, mops, and/or brooms together. Just cluster them together and wrap, wrap, wrap around them. Don’t pack hazardous items. Ammonia, paint and varnish, cleaning chemicals, fire extinguishers, auto batteries, heating agents like Sterno all should be given away, left behind, or carefully moved by you. These hazardous items should not be packed on a moving truck with your other household belongings. If you do decide to take them with you, consider putting them in plastic totes to prevent dangerous spills.
So there you have it—tips to save you time, money, and stress when moving. I hope you incorporate a few, or all of them, into your moving game plan. After all, Team Athey is not just about selling, buying, and leasing, we are about helping people every step of the way.
I’m Suzanne Athey, founder of Team Athey & Remarkable Property Management. If you’d like to know more about the unique way we do business, call me at 469-916-1222 or email me at suzanne@teamathey.com. I’d love to visit with you and answer all your real estate questions.
